KatysBlog

May 20, 2021 · 11:06 am

Helping the Holy Land

TechWomen at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, Gaza City, Feb 2016

During this violent time in the Holy Land, our family just made a large donation to Episcopal Relief & Development which supports the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City (which I visited with TechWomen mentors and mentees in 2016), and the Middle East. We have asked for a corporate match for our family donation. Please consider donating – and keep the Holy Land in your prayers. We also donated to Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) (as requested by Ryan Sturgill, Director of Gaza Sky Geeks).

I put this information on my own Facebook account but when I tried to re-post a version of it, Facebook blocked me. Apparently Facebook objects to posts about praying for Gaza and making charitable donations to the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza. Please continue to pray and donate anyway.

Our 2016 visit was an unofficial TechWomen delegation by five senior mentors who wanted to visit their much-loved Gazan mentees. TechWomen is a program of the U.S. State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs – Exchange Programs, managed by the Institute of International Education (IIE). I am re-posting some of my pictures here from our trip to Gaza City so that you can see what it looked like before the current violence. You can read some of my 2016 posts with more photos, Traveling in Palestine, Three Border Walls, Where We Stayed in Palestine, and Understanding Gaza.

TechWomen in Gaza, Feb 2016 — Gaza Sky Geeks with TechWomen, Feb 2016

Katy Dickinson and TechWomen presenting in Gaza City, Feb 2016

Jessica Dickinson Goodman and TechWomen presenting in Gaza City, Feb 2016 — Katy Dickinson and TechWomen presenting in Gaza City, Feb 2016

TechWomen at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, Gaza City, Feb 2016

Church of Saint Porphyrius, Orthodox Christian church of Gaza, Feb 2016

TechWomen at Church of Saint Porphyrius, Orthodox Christian church of Gaza, Feb 2016 — Church of Saint Porphyrius, Orthodox Christian church of Gaza, Feb 2016

Eileen Brewer at Gaza City harbor, Feb 2016

Gaza City beach, Feb 2016 — Eileen Brewer at Gaza City harbor, Feb 2016

25 May 2021 Update:
In addition to donating to Episcopal Relief & Development which supports Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza (including the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City), here is the list of reputable first responder organizations recommended by Ryan Sturgill, Director of Gaza Sky Geeks:

Palestine Red Crescent Society, https://www.palestinercs.org/

Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, https://www.pcrf.net/

Medical Aid for Palestinians, https://www.map.org.uk/

Doctors Without Borders, https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/

UN Population Fund in Palestine, https://palestine.unfpa.org/

Thank you for your prayers and generous donations.

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Filed under Mentoring & Other Business, News & Reviews, Politics

Tagged as Episcopal church, Gaza, Jessica, Middle East, technical women, TechWomen

May 4, 2021 · 1:47 pm

In Memory of Daniel Vega Martinez (1969-2021)

Daniel Vega Martinez 1969-2021, collage, from Peggy Bryan — Daniel Vega Martinez 1969-2021, collage, from the Rev. Peggy Bryan

On Sunday, a group of family and friends gathered to remember Daniel Vega Martinez (1969-2021). Daniel or “Big O” was a beloved member of our Stepping Stones reentry community, and had been in my class at Elmwood county jail. The Rev. Peggy Bryan, who leads the Stepping Stones community with Jack Fanning, wrote this tribute and account of Daniel’s death.

“Sadly, we said goodbye yesterday to Daniel Martinez, one of the first men I met at Elmwood and who, in reentry, was my teacher about the authentic challenges faced by living on the streets. Daniel was handed a tough life and the demons of addiction and shame finally tracked him down. Sunday he was found in flames in the cab of the truck he was living in. He was transported to VMC’s Burn Unit but his injuries were deemed unsurvivable so yesterday I offered final prayers as his wife, children and sisters circled him with love…Expressions of condolences and love are pouring in from those incarcerated and those outside who knew, loved and respect Daniel, ‘Big O’, as a man of God and a real St. Paul when leading behind bars, in prison or jail. The cause of the fire is unknown—accident, suicide, homicide…Please keep everyone in your prayers, those who call him father, brother, husband, mentor, friend and teacher are spread far and wide. As plans for a service are known, I’ll let you know. My heart is broken, this has been beyond brutal, but it helps knowing Daniel finally rests In God’s perfect peace.”

Fifty of Daniel’s friends and family got together in the San Jose parking lot to honor his life and lay flowers at the burn site where he was fatally injured.

Rest eternal grant to him, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon him

Daniel Vega Martinez 1969-2021, melted fence 2 May 2021

Daniel Vega Martinez 1969-2021, memorial flowers 2 May 2021 — Daniel Vega Martinez 1969-2021, melted fence 2 May 2021

Daniel Vega Martinez 1969-2021, with family, from Peggy Bryan

Daniel Vega Martinez 1969-2021, at beach, by Peggy Bryan

Daniel Vega Martinez 1969-2021, with Kathy and Peggy, from Peggy Bryan — Daniel Vega Martinez 1969-2021, at beach, by Peggy Bryan

30 May 2021 Update: Daniel’s Memorial Service at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

Daniel Martinez memorial, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 30 May 2021 — Daniel Martinez memorial, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 30 May 2021

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Filed under Chaplain, Church, Home & Family, News & Reviews

Tagged as Correctional Institutions Chaplaincy - CIC, Jail, San Jose, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, teaching

April 27, 2021 · 8:23 pm

Fully Vaccinated

Katy Dickinson at Kingsburg Fire Dept. 23 April 2021

John Plocher getting COVID vaccine, 23 April 2021 — Katy Dickinson at Kingsburg Fire Dept. 23 April 2021

My husband John Plocher and I took two road trips from San Jose to Kingsburg, California, to get our COVID-19 vaccines. We are now in the two week period before our second shots become fully effective. We chose to drive two and a half hours each way because local vaccine appointments were full and we got tired of the “Hunger Games” style scramble for open appointments closer to home. After checking websites of local pharmacies, medical centers, and county centers at all hours for a week (answering a dozen questions on each before finding out that they had no openings), we decided a longer drive cost less time overall. We got our shots at the Kingsburg Fire Department with no waiting.

Kingsburg is a small friendly farm town on the Kings River. It has a Swedish theme because it has been home to many Swedish-Americans. Kingsburg has a Viking mascot and the town water tower is decorated like a antique Swedish coffee pot. I bought John some Ole and Lena joke books at the Svensk Butik because he learned that style of humor growing up in Wisconsin. We even got a tour of the historical museum at the Kingsburg train station. We enjoyed a wonderful festive gourmet dinner at the Vintage Press Restaurant in Visalia driving home.

Kingsburg CA Viking mascot, 23 April 2021

Kingsburg CA Swedish coffee pot water tower, 23 April 2021 — Kingsburg CA Viking mascot, 23 April 2021

Kingsburg CA train station, 2 April 2021 — Kingsburg CA 2 April 2021

Ole & Lena Joke books and Kingsburg CA coaster, 23 April 2021

Vintage Press Restaurant, Visalia, CA, 2 April 2021 — Ole & Lena Joke books and Kingsburg CA coaster, 23 April 2021

Sunset driving home from Kingsburg to San Jose on Highway 5, 23 April 2021

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April 22, 2021 · 9:14 pm

Happy Earth Day!

Islamic Networks Group – Earth Day Interfaith Panel, 22 April 2021

Today, I was honored to be part of an interfaith panel for ING – the Islamic Networks Group. We were discussing topics around caring for the Earth as part of celebrating Earth Day. The panelists included:

Dr. Rohany Nayan, CEO, Chicago Muslims Green Team (CMGT)

Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi, ING Board Member & Teacher at Land of Medicine Buddha

Harry Cornbleet, Retired Physician

Katy Dickinson, ING Board Member & Founder of Mentoring Standard

Lakshmi Subramanian, Hindu, Vocalist-Scholar, Aks & Lakshmi

AmarAtma Khalsa, Sikh Dharma Minister, a Board Certified Chaplain, and an Acupuncturist

Moderator, Ishaq Pathan, ING Bay Area Director

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March 6, 2021 · 5:05 pm

MA Thesis Presentation

On 7 March 2021, I presented about my GTU Master’s Thesis “Range of Chaplain Engagement with Prisoners” to about forty people in my home parish, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church (Saratoga, California) via Zoom (and broadcast to the church courtyard). I linked my slides here to make it easier to follow along. Here is the link to the video recording.

I have not yet posted the whole thesis – I think the GTU Library will be doing that eventually. I am still in the process of getting the final thesis signatures and the library is one of the last that needs to approve it.

22 April 2021 – This presentation has been given several times, most recently to the GTU Religion and Practice Department, and a Kairos volunteer group. Please contact me if you would me to speak.

8 March 2021 – updated text, added video link, and photo

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Filed under Church, News & Reviews

Tagged as Correctional Institutions Chaplaincy - CIC, Episcopal church, Graduate Theological Union, Jail, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Theology

February 26, 2021 · 12:08 pm

Busy Grad Student

Katy Dickinson Master's Thesis, Range of Chaplain Engagement with Prisoners, 23 Jan 2021 — Katy Dickinson Master’s Thesis, Range of Chaplain Engagement with Prisoners, 23 Jan 2021

My Graduate Theological Union Master’s – Theology thesis is called “Range of Chaplain Engagement with Prisoners.” I finished writing it at the end of January, successfully defended it at the start of February and am now working through minor edits with my GTU committee. (Hooray!) In parallel, I am continuing to take classes for GTU’s Interreligious Chaplaincy Certificate program. I am honored to have been accepted into a CPE (clinical pastoral education) program at Stanford Health Care later this year.

I finished a two-part January Intersession class in “Introduction to Pastoral Care and Theology,” and am now taking three GTU classes, “Diversity in Counseling,” “Pediatric Chaplaincy,” and “A Good Death.” Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, all classes are online. Professors have to make up for the lack of in-person class time and meet the nine-hours-per-week / per class requirement. In addition to assigned reading and papers, my graduate classes meet by Zoom once or twice a week, plus posting 250 to 500 word reflections to Moodle (learning management system). Each class has a different schedule, so I created a table to remember when I need to post and when replies are due to other students’ posts. Every time I log into Moodle, it tells me how many more reflection posts I need to read. I end up posting to Moodle twelve to fourteen times a week. I will be happy when we can get back inside a real classroom.

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Tagged as Berkeley, Graduate Theological Union, Jail, Theology

January 29, 2021 · 3:31 pm

Wissa Wassef Tapestry from Egypt

*Katy Dickinson with Reda Ahmed’s tapestry*

To celebrate my finishing writing my Master’s thesis, John surprised me with a large tapestry from the Wissa Wassef Art Center, Giza, Egypt. Normally for a big family celebration, we would go out to dinner or maybe on a trip, but during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, that is not possible.

The title of my Graduate Theological Union MA thesis is “Range of Chaplain Engagement with Prisoners” and I will defend it before my committee next month. I finished the last of my required classes in December 2020 and if all goes well, I will graduate in May 2021 with the GTU – MA and a Certificate in Spirituality and Social Change from Pacific School of Religion. I will continue my studies at GTU in the Interreligious Chaplaincy Certificate program.

*2010 Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Center in Egypt*

In 2010, our family visited the Wissa Wassef Art Center outside of Cairo (in Harrania Village, near Giza) where we bought a small tapestry and two books. I am glad to have a second of these lovely works of fabric art!

*2010 Reda Ahmed weaving at the Wissa Wassef Art Center*

Our first Wissa Wassef tapestry is a small master work called “Around the Pond,” woven in cotton by Mohamed Achour in 2010. It presents fish and birds with palms and flowering plants around a small body of water.

Our new Wissa Wassef tapestry is undated but is probably much older than the first, even though John just bought it from a store in France. It was woven by Reda Ahmed in wool and cotton. Looking at our 2010 pictures, I realized we saw Reda Ahmed weaving during our Wissa Wassef visit. We hung the tapestry last night and it may take months for the textile to settle into its new home above the stairs. The weaving presents a large blue tree with red flowers, with a smaller tree and bushes as well as birds, weasels, and a lizard. I am thankful for this lovely and generous gift. The lively images and cheerful colors make me happy!