Daring to Be Powerful

I received the large envelope in the mail on Saturday, and tore it open.  Greeting me were the faces of two Congolese women, with their life profiles attached.  My sponsorship through Women for Women International (WFWI) is now official (see 11/21/07 post).

Learning a bit about them from their profiles filled me with so many questions.  How does one manage with a cooking fire as the main source of lighting in a hut?  What is it like to have never gone to school, and yet maintain a household with two adults and 10 children?

Hearing each question in my mind, I felt each answer in my heart.  It's a word I've grown to appreciate for its air of optimism.

Resiliency.  That's the answer.  Despite a lifetime of no one speaking up on their behalf, and enduring circumstances that might cause you and I to collapse, these women have remained strong and courageous.  Thanks to WFWI, opportunities now exist for them to develop vocational skills, gain more self-confidence, and improve their economic situations.  To lend their voices to change their communities for the better. To speak up for themselves and others.

The glory of resiliency is the ability to rebound from a hard situation with renewed vigor, a lesson learned, and an attitude of perseverance.  Resiliency heightens the capacity for greater competence, less stress, and greater self-esteem when facing the most dire of situations.

What's your story?  When have you found the resilience from deep within your spirit to rise above adversity?  How did you bounce back in a way that left you feeling prepared to conquer similar events in the future? 

Comments

[Albert]

Hey there, I really like the message you are passing through your blog and your material. I'm passing this blog on to a couple of my friends, who will benefit from it ;)

Cheers,
Albert | UrbanMonk.Net
Modern personal development, entwined with ancient spirituality.