May 25, 2013

Dear Family, Friends and Well Wishers:

I hope you are all having a good summer - whether you're surviving a heat wave or wishing for warmer weather like those of us in the Bay area!
Before I set off my exciting journey this fall, I want to touch base with those of you who have expressed an interested in my upcoming trip to Mexico and those I thought might want to know about what I will be doing and where! Many of you have been wondering what I'll be doing on my trip and to give a brief overview, in September I will be traveling for two weeks to central Mexico with the Office of Disciples Women as part of an initiative through the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). (For those of you who are not familiar with the Disciples, we are a mainstream Christian denomination and are ecumenically minded). My group will be connecting with organizations that work with the needs of women and children in Mexico and I will see first hand how the offerings of churches are put to work in the global community.
Our group will make connections and form relationships with organizations in Mexico and hopefully those relationships will blossom so that we can cooperatively work for peace and justice, with a focus on women and children. We'll be making personal connections with individuals in churches, too. As of this e-mail, the final itinerary is not yet set, though I know that we will be in and around Guadalajara for the majority of the trip. I am very excited to learn how this part of the world sees women and children, and how we in the U.S.A. can partner with those in Mexico to improve their livelihoods. As I prepare for this trip, I am inspired by Jesus' own concern for the vulnerable in his society, including women and children.

I invite all who are interested in following my trip and thoughts to read my updates on Facebook where I will be narrating my preparation for the trip (both physical and spiritual), posting photos and sharing thoughts while on my trip - provided I can find an Internet cafe for a couple of minutes.

Finally, A BIG THANKS to those who have contributed towards the cost of the trip so far. I am grateful and humbled by your generosity. I do not want anyone to feel obligated to donate to the trip, but several of the people who are getting this e-mail have asked me how and when they should contribute, and know that every little bit does help. As the final payment is coming up soon, donations may be made in a couple of ways. You can donate directly here through my fundrazr page which is the fastest method of payment. I will forward the funds to the Women's Ministries Woman-to-Woman Fund, of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Northern California-Nevada--and then it will be tax deductible!

Or if you prefer, you may send a check to:

CCNC-N, Women’s Ministries
Attn: Woman to Woman Fund, Turner
9260 Alcosta Blvd, ste C-18
San Ramon, CA 94583
Memo: Denise Turner WWW Trip (It is extremely important that you put this in the memo line of the donation or it will not be credited to me). Please help if willing by sharing this page with your social network. Thank you!


I ask that everyone keep me in their thoughts and prayers and I look forward to sharing with you on my facebook page. I'd also love to hear from each of you, so please write/call sometime soon.


Blessings,

Denise Turner