I was sitting in my room thinking how lucky I was to be here in London. It seemed like just the other day when my world had turned upside down. I left my home in Kenya when a woman whom I thought was my friend told me about a job at Pathfinder International, a non-profit… Read More Rehema’s Story
They were in beautiful and romantic Praiano. After their wedding which was a small and intimate affair–a church service followed by a sumptuous lunch at their favorite restaurant, they went to his place where they spent the rest of the afternoon until it was time to head up to the airport for their flight to… Read More Honeymoon in Praiano
It sat there, languishing, the beautiful chateau, which used to be bustling with life. It was the place where everybody who was anybody went. Many extravagant parties were thrown there. The owner, Jean Monet and his lovely wife, Margot who left their vineyard in Bordeaux to move to our community six years ago were the… Read More Behind These Walls…
She was at the flower shop buying flowers for her grandmother who was celebrating her 70th birthday when she spotted Father Desjardins. He was talking to Mr. Cooper whose farm he had invited her to visit with him and a group of other people. It had been a fun excursion. She had even milked a… Read More Farewell, Father Desjardins
“My question for you this morning, is do you recognize Jesus in other people? In his book, The Wounded Healer, Henri J.M. Nouwen’s book tells the story of a young fugitive who is trying to hide himself from the enemy. He enters a small village where he receives kindness and shelter from the people. However,… Read More The Sermon
It’s Father’s Day today and I’m thinking about my father, my hero. When I was sixteen most of my friends were married and had children. My father didn’t want that for me. You see, my father knows what it’s like to marry young. He never had an opportunity to go school because he had a… Read More My Father Believed in Me
It was another very busy day at the shop. Tourists flocked in and out, buying almost everything in sight. They especially loved the hats. I stood there, beaming. The shop’s mine. I opened it last year after I participated in a UN Women’s Project. Naturally, I faced opposition from the community. As a nofotane… Read More Another Busy Day
All my life I saw myself the way others did. I was insignificant. I didn’t matter. I was unloved. I was neglected, ignored, mistreated and devalued. Why? I was a girl. In some cultures, being a girl was an undesirable thing. People didn’t want daughters. They wanted sons. My parents were no different. When I… Read More You Matter
I’m a Ethiopian Jewish woman living in Israel but life here is terrible for people like me. We are not welcomed in the Jewish community because of our skin color and we are accused of being “fake Jews”. My husband is a white Israeli Jew. We met when he came to Gondar, a northern town… Read More Zala’s Story
In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles – Psalm 34:6, NKJV I was 13 when my parents married me off to a 36 year old rich Arab man. He was the second man who wanted me to be his wife. The other man was a neighbor… Read More Farida’s Story
Notes to Women 