Extraordinary Ordinary Women

Peace Pilgrim

2007-05-15T22:57:00.000-06:00

Of all of the women that I have researched and shared with you, I find "Peace Pilgrim" to be one of the most, if not the most inspiring and extraordinary. Her story has really touched my heart, and her cause is one that I believe in with all my heart, Peace.
Her name was Mildred Lisette Norman Ryder, and she was born on a small farm in New Jersey in 1908.
After walking through the forest all night one night praying for her calling in life, she underwent a great spiritual experience. Mildred had this to say of the experience:
"I felt a complete willingness, without any reservations, to give my life - to dedicate my life - to service. "If you can use me for anything, please use me!" I prayed to God. "Here I am-take all of me; use me as you will. I withhold nothing." Then a great peace came over me. I experienced a complete willingness without reservations whatsoever, to give my life to something beyond my self."
A biography of Peace Pilgrim by Marta Daniels says this of her experience:
She began radically simplifying her life. She decided to get rid of unnecessary possessions and frivolous activities. She became a vegetarian, disciplined herself to live on ten dollars a week, and reduced her wardrobe to two dresses. She joined the Endurance Hiking Club, and undertook wilderness treks, to increase her physical strength and to gain experience in simple living. She said that she wanted to practice putting material things in their proper place, "realizing that they are there for use, but relinquishing them when they are not useful." She said she wanted to "experience and learn to appreciate the great freedom of simplicity."

During her 15-year inner preparation, she discovered the difference between the willingness to give of herself and the actual giving. She described this period as a time when she was engaged in a great struggle between ego and conscience, or between her "lower, self-centered nature," and the "higher, God-centered nature."

All and all, Peace Pilgrim walked 28,000 miles in three decades, and changes thousands of lives. She vowed to "remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace, walking until given shelter and fasting until given food." She is a woman who has truly inspired me. She had a long amazing, and enlightening life, and I could go on for pages about it, but if her story intrigues you even a little bit, I hope that you'll read about her. Before entering this blog, I spent a good hour reading about her, watching videos and listening to audio clips... I dont think I can really express to you how much her story has touched me. She passed away tragically in 1981 while being driven to a speaking engagement.

This video is a short interview with a young man who was inspired by Peace Pilgrim. He walked 1,000 miles because he was so touched by her message.

Khaleda Zia

2007-05-15T21:39:00.000-06:00

Khaleda Zia was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from 1991 to 1996, and was the first woman in the country's history to hold that position. She later regained the position from 2001 to 2006. She is the widow of the assassinated president, and leads his old party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. After 35 years of independence of Bangladesh she has ruled the country for about 10 years, the longest period by any one person. She has been elected to five separate parliamentary constituencies in the general elections of 1991, 1996, and 2001, a feat unachieved by any other politician in Bangladeshi history. In 2006, Forbes ranked Khaleda as #33 in 100 Most Powerful Women in the world.
Her devotion to her country, and her hard work and unrelenting attitude are inspiring to me, and thousands of other women around the world.

Mary Brent Wehrli

2007-05-15T20:12:00.000-06:00

Mary Brent Wehrli is an extrordinary woman who has made great strides in the field of social work. She is a professor at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and is a role model to her students and to her community. Mary pioneered a program for first year grad students at UCLA giving them hands on experience working on Skid Row. She is also co-founder and convener of the Southern California chapter of the Bertha Capen Reynolds Society, which is a national organization of social workers. Through this, she has helped organize a series of grassroots coalitions that fought for Los Angeles to declare itself a sanctuary for Central American refugees, for the city's living wage law and to mobilize regional service agencies in response to welfare reform.

"She is an exceptionally dynamic, charismatic and passionate individual with an extraordinary ability to motivate and to inspire others to become involved in changing the world around them," said Michele Prichard of the Liberty Hill Foundation.

Sheila E. Widnall, Ph.D.

2007-05-15T11:53:00.000-06:00

Sheila Widnall is the former Secretary of the Air Force (1993-1997) and the only woman to head a military service. A few of her other roles include astrophysicist, master pilot, aeronautical genius, educator, writer, wife, and mother. She has been honored by Women in Aviation, as well as being inducted into the Pioneer Hall of Fame. Some of her other awards include Lawrence Sperry Award and the Durand Lectureship from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Society of Women Engineers, and the National Academy of Engineering’s (NAE) Distinguished Service Award. She was also the first woman to head a department at the Massachusettes Institute of Technology (MIT). Sheila is no stranger to being the first to do many things. I really repect her for her hard work and the fact that she was never phased a bit by being such a trailblazer. Way to go Sheila!

Huda Y. Zoghbi, M.D.

2007-05-14T19:52:00.000-06:00

Huda Y. Zoghbi is a Lebanese doctor who has made huge strides in neurology. I found her work to be very interesting, although much of it went right over head... Im a comm major, not pre-med! I wouldnt be very successful at explaining her work, so I'll leave it to you to read her story! Check out the following sites!

PNAS
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Baylor College of Medicine
NINDS

Ginetta Sagan

2007-05-14T14:43:00.000-06:00

Ginetta Sagan was a survivor one of the Nazi's prison camps, because of her involvement with the Italian resistance. There she suffered unspeakable acts of torture and violence, as well as watched her parents be murdered. Somehow she came our stronger and changed, with an unstoppable will to help others from experiencing inhumane treatment and torture. She has been responsible for the release of political prisoners in Poland, the Czech Republic, Latin America, and South Africa. 6,000 prisoners in Vietnam were also set free because of her relentless efforts. She was known to directly face captors and demand the release of prisoners. Ginetta knew the pain and suffering of the prisoners personally, which is why she worked so hard to free them in as little time possible. She founded the first West Coast chapter of Amnesty International USA and has organized some 75 other chapters around the United States. If more people had the courage Ginetta had, I truely believe the world would be a changed place.

Click here to read more about The Power Of A Nobody

Sophia Rabliauskas

2007-05-14T14:10:00.000-06:00

I am a firm believer in protecting the environment, which is why I find Sophia Rabliauskas so extraordinary. She is a member of the Ojibway indigenous people in Manitoba, Canada, and for the last eight years has been working to protect her people's two million acres of undisturbed forrest land. She led her community in the development of a plan to manage and protect the forrests that they love so dearly. This year (2007) she was the recipient of the Goldman Environmental Prize.

Sophia beautifull sums up her beliefs and thoughts on her responsiblilty in this quote:
"Creator gave us the responsibility to care for the land, the land that sustains our life. Our Elders have always believed that how we treat our land today will affect the health of the planet and the lives of many generations to come. It is critical now more than ever, that we fulfill that responsibility that was passed down to us from our ancestors.”

Click here to read more about Sophia and see video of her!
Click here to read a Q&A with Sophia!

Jane Domeier

2007-05-13T12:13:00.000-06:00

Jane Domeier is probably the most inspiring woman that I know. It may be cheesy for me to blog about my own grandmother, but she is someone I admire immensely. She lost her mother to cancer in her early teens, and helped her father raise her two sisters and brother during the great depression. She was an army wife and raised five children. In her early sixties she battled breast cancer and won. She is the most loving and caring woman that I know, and for that reason she is extraordinary to me!

Kate Gosselin

2007-05-13T11:20:00.000-06:00

Kate Gosselin is a woman who is nothing but ordinary. Im my opinion she has the most important job. She is the mother of eight children, two six year olds and six two year olds. After encountering fertility problems with her husband Jon, they were blessed to have twin daughters Cara and Madelyn. Four years later, after undergoing more fertility treatments, Jon and Kate found out that she was pregnant with sextuples! Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah and Joel were born prematurely, but ended up healthy! Kate is an inspiration to me because of the tough job she encounters every day. She is a loving mother and hard worker to say the least.
Her family is featured on TLC's Jon and Kate Plus 8.

Victoria Hale

2007-05-08T17:28:00.000-06:00

This one's pretty cool too. Victoria Hale founded the first nonprofit drug company in the United States, called the Institute for OneWorld Health. She was inspired by the suffering she saw wile spending time in India roughly 5 years ago. Her dedication and hard work have made bringing medicine where it is needed most possible, they are still working towards thier man goal.

“Drug companies measure their success in terms of profits,” Hale explains. “Our idea was to start a pharmaceutical company that measured success in terms of lives saved and suffering eased.”

To do that, her fledgling nonprofit company raises money from individuals, corporations, and foundations (the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has donated more than $80 million), and relies on the volunteer help of hundreds of pharmaceutical scientists and people in many other fields.

The Institute for OneWorld Health is about to submit documents for approval for its first drug, an antibiotic that can cure visceral leishmaniasis more effectively and for a fraction of the cost of existing drugs. Now Hale and her team are turning their attention to drugs and vaccines to fight other diseases, including malaria and childhood diarrheal diseases."

(Quote from article on Health.com)

Check out the One World Health webpage!

Princess Kasune Zulu

2007-05-08T14:51:00.000-06:00

So I was reading a few articles on Health.com today and found the stories of several women that really touched my heart... so there'll be a few postings today! How excited are you?!

Some of you at Bethel may have met her when she was on campus last year, I did, and I'm regretting it now as I read her story. Princess Kasune Zulu is from Zambia, Africa and is HIV positive. Ever since she found out that she was a part of the epidemic devistating Africa, she knew she had to take action. A quote from an article about her at Health.com had this to say:

"Zulu went straight to the people who are believed to be aiding and abetting the virus— truck drivers who have sex with prostitutes and then return to their wives. For almost a year she visited truck stops and hitchhiked along Zambia’s main highways, talking to men about HIV/AIDS and safe sex. To reach a larger audience, Zulu started a radio program, called Positive Living and broadcast from Lusaka, the Zambian capital. Each week, she invites experts to talk about subjects ranging from new drug therapies to the customs that have helped fuel the epidemic. When a man dies in Zambia, for example, his property traditionally passes to his brother, leaving the wife destitute; many women are forced to offer sex for money just to survive. “In a poor country like mine, many women don’t have the option to say no. That must change,” says Zulu, whose radio program is broadcast in English and translated into seven different local languages. “Words are powerful. They are one of the strongest weapons we have against this disease.”

I was, and am still shocked by her action. I doubt I'd have the courage to hitch hike to talk to truck drivers, and do the things she did. She has taken her burden and done the only thing she knew to do, try to prevent it from happening to others. She could have done nothing, like most do, she could have spread it and not gave it a second thought, but she did, she gave it a second, a third, a fourth and more. For these reasons she inspires me. Take a look at these sites and see if her story touches you like it does me.

This article on her is a great account of her life and work.
She also works very closely with World Vision.

Renee Bondi

2007-05-06T19:12:00.001-06:00

So I was looking for a woman to post about today, I google searched "inspiring women" and Renee Bondi's name popped up. As I was reading her sorry I remembered that she spoke at my high school when I was in about tenth grade. So weird... but cool. I the thing I think I remembered most about Renee was how happy she was. She's a quadraplegic but she was SO happy, to be honest it kind of weirded me out, but she had such joy about her, I guess thats just a testament of what Jesus can do for ya! ( Also remember her joking about how being a quadraplegic was great because when she was in labor with her son, she couldent feel a thing!)

The accident that bound her to a wheelchair was nothing short of bizzare, in her sleep she basically did a nose dive off her bed breaking her neck. She woke up just as she hit the floor.

Read her story here, she puts it all a lot better than I ever could.
You can also check her out at her personal web page.

Elizabeth Loescher

2007-05-02T09:59:00.000-06:00

Elizabeth Loescher is a pioneer in the field of dispute resolution, and has been for over 20 years, she is the founder and former Executive Director of the Conflict Center in Denver, Colorado. She has drawn on her field experience and worked with local school officials to create curricula that are widely used in schools to reduce levels of physical, verbal, and emotional violence by teaching the practical skills of peacemaking and conflict and anger management. Providing students with a framework for examining and working out their conflicts, she contributed to the reduction of the number of violent incidents in a West Denver school from three per day to none within three semesters. (from Hunt Alternatives Fund)

She has made peace a priority in her life, and that I really respect. She has written books on the topic of mediation was well, these can be found here. She is a woman who has devoted her life to a cause she believes in and had made a world of difference.

Learn more about Elizabeth here:
Zinn Mediation

The Sisters of Notre Dame

2007-05-02T09:40:00.000-06:00

This post does not so much focus on woman, as it does a whole group of them. The Sisters of Notre Dame have been a part of my life since I was eleven years old. I attended La Reina High School in Thousand Oaks, California, and this school was started and run by the order of Catholic nuns devoted to teaching. These women are among the most extraordinary that I've met in my life. I met a great deal of them around campus and in my times visiting the convent.
I had the most interaction with two sisters specifically, Sister Antoinette Marie Moon, and Sister Mary Leanne Hubbard. The former was the principal of the school during my time there, and she now serves at a school for girls, started by the order in Busesa, Uganda. It has been among my greatest desires to visit this school. Sister Leanne, was my teacher for two years. Although I was a Baptist attending a Catholic school, she helped me form a great respect for the Catholic church.
Knowing these women have very much changed my view of what a life devoted to God looks like. They are women who love their lives, they have fun, and have just as many opportunities as lay people. I am very thankful for their influence on my life, and I can be sure that I will never forget my time spent with them.

If you're interested in learning more about this order of Sisters, go to www.snd1.org !

(sorry I knew I had some pictures of them, but I cant find them!)

Joni Eareckson Tada

2007-04-29T12:09:00.000-06:00

"A diving accident in 1967 left Joni Eareckson Tada a quadriplegic and in a wheelchair, unable to use her hands. After two years of rehabilitation, Joni re-entered the community with new skills and a fresh determination to help others in similar situations. “My church made a huge difference in my family’s life as they demonstrated the love of God in practical ways,” says Joni.

Mrs. Tada wrote of her experiences in her international best-selling biography, Joni. Her name is now recognized in countries around the world following the distribution in many languages of her biography and the full-length feature film JONI. She has personally visited over 41 countries."

(As quoted from her website Joni and Friends)

I have personally mat Joni, when I was about 10 years old, at a local church in Southern California. I remember I was amazed at how beautiful be was and how she was so happy for no apparant reason. She was in her element at her home church and to this day, even though our conversation lasted only about a minute, she is one of the kindest people Ive met. She has the joy of Christ, despite her personal misfortune.

I encourage you to look around her website to see all the amazing things she does despite her disability. She is an example of what we as Christians should be.

Francine Rivers

2007-04-16T20:32:00.000-06:00

My first experience with Francine Rivers came at a very important time for me, my first heartbreak. I read her novel, Redeeming Love, and had a vivid picture of what love should be and moreso what God's love is like. Francine is a author who's books have touched many peoples lives, just like her first christian novel changed mine. She became a born again Christian in 1986, and her life from that point has been one that all Christians can relate to. I strongly encourage you to read her testimony on her webpage. As a writer myself, I find her so inspiring for the way she is able to use her creativity as a tool to further the kingdom.

Click here to watch a video of Francine discussing her writing!

Sandy Allen

2007-04-01T16:08:00.000-06:00

Sandy Allen is the world tallest living woman. I first learned about her one night while watching a special on The Learning Channel about the worlds tallest man. I was intrigued by her strength and personality. Sandy has a pituitary disorder that has caused her to grow at an unusually rapid rate. At 10 years old she stood 6'3" tall. Currently, she is 7'7" tall and because of excessive strain on her knees and circulation she is confined to a wheelchair. Her personality is one of a woman that never gives up. She recognizes that the greatest hardship in her life is also the greatest gift. She uses the fame she has been given to speak and give hope to others suffering from diseases. In 2001 a book entitled Cast A Giant Shadow was released about her life. Sandy is an inspiration to me, and many other people worldwide. She challenges us to look beneath the surface beauty to the soul of a person for thier true beautiful qualities. She teaches all that meet her that it doesnt matter the frame we are given, or the difficulties we face, it is what we do with them that count.

Wangari Muta Maathai

2007-03-14T17:30:00.000-06:00

So I guess I'm just inspired today, either that or just feel like getting some posts done... because I'm posting again!

Wangari Muta Maathai was born in Kenya, and was the first woman in east and central Africa to earn any type of docorate degree. She is internationally recognized for her persistent struggle for democracy, human rights and environmental conservation.

She has won numerous awards and prizes for her humanitarian and environmental work. Some of these awards include:
The Sophie Prize (2004)
The Petra Kelly Prize for Environment (2004)
The Conservation Scientist Award (2004)
J. Sterling Morton Award (2004)
WANGO Environment Award (2003)
Outstanding Vision and Commitment Award (2002)
Excellence Award from the Kenyan Community Abroad (2001)
Golden Ark Award (1994)
Juliet Hollister Award (2001)
Jane Adams Leadership Award (1993)
Edinburgh Medal (1993)
The Hunger Project's Africa Prize for Leadership (1991)
Goldman Environmental Prize (1991)
the Woman of the World (1989)
Windstar Award for the Environment (1988)
Better World Society Award (1986)
Right Livelihood Award (1984)
Woman of the Year Award (1983)
yeah.... thats a lot. I wish I had that many awards on my wall!

She has been a member of parliament in Kenya since 2002, and furthering her great work.

Listen here to hear an interview with her on NPR!

I really like this lady... obviously I don't know her, but just through researching her I can feel her compassion and drive to better her country. I feel like she would just be a really interesting person to sit down with, she looks so pleasant in her picture! So take some time to read about her and maybe you'll see what I mean!

Rigoberta Menchú

2007-03-07T18:59:00.000-06:00

Rigoberta Menchu is someone I find absolutely extraordinary. She can from the most humble of roots, in Guatemala but was able to really make a difference for those around her and her country.

I know this is a quick little blog entry, but I really encourage you to look into the life she has had and the work that she has done! She's even a Nobel Peace Prize winner!

Rigoberta on Wikipedia
indians.org
Here she is!

Rugiatu Neneh Turay

2007-02-28T16:49:00.000-06:00

It is no secret that the social injustices in Africa are growing daily. We often hear of ways we can help, by sending monetary aid or going on mission trips, but Rugiatu Neneh Turay took fighting the injustices to a higher level.

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a procedure that more that 130 million women have undergone. It is viewed as an ititiation ritual in many African cultures, even though in international aid and rights groups it is seen to be a massive human rights violation. The procedure is often done in extremely unsanitary conditions, with unsterilized tools, which has potential to spread the AIDS virus.

Turay was born in Seirra Leone 26 years ago, and underwent FGM when she was thirteen years old. After the death of her cousin, she knew she had to take action. She formed the Amazonian Initiative Movement. The organizations focus is on raising awareness of the dangers of FGM. Since performing this ritual is a huge source of income in such poor areas, AIM must also face the challenge of not only convincing people to stop doing the "surgery" but provide them with other options for providing for their families.

Turay is more than qualified for this job because after she fell victim to this terrible ritual, she continued on to perform it on twenty three other women. She says that at that point in her life it was the only way for her to feed her children.

Since starting AIM the orgaization has registered over 1,2oo practitioners who have agreed to stop practicing if given a different means of income.

Sorry I dont have a picture... I'll keep looking for one!

Katie Powell

2007-02-21T19:48:00.000-06:00

Katie is another person who is inspiring to me. There isn't anything published about her, but who cares, shes still amazing! I first met her in junior high at summer camp but didn't get to know her until our freshman year of high school. She and I attended the same church, and grew up near each other. It wasn't until a few years later that I found out about where Katie came from.

When she was nine years old she was adopted from Russia.

One night at camp a few years later she told me the whole story... from the very beginning. Her mother was a teenager, and a drug addict. Soon after having Katie, her mother, most likely strung out, put her in a dumpster and left her there. If it weren't for a policeman patrolling the area that heard the newborns cries, she would never have been a part of my life. She spent years in and out of different orphanages and foster homes, before an American family made her theirs.

Katie is one of the most loving, happy, and crazy people I know. She has overcome huge obstacles and become a true testament to God's love. I am grateful her Katie's friendship, and grateful that she is a part of my life.

Rachel J. Scott

2007-02-18T21:15:00.000-06:00

We all remember the Columbine High School massacre that took the innocent lives of several students. Probably the most famous of them was Cassie Bernall. But not many of us have heard of Rachel Scott. She was a remarkable young lady with an even more remarkable faith. After her death her mother published her journals featuring prayers, poems and thoughts from her parents. The book is targeted toward a younger teen audience, but her message and story is thought provoking for all ages.

She is an inspiring girl who will never be forgotten. We can all take a lesson from her example and faith.

Take a look at these links and see why Rachel was so extraordinary and ordinary at the same time.

Article 1
Article 2

Norine V. Rathbone

2007-02-10T20:21:00.000-06:00

I am proud to start this blog with one of my personal inspirations in life. She was my mother's best friend growing up and now is my "aunt".

Norine Rathbone isn't your average woman, she's stronger and has a bigger story to tell. I've known Norine since the day I was born, and she has changed my life as well as the lives of countless others around her. She has a big personality, you'd know that by spending all of 30 seconds with her, but in that 30 seconds you'd know that she has an even bigger heart. (Fyi, that's her
and I in the picture...)

A passion for baseball is in her blood. She played g rowing up so it seems only natural that she would be the first female to break into the Men's Senior Baseball League, and even more natural that she could prove to the men that she deserved to be there just as much as they did. In 2001, however, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and fought every day to survive. She endured a double mastectomy, and the loss of her hair from the chemothearpy. She kept on with her life, bald head and all. She is a testament to the strength a person can have amist huge adversity, and through her struggle she found ways to lend her help and experience to others. Through a set of circumstances she formed an internet freinship with a woman named Motoko in Japan, who was dying of cancer. Norine went to her to help her "sister" in her time of great need, and to be a shoulder to a woman suffering in a country where illness is not widely accepted. Although Motoko has passed, Norine still remians in contact with her husband and young son.

Norine has always been one to be open about her life and struggles, if for no other reason than to let people know that no matter what you look like, where you come from, or whatever difficulty life may throw at you, it is not at all out of God's hands.

She currently works as a photographer and lives with her husband of 30 years, Ed, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

I encourage you to explore the links I've provided and read for yourself why Norine is such an extraordinary, ordinary woman.

Other links about Norine:
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Skyhawks