Ms. Irma Douglas Lastra

5th Episcopal District NGO Liaison

5thdistrictngo@wms-amec.org

Presiding Prelate - Bishop Clement W. Fugh

Episcopal Supervisor - Mrs. Alexia Butler Fugh, Supervisor

Episcopal WMS-AMEC President - Mrs. Deborah Jarrett Rabb

Areas of Focus

This year the NGO focus was Human Trafficking to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals. We partnered with the County Public Transportation systems in our District.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1



This year, I asked the following questions of many of my Missionary sisters: What do you know about Teen Dating and Teen Violence? Do you know anyone who has experienced Teen Violence while dating? And my last question was, what did you do to help? From their responses, I knew it was a topic that needed 

to be addressed. 

• I requested the Conference NGO Representatives to assist with our special focus. Joyce Schuler, the Southern California Conference NGO Representative, reported that in Nevada, Teen Dating Violence is common. For example, among U.S. high school students, who reported to the authorities, about 1 in 12 students experience physical and sexual dating violence.
• Our California Conference NGO Representative, Robbie Roquemore, correlated information on Teen Violence during dating such as victims of digital dating abuse, financial abuse, social media abuse, harassment, bullying, and the list goes on.
• In the Pacific Northwest Conference, NGO Representative, Sandy Nelson found research from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, in Washington, that 41.2% of women (included teens) and 31.7% of men experienced intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner rape and/or stalking.

I sent out an urgent message to the conferences in the 5th District, to please talk to our teens about Teen 

Dating, and Teen Violence, and be the one to bring it up. 

If you are in a crisis, contact The National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233. 

Special Recognition 

We appreciate Bishop Clement W. Fugh, and Supervisor Alexia Fugh for their ongoing support. Thank you to President 

Mary Mayo Mayberry, Conference Presidents, Conference NGO Representatives, YPD’ers, my Missionary sisters and brothers for their hard work. 

To God be The Glory! 

In His Service, 

Ms. Irma Douglas Lastra 

5th District, NGO Liaison 

Women’s Missionary Society of The African Methodist Episcopal Church 

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1