[MarMema]

Well you are way ahead of me. I am still trying to think about how to put together a presentation. There are 14 Orthodox churches here and I will feel at home practising on them. :-) After that I will hopefully have enough practise to go out and face the rest of the world.

You are doing the great thing, jumping in. Please be sure to let me know how it goes. I want to hear whatever you have to share.

Have you worked in healthcare at all?

[First Amendment]

I used to be a massage therapist for years, until arthritis kicked in. I still would give it a try and work on ladies and children, but Oregon has a very restrictive massage licensing board and they don't count my two schools and years of experience. I am currently studying Ayurveda (kind oc comprehensive Indian health system) and aromatherapy. NOt your mainstream medical stuff, but very useful for home use, and in caring for sick and eldery. I used massage and aromatherapy on my bedridden mother daily.
Your plan sounds very good - I'm not very organized, esp right now so being able to talk with people one on one may best for me at this time. I could give presentations (God willing) at some point because I am not (very) afraid of speaking to groups - have done it before.
At the crisis preg. center, they are willing to train lay counsellors so I am going to talk to someone about that this morning.
Are you Orthodox, that's why you feel comfortable starting with them? I am very interesting in learning about whatever you put together. The culture of death is so horrible, so destructive - even people like - no higher education, no degrees, not a pillar of the community - can do something.