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 On June 6th and 7th, the wonderful women of windy Wyoming met in Laramie to fellowship with each other and celebrate Jesus at the ABWM of Wyoming Roundup. Our hosts, ABWM at First Baptist Church in Laramie, treated us to an enlightening program that was at once entertaining and thought provoking. The program emphasized the national theme of Come to the Edge; Break the Chains, with special guest speakers who are actively engaged in missions. We were enthusiastically led in music by Deanna Dyer and Arlene Denny, and it was fun, as usual. We never get too old to sing the songs of childhood.
We heard about the work that is going on in Ukhurl, Maipur, India as well as Kansas City, Kansas, through Rakmi Shaiza, a graduate of Central Baptist Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry student and employee of the Bethel Neighborhood Center in Kansas City. She is a third generation member of the Phungyo Baptist Church in her home town of Ukhurl. Phungyo Baptist Church was founded in 1901 by American Baptist missionary Rev. William Pettigrew. Rakmi is the founder of the Chingrikhon Women Educational Organization (CWEO) in Ukhurl, an organization dedicated to helping women in Manipur. She shared her vision for her work in India as well as her passion for the people of the Bethel Neighborhood Center.
 We learned of the missionary work going on in the Bahamas through Estela Schweissing, an American Baptist Missionary who, with her husband Dan, works with women and children in the Bahamas. Estela’s work includes teaching Haitian refugee women to sew, knit and crochet, giving them skills to earn a living for their families. She serves in the area of general ministry, with the Mission Baptist Consortium’s seven Haitian congregations in the Nassau area of the Bahamas. She shared with us a video that told of the plight of Haitian refugees living in the Bahamas; how they are living and working in a country that refuses to recognize them as citizens.
Both women were an inspiration to all who heard them speak. As result, the ABWM of Wyoming voted to sponsor both Estela and Rakmi’s work in 2008-2009 as the Conference Project. All conference project money collected during the coming year will be split between them.
Yvonne Wisenhunt, President of ABWM of Colorado led us through a PowerPoint presentation on Break the Chains. It was a joy to have her share with us. Angela Bown of First Baptist – Laramie provided us with a powerful dramatic interpretation of Arise, My Love by Newsong.
The election of new officers was also held. The new Executive Board for 2008-2009 is:
• President—Helen Schindler— Bethel Baptist Casper
• Secretary—April Johnson— FBC Laramie
• Treasurer—Dorothy Beatty— Bethel Baptist Casper
• Personal Development—Mary Beth Mankin—FBC Laramie
• Mission/Service—Cynthia Rigsby —FBC Gillette
• Church/Community—Connie Bailey—Bethel Baptist Casper
• White Cross—Mary Ann Golden—FBC Rawlins
• Love Gift—Kay Harvey— FBC Lander
• Baptistar—Jenita Calton— FBC Rawlins
We thank the women of FBC Laramie for a wonderful program and for being such lovely hosts. We also send our love and prayers to Margaret Prine who was temporarily sidelined. Margaret, we missed you. Get well soon.
Helen Schindler
President
ABWM Wyoming
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