Born in Lancaster, England, Edwina Gateley’s educational experiences have awarded her a Teacher’s Degree from her home country, a Master’s De- gree in Theology from Catho- lic Theological Union, Chica- go, and certification as an HIV counselor in Illinois.
After some time in prayer and solitude and then spending a year on the streets of Chicago
walking with the homeless and women involved in prostitu- tion, Edwina founded Genesis House, a house of hospitality and nurturing for the women involved in prostitution. She also founded the Volunteer Missionary Movement (VMM) in England to recruit, prepare and send lay missionaries to work in the developing world.
The VMM has sent over 3,000 women and men to serve in 26 countries throughout the world. Edwina’s missionary work took her to Uganda where she established a school for Ugandan girls, which became the largest and most successful in the area.
Edwina is a writer and speak- er, leading national and inter- national retreats as well as
Parish Missions, and she con- tinues to work with women in recovery through her small
Foundation, Sophia’s Circle.