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Friday, November 25, 2005
My Sister
A few years ago, I joined Women for Women International after seeing founder Zainab Salbi speak on Oprah. According to their website, "Women for Women International helps women in war-torn regions rebuild their lives by giving them financial and emotional support, job skills training, rights education, access to capital and assistance for small business development." I sponsor a woman for a year by paying $27 a month and corresponding with her. I have sponsored women from Iraq, Kosovo and Nigeria. During the year that I wrote to my sponsored sister in Iraq, I always told her that I was praying for peace. She never once acknowledged the war or my country's part in it, but just expressed her thanks for my support.
My newest sponsored sister is the second sister that I have had from Nigeria. She is 26 - the same age as my daughter. Unlike my daughter, my Nigerian sister is one of several wives of her husband and, even though she has completed her primary education, she is illiterate. She has four children. In the climate of ethnic tension and violence that she lives in, she is lucky to have a home, but she doesn't have access to water or electricity.
It's hard to know what to write to someone with such a different life, but reading about my new sister, I don't have a hard time knowing what to be thankful for. I'm thankful that I don't have to share my husband with a bunch of other wives! But hmmmmm, there could be some advantages to it!
My newest sponsored sister is the second sister that I have had from Nigeria. She is 26 - the same age as my daughter. Unlike my daughter, my Nigerian sister is one of several wives of her husband and, even though she has completed her primary education, she is illiterate. She has four children. In the climate of ethnic tension and violence that she lives in, she is lucky to have a home, but she doesn't have access to water or electricity.
It's hard to know what to write to someone with such a different life, but reading about my new sister, I don't have a hard time knowing what to be thankful for. I'm thankful that I don't have to share my husband with a bunch of other wives! But hmmmmm, there could be some advantages to it!
posted by Carol at 1:41 PM
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