December 6, 2004: Headlines: COS - Afghanistan: Service: Awards: Human Rights: Baha'i Issues: Ventura County Star: Norma Emery said she met her husband in 1967 while she was in the Peace Corps in Afghanistan, and he was a doctor tending to Peace Corps volunteers

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Afghanistan: Peace Corps Afghanistan: The Peace Corps In Afghanistan: December 6, 2004: Headlines: COS - Afghanistan: Service: Awards: Human Rights: Baha'i Issues: Ventura County Star: Norma Emery said she met her husband in 1967 while she was in the Peace Corps in Afghanistan, and he was a doctor tending to Peace Corps volunteers

By Admin1 (admin) (151.196.36.89) on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 7:37 pm: Edit Post

Norma Emery said she met her husband in 1967 while she was in the Peace Corps in Afghanistan, and he was a doctor tending to Peace Corps volunteers

Norma Emery said she met her husband in 1967 while she was in the Peace Corps in Afghanistan, and he was a doctor tending to Peace Corps volunteers

Norma Emery said she met her husband in 1967 while she was in the Peace Corps in Afghanistan, and he was a doctor tending to Peace Corps volunteers

Human rights efforts honored

Individuals, group win Baha'i awards

By Sue Davis, sdavis@VenturaCountyStar.com
December 6, 2004

A Camarillo pediatric dentist, a Santa Paula couple who travel to Afghanistan to provide free medical training and a women's service organization were presented with the 14th annual Baha'i Human Rights Awards at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum on Sunday.

The recipients were Dr. Mark Lisagor, a dentist who does volunteer work as a dentist and serves on numerous charity and college boards; Dr. Cedric and nurse Norma Emery, a Santa Paula couple who travel to Afghanistan to give free medical training; and the Camino Real region of Soroptimist International, a service organization active in women's issues.

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Fred White, who was on the award committee, said the recipients all exemplify service to mankind, which is a major part of the Baha'i faith.

"The service we do is how we worship God," said White. "If we aren't doing service, we aren't worshipping God fully."

The event, which was attended by about 350 people, commemorated the 56th anniversary of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The document proclaims all people are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

Norma Emery said she met her husband in 1967 while she was in the Peace Corps in Afghanistan, and he was a doctor tending to Peace Corps volunteers.

After the fall of the Taliban, the couple decided to return to the country to see whether they could help.

Cedric Emery, a urologist with a practice in Ventura, began helping to train medical students, while Norma Emery worked at an orphanage and trained operating room personnel.

"We have really not done much," said Cedric Emery. "Just be a catalyst to see if we can get people together."

Both Cedric Emery and Lisagor described their service as "a hobby."

"I don't play golf," Lisagor said, smiling. "I enjoy fund raising and giving people the opportunity to feel good about themselves by helping."

Brooke Stephens, Soroptimist governor of the Camino Real region, said her organization is a "very good, well-kept secret."

"Women aren't really good at publicizing their great works and good deeds," Stephens said.

The organization's focus on serving women dovetails nicely with the Baha'i ideals of the equality of all people, she said.

The award recipients did not have to be of the Baha'i faith; in fact, Stephens said she knew little about the group before receiving the award.

"I think a lot of us found out something about them, and they found out something about us," Stephens said.

Upon receiving her award, Norma Emery quoted an Afghan saying to the audience.

"If you say, 'You look beautiful today,' they will answer, 'That is because you see me with beautiful eyes,' " Emery said. "So if you see my husband and I as good, it is because there is goodness in you."





When this story was posted in December 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

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Rumors are swirling that Peace Corps Director Vasquez may be leaving the administration. We think Director Vasquez has been doing a good job and if he decides to stay to the end of the administration, he could possibly have the same sort of impact as a Loret Ruppe Miller. If Vasquez has decided to leave, then Bob Taft, Peter McPherson, Chris Shays, or Jody Olsen would be good candidates to run the agency. Latest: For the record, Peace Corps has no comment on the rumors.

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Story Source: Ventura County Star

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Afghanistan; Service; Awards; Human Rights; Baha'i Issues

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