Dear Friends,
I am not sure that I can accurately express what I experienced while in India this time. I went last Jan. and it was absolutely incredible. As most of you know, I traveled with the Foundation For Women to visit our microcredit village banking projects in Southern India. Deborah Lindholm, executive director and founder of FFW, and I went to dedicate the school we are helping to build for the village women, and to be a part of the International Women’s Day celebration.
I am not sure that I can accurately express what I experienced while in India this time. I went last Jan. and it was absolutely incredible. As most of you know, I traveled with the Foundation For Women to visit our microcredit village banking projects in Southern India. Deborah Lindholm, executive director and founder of FFW, and I went to dedicate the school we are helping to build for the village women, and to be a part of the International Women’s Day celebration.
This trip far surpassed the first trip in many ways, I guess because we continued to penetrate the bowels of Trichy—we were in the slums—in such poverty—and yet, the smiles on the children’s faces depicted unconditional love beyond anything I have ever encountered.
We shared ourselves with them—we looked into their eyes and said without words,
“I believe in you-I know who you are—I see who you are to become. You are God’s child-with your own personal gifts and talents-those talents will be recognized and you will share with all however it evolves. I stand for that for you!!!!!!!!!
We touched the women who have been put into a place of “The fate of the Indian woman.”
We have declared to them—I believe in you, You are worth more—you can achieve-you can be the woman you were meant to be—you do not have to accept oppression—you have A VOICE—you do matter and you do make a difference—individually and collectively.
The dedication of the school was a highlight for me. 10,000 women and children gathered about an hour outside of Trichy, where the school is being built.
To see the ancient Hindu ritual of the blessing of the space and to participate—astounding and so heartwarming—my tears were uncontrollable.
We shared ourselves with them—we looked into their eyes and said without words,
“I believe in you-I know who you are—I see who you are to become. You are God’s child-with your own personal gifts and talents-those talents will be recognized and you will share with all however it evolves. I stand for that for you!!!!!!!!!
We touched the women who have been put into a place of “The fate of the Indian woman.”
We have declared to them—I believe in you, You are worth more—you can achieve-you can be the woman you were meant to be—you do not have to accept oppression—you have A VOICE—you do matter and you do make a difference—individually and collectively.
The dedication of the school was a highlight for me. 10,000 women and children gathered about an hour outside of Trichy, where the school is being built.
To see the ancient Hindu ritual of the blessing of the space and to participate—astounding and so heartwarming—my tears were uncontrollable.
Deborah’s commitment is relentless—she will not accept opposition—she meets it head on and says I will show you a better way----thus the stuffy Rotarian men of Trichy have met their match.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!and so it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a step in the right direction—a voice that says these women do deserve the right to lives rich in purpose—they do deserve to feed their families and their personal souls—all at the same time—and NOW—not later.
I feel very blessed to have been privileged to experience this breakthrough in time--
What I learned is that when we stand for the possibility of all women being the best they can be in their own culture—we can see an immediate result just looking into their eyes and meeting that knowingness in their gaze. I am so very blessed to have been in that moment in time when history is being made.
Jane Ellen Davis Mar. 2004
If you are interested in contributing to this wonderful microcredit project please go to
www.foundationforwomen.org.
What a step in the right direction—a voice that says these women do deserve the right to lives rich in purpose—they do deserve to feed their families and their personal souls—all at the same time—and NOW—not later.
I feel very blessed to have been privileged to experience this breakthrough in time--
What I learned is that when we stand for the possibility of all women being the best they can be in their own culture—we can see an immediate result just looking into their eyes and meeting that knowingness in their gaze. I am so very blessed to have been in that moment in time when history is being made.
Jane Ellen Davis Mar. 2004
If you are interested in contributing to this wonderful microcredit project please go to
www.foundationforwomen.org.
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