Women

So about a month and a half ago I saw this 60 minutes show on the horrors happening to women in the Congo and was so moved, that I got up, went to the computer, looked up Women4Women (the charity mentioned on the show), and signed up to sponsor a woman. This week, I got my "sister" and a little bit about her life in the Congo. I have a photo of her and for some reason, she looked familiar to me. Anyway, Women4Women sets it up so that we can write each other. I sponsor her for a year, get to know her life, and hopefully, my few dollars a month makes her able to get more education and get basic supplies and medical care for her family (she has one daughter). I was so anxious to get my sponsorship packet that told me who I was sponsoring and all that. I finally got it after over a month (they had a huge response from the 60 min. story) and when I did, I had this strange mix of shyness, excitement, and worry. Here I am, having anything and everything I could ever want in the world--travel, family, friends, security, happiness, support...writing to a woman that had suffered atrocities unspeakable. Thankfully, Women4Women takes this fact into account and guides us on how to write our sisters. They warn us that some of these women may not have the time or resources to write back, but encourage us to keep writing because for many of them, our letters are tangible hope of a better life that they carry with them everywhere. I have yet to hear from my sister (takes 3 months for a letter to transverse), but I hope I do. Like I said in my letter: I was appalled and angry at the atrocities these women have faced merely because they are women, that Iwas moved to do SOMETHING. I am hoping this is one person I can make a difference for...