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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (June 17, 1982)
Page 6 Portland Observer, June 17, 1962 Abortion: A woman's choice OBSERVATIONS FROM THE SIDELINES by Kathryn H a ll Bogle Atonuri is safe .w tl The recent " A fric a n C ultural Night” presented by the Association of African Students from 15 A fri can countries at Portland State Uni versity was attended by more than 400 persons. Buffet dinner, served by these stu dents showcased foods mainly from the west coast o f A frica. The lengthy program offered a great variety of interest: an authentic A f rican dance troupe, called "Ochea- m i,” came from Seattle; an adora ble group o f children from the "Talking Drum” also danced; there was a fashion show; and there were several speakers to hear. M r. Leg- waila, the Botswana Ambassador to the U .N ., Dr. Malkew Lakew, Dr. W illiam L ittle o f P .S .U , and our own Ronnie Herndon all had a turn at addressing the guests. Abdi Ali Mohamed, president of AAS, made the opening welcoming remarks to the assembly and Dupeh Joiner was billed as master of ceremonies. According to the 1980 decennial census, one of five children under 18 in America lives in a one-parent family. For black people, the figures are about one in two. That’s about every other family in the black community. In 1960, 75 per cent of black children lived in two-parent homes. Now only 42 per. cent of black families are headed by two parents; 46 per cent live in one parent households and the rest live with other relatives or in other living situations. " I n the spring o f 1975," says Betty Kemp, a licensed minister at M aranatha Church in N .E . P o rt land, " I decided to do something to help the growing number of women trying to raise children alone.” Mrs. Kemp was singularly well prepared to "d o something about it” for a few of the single parents she knew to be in the M aranatha congregation. She is a graduate of Lewis and Clark College in Portland and she received a master’s degree in counselling and guidance from Portland State University. Kemp has worked with delinquent and dependent juveniles as a proba tion officer in San Diego; she has supervised narcotic addicts on their return from federal treatment hospi tals; and she spent several years as a placement counselor at Lewis and Clark. For a time she was a general counselor at the Sylvania campus of Portland Community College. " I invited eight single mothers from our congregation to partici pate for six w eeks," Kemp said. “ Seven years later our group is still going strong. I t ’ s a small, casual group but the emphasis is not on members; rather it is centered on the needs of those who attend. "T h e participants learn to give «i a d v x senmj The Rjrt U k xl Women s Health Center orters .« x tx x i sen*es i<)to IB weeks horn tie last mensuuu period The .itxxton procedure used up to 12 weeks is wx uurn aspuation with irnmnut dilation Dila tion ,«xi Evacuation |.m adaption of the sot lion methudl is used for abortions IJ lo 18 wrrks Atwrtions are performed will i opt».» Ml kxal ar lestfrtk Fees up to 12 weeks LNMP $180 00 13 -14 weeks LNMP $23500 15 - IB weeks LNMP $300 00 PORTLAND W O M E N 'S HEALTH CENTER 6510 SE FOSTER ROAD PORTLAND O R EG O N 97206 5 0 3 /7 7 7 -7 0 4 4 Mra. Dora M arlin, frequent traveller to Nigeria, end N kw enti Nkwenti Achu, OSU pharmacy student from the Cemeroona. visit during African Culture Night. and receive through sharing on an intimate basis. I share briefly on a subject from the scriptures (submis sion, faith, bitterness, etc.) and we have a time o f sharing and prayer with each other. "1 encourage our mothers to min ister to each other, and I th in k, through our group experience, we have all become more aware and sensitive to the needs of others. The women involved reflect spiritual growth as well as increased confi dence and social m aturity. They have become noticeably more in volved in church activities and they are trying new experiences such as going to college and attempting new recreational activities. “ A fte r all, the problems con fronting single mothers tend to be the same: financial pressures, deal ing with loneliness, the need for new experiences with and without the children, the responsibilities o f keeping everything going and the need to gain the emotional support o f other adults in meeting their problems.” “ I t ’s my belief that psychology and religion are inter-related and that every person can be helped to solve problems and find joy in liv ing,” Mrs. Kemp said. The group is open to any mother raising children alone, whether she is divorced, separated, widowed or single. The participants have often changed in the seven years o f its existence, and nearly a hundred women have taken part in its bene fits, according to Kemp. Regular meetings are held in small rooms o f the church. Sometimes meetings are held on church choir rehearsal nights because several of the current members of the "M o th ers’ Prayer-Share-B ible-G roup” have joined the choir and stay long er to rehearse with the choir. G lo ria Johnson, a Texas-born young woman who works as a tele phone operator for PNB, has been a member of the group for four years. Johnson, a mother o f two, has found the group very helpful to her, she said. "W e pray for each other and we share our problems with each other. Somehow that seems to lighten the load. I think every church should have this kind of group.” Regina Davis, a pharmacy tech nician at the Oregon Health Sciences University, is a mother of one. She has been with the group less than a year. She describes her self as being very shy. She said that it took two years for her to get up courage to join the group. Now that she is a member, she finds herself enthusiastic and feels that her shy ness if far less than it was. Her plans for the fall include picking up where she left o ff in her social science and biology classes at Portland State. Diana W oodards, in the group for one year, feels "th e group has helped me spiritually. I have come closer in my walk with G o d ,” she says. Woodards, born and reared in Vancouver, Washington, is a senior analyst with Aetna Insurance, re viewing and auditing Medicare claims. She has one child. Spring Sims, mother of three, ex presses her gratitude to the group saying, “ 1 had been struggling very hard when I joined the group. I have found more stability for myself within the group and have gained help with my children. We really minister to each other. Sims, born and reared in Portland, has worked as a bank teller, but hopes to con tinue her studies to become a legal secretary. "Ultimately, I ’d like to get into spe cial education and work with emo- Hasaan Daria and Abdi Ali M o hamad. praaidant of P8U Aaao- ciation of African Studanta, ara from Somalia tionally disturbed kids," she said. Social activities give individuals in the group other dimensions in their lives. They dine together, on occa sion, at some nice restaurant, they go to skating parties, to the beaches with their families, or they may take a holiday trip together by bus or Amtrak. They like to take an annual trip to Vancouver, B.C. and, usual ly, Kemp drives the group in a M ar anatha mini-bus. When they go, other church women may keep the children while the mothers are away. The mothers try to give something back to the church. They have pre pared and served dinners and teas for the public as well as for church members with proceeds ticketed for Maranatha. Kemp feels that the challenge of the church today is " t o meet the needs o f congregations o f the pre sent. Divorce rates continue to climb in this country and our needs are becoming increasingly more complex. M y prayer is that other churches will find this type of group helpful in meeting the needs of this segment o f their own congrega tions.” Mrs. Kemp, herself a single par ent, is the mother of Lauri Kemp, a graduate of Washington State Uni versity. The Rev. John W . Garlington is the ordained minister of Maranatha Church. PEACE CORPS You Can Never Go Home That's one thing the Peace Corp* can guarantee its volunteers. Because once you've had the rather incredible experience of belonging to a third-world culture and becoming an inti mate part of the hopes and plans of peo ple struggling with the very bastes of life, your view of the world — and yourself — will never be quite the same We know that idea will make some peo ple uneasy, but former volunteers will confirm that two years in the Peace Corps can mean personal growth, cross- cultural experiences, and a sense of satisfaction found nowhere else It isn’t easy, and it isn't for everyone, but since 1961 nearly 85.000 Americans have made the commitment and found it to be one of the central events in their lives. See our representatives in Portland June 21-24, Lobby, Federal Building 1220 S.W. 3rd, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Or Call Toll Free: 1-800-426-1022 Struggle "worth it r r "This is the most important thing that ever happened to m e ," said northeast Portlander JoAnne Mc- quarrie on the eve of her graduation from Portland Community College. " I finally made it!” McQuarrie received her Associate of Arts degree in Criminal Justice at PCC graduation ceremonies on June 11. A mother with three chil dren ages 10 to 14, she admits that juggling studies with family life, Lit tle League activities, P T A and work-study took its toll on her en ergy. "1 had lots of personal problems and pressures," she said. But she feels it was worth it. Along with a two-year degree, McQuarrie has ac quired goals, confidence and an en tirely new way o f looking at life ’s possiblities. " I did not graduate from high school,” McQuarrie said. " I really didn’t think I was capable of any thing.” McQuarrie’s first experience with PCC was when she decided to get her general education diploma (G E D ), planning to enter beauty school and eventually find a better paying job. Her interest in beauty school was minimal, and G E D in structor David Meyer helped steer her into classes at PCC. "1 d id n ’t think I could do i t , " McQuarrie said. But PCC people assured me there was nothing wrong with me and every instructor really helped a lot. They gave me the con fidence I needed.” M cQ uarrie applied fo r work- study, and worked part time for the Criminal Justice Department at the T OLDTOW N MERCHANTS CRIMPERS! LIGHTING SPECIALTIES by SAM J S P O 8 IT O SINCE 1950 LIGHTING & DECORATING CONSULTANTS "One ot the M oil Outetending Showrooms in the N W JOANNE MCQUARRIE Sylvania Campus. Completing her degree program took a long time be cause she quit PCC to attend Port land State University for a while, and also took time off to work. Family pressures mounted, too, but M cQ uarrie and her husband sought family counseling at the col lege and avoided a divorce. Now that she has her degree, M cQ uarrie faces other hurdles. " I ’m almost 3 7 ," she said. " B e cause I want to work with kids my age is a barrier." She plans to vol unteer at Juvenile Justice Court, be lieving that if she gets known in the system it will be easier to find work. And she plans to take more classes at Portland Community Col lege, this time in a d ifferent area. «•»’ n I N J« I N IM IN “THE HOUSE OF BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS' fc-Z L'JJ • Specializing ★ • Designer Curls • California Curls • Relayers • Colour • Cuts old tow n 2 0 8 nw couch a p p o in tm en ts: 2 2 7 4 2 2 8 ■ t h i 78 NW COUCH AT 1ST I — * iiuOVTVT B lot k ,6 6 f t PORTLAND, ORE. 67209 I A
