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LizBowater
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Name: Liz
Gender: Female
Interests: Theology, ecology, the UK, driving with no destination, microbreweries, historic neighborhoods, house church, ethics, coffee, sustainability, boots, urban exploration, local music, liturgy, wool, fancy pens, Japanese andy, new monasticism, new urbanism, Chicago hot dogs, dirty hands, people watching, bare feet, and snow.
Expertise: Reading Maps, Indentifying Edible Plants, Humming In Tune, Making Funny Faces, Self-Censorship
Occupation: For money, I save the city fro
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
4/21/2005
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| To be as brief as possible:
I have been trying to practice the art of "keeping my mouth shut" when it is prudent to do so. But, there are times at which it is necessary for those of sound mind and reason to speak some sense into nonsense.
Enter: All this business about the Susan G Komen For the Cure pulling grant money from Planned Parenthood.
I saw the story pass through my Twitter feed a few days ago and, rather than re-post it to illicit a reaction, I waited to see how it would play out.
So here we go.
The Pro-lifers are all cheering and waving their dead-baby flags and claiming it a victory for the Right to Life.
The Pro-choice side is declaring it a political move intended to destroy women everywhere--especially the poor--and is throwing money at Planned Parenthood to make them feel better.
And the actual Breast Cancer Awareness world is silent.
Okay, so let's be rational about this and set some things straight.
We can all agree on this:
- Breast cancer is a TERRIBLE disease that, when detected early enough, can often be treated.
- Early detection requires the help of a doctor but many women--especially the poor and elderly--do not have access to (or do not take advantage of) proper modes of healthcare.
- Susan G Komen for the Cure is "dedicated to education and research about causes, treatment, and the search for a cure" and so donates to other organizations aiding in that mission.
- Planned Parenthood provides a wide assortment of services to women, ranging from consultations regarding sexual health, free birth control, yearly wellness checks, and abortion. Not all locations offer all services.
So, some thoughts related to the funding controversy:
- The SGK Foundation may be the biggest name in breast cancer prevention, but that doesn't mean it's the most efficient, most effective, or the most worthy of support. The organization has been called out on multiple "scandals," one being their trademark of the phrase "for the cure" and litigation against small-time mom-and-pop organizations that have used the phrase in their own fundraising for breast cancer prevention. (FYI: Just because SGK or Planned Parenthood dominate your Google search doesn't mean they're alone in the world of breast cancer awareness or free healthcare. Look up "search engine optimization" to see how they do it.)
- Of all the services that Planned Parenthood offers, only one service directly relates to the cause of preventing breast cancer: mammograms. And only a small percentage of PP offices actually offer this service. The rest offer only the basic screening during regular yearly exams and provide referrals for mammograms. So, while some PP supporters may say it's disingenuous to claim that Planned Parenthood is in the business of killing babies, it is similarly disingenuous for its supporters to say they are working to prevent breast cancer.
- In fact, the very mission of Planned Parenthood is counter-productive to breast cancer prevention. A good reading of the American Cancer Society's list of risk factors for breast cancer proves this. (Now, we all know that you can get cancer without any risk factors and that you can have all risk factors and not get cancer, but they are legitimate nonetheless.) You are less likely to have breast cancer if you do not take birth control, have lots of children at a young age, breastfeed them, and then do not take postmenopausal hormones. Conversely, the hallmark of Planned Parenthood is that you can walk in, get free birth control, and they won't ask too many questions. Sure, there are plenty of patients there for other reasons, and I'm sure plenty of their patients do have babies, but the organization hasn't worked very hard to promote a low-risk lifestyle--at least not publicly.
- Planned Parenthood has a total budget of $1 billion. Their grant funding from SGK was something around $600k. In the wake of the Komen scandal, the Mayor of NYC just pledged $250k of his own money to PP. I'm sure there are a few more wealthy people--you know, the ones who swear they want to give their money to fund public health care--who will pony-up the funds, as well. So, SGK's decision to pull funding was not at all a victory for the Right to Life because staunch supporters of the Right to Choose will only become stronger supporters of Planned Parenthood to prove the point. As far as funding is concerned, Planned Parenthood will survive this just fine.
- As much as SGK will say that this is not a political issue, OF COURSE it is a political issue! We all know that the new head of the organization is anti-Planned Parenthood for political (i.e. ethical) reasons. So, perhaps this is as simple as her not wanting her organization so closely identified with another organization that is so politically-charged in regards to reproductive rights.
- In which case this was a very reasonable decision on SGK's part because breast cancer prevention is not about the right to have an abortion. Breast cancer prevention is about saving lives. And it's obvious from both the very beginnings of PP (a la its founder, Margaret Sanger) to the tone of the supporters today that people support Planned Parenthood because they support THE RIGHT TO HAVE AN ABORTION. If it were not about abortion to them, they could support a million other agencies and organizations that provide free healthcare to women. (Again, see "search engine optimization.")
So, in conclusion:
Those who want to support the right to have an abortion can continue to support their cause, both financially and otherwise. And those who want to support breast cancer prevention and awareness can continue to support theirs.
And it should be said that, in all cases, your money is better spent locally. So, when you write a $50 check to the SGK Foundation, it would take a long time to trickle down to the women in your community. A large percentage of that will go to pay other organizational expenses. So, if your concern is the breast health of the women in your city, perhaps you could donate directly to the organization or hospital that provides a mobile medical unit. Or directly to the research hospital that would have been funded by SGK. Or give the $50 to your neighbor to pay her medical expenses.
And, rather than donate to Planned Parenthood, Int'l, you could walk into the local office and write them a $50 check to pay for their expenses. Or you could stop a woman on her way into the office and offer to buy her birth control or, heck, pay for her abortion.
Makes sense to me.
Now, where does that leave the Pro-lifers?
That's a whole 'nother post...
for another time.
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| It’s taken me 28 days to figure out whether or not I stand (ideologically) with those involved in the “Occupy Wall Street” movement happening in cities and on campuses around the country. I think the conclusion I’ve come to is that I do. Sort of. 1. I agree that people have a right to peacefully demonstrate, that legitimate dissenters have a right to be heard, and that dissention is one of the beauties of democracy. But I believe that this “Occupy” movement is far too esoteric and broad of an issue to grab onto. In my research, I cannot find a solid, specific request from its organizers. The movement is unquantifiable, with something along the lines of taking politics back from corporate influence as its goal. The strategies are still a mystery. So, it’s impossible to buy into. 2. I agree that there is far too much corporate money attached to politics. But I believe that the solution is “bottom-up,” not “top-down.” i.e. The government can not solve this problem. In the world of political influence, money equals power. So, how do you take away corporate power? Take away the money. And how do you take away the money? Stop buying. This is a consumer issue, not a government one. The only way to take away the power of influence that corporate entities hold is to put them out of business. And the way to put a corporate entity out of business is for the government to ease legislation of small businesses, which will allow a more competitive economy. Remember the game Monopoly? If one person owns all the property, we have a problem. 3. I agree that greed is a large part of what is driving our economy into the gutter. But I believe that greed is an ethical issue and that the government is neither qualified nor permitted to legislate private morality. The idea that a wealthy person should be forced to hand over a large amount of their money for a government entity to redistribute is absurd unless you believe that governments are agents of morality, which I do not. Charity, benevolence, generosity, etc. are all issues of personal conscience. (Obviously, I believe that there are limits to our freedom of personal conscience. When our actions directly harm another person, for example, the line gets blurry. But many of the connections often drawn between the privately wealthy and those living in poverty are blurry, at best.) In a perfect world, everyone would take only what they need and give the rest away. But, we do not live in a perfect world. Instead, we have billionaires swimming in their spare change (a la Scrooge McDuck) while homeless mothers scrounge to feed their hungry children. But, let’s be honest. For every greedy billionaire, there are ten deadbeats who have found its easier to live off of government checks and food stamps than it is to buy a $5 thrift store suit coat and show up to a job interview. Greed is a problem everywhere, not just in Beverly Hills. Everyone should be held accountable. 4. I agree that there are underprivileged Americans who are victims of the mistakes of others. But I do not believe that “privilege” is a dirty word. In fact, I believe that it is a good and healthy thing for parents to be motivated by the heritage—good or bad—that they will leave to their children. And this is the part of the “American dream” that has motivated millions of people to emigrate from impoverished nations to the United States. And many of these people—most of our ancestors—have found the promise to be true: hard work pays off. Ask a first-generation immigrant whether or not it is a privilege to be in the United States and most will say, “Yes!” It is only generations later that we forget how much hard work and wisdom was spent amassing our wealth in its beginnings. The key is for those who are, in fact, “privileged” to see themselves as thus and for those of us who were privileged to be born into healthy, wealthy, or educated families to stop acting as if we deserved such privilege more than anyone else. Of course, it is the responsibility of those born into privilege to lend a hand to those who were not. But, somewhere along the line, we need to actually empower them to a place where they can disturb the cycles of poverty and not enable them to continue in them. This is most effective on an individual level, neighbor-to-neighbor and friend-to-friend. An impersonal, governmental system that removes relationships and accountability from an act of charity is, by its nature, not set up for success. Survival, perhaps. Empowerment, no. 5. I agree that, for many today, it is very difficult to “make ends meet.” But I do believe that most people can find a way to adapt their living standards to accommodate a difficult economy. For most of us, there are a million solutions we can exhaust before things get really desperate: cancel satellite TV, stop eating out, wear last year’s winter coat, sell the second car, take our kids out of private school, move to the city to find work, etc. And, as in nature, adaptability really is a survival skill. I know that there are many honest job-seekers who simply can’t seem to find work and I know that there are cities where jobs are more scarce. But I would encourage every job-seeker to work as hard at finding a job as they would at the job (i.e. 40 hours a week), and to see what happens. My experience is that, eventually, something breaks through even if it’s not in the right line of work or is far below your former paygrade. What if my husband had to work a second job at Home Depot to pay the bills? You can bet a million bucks that he would do it. We should not be ashamed to seek help, but accepting money from the government should be a last resort and reserved for those who are truly desperate and unable to work. So, if the whole point of Occupy Wall Street is to give a voice to the unheard majority—those who are underpaid and frustrated; if this is a “The Emporer has no clothes” moment when the public is collectively calling out financial institutions on their greed and power games; if this is a request for the government to start listening to people instead of corporate money; if this is focusing attention on the many broken Federal systems; if this is a statement of solidarity for the poor, underprivileged, and out-of-work; then I am—ideologically—right there with them. But, if this is really some sort of scheme to disband corporations; legislate morality; force generosity; expand the welfare state; and punish the wealthy; then, I cannot. So, when I can find some sort of tangible mission statement of the folks behind Occupy Wall Street —an explanation of what, exactly, they hope to accomplish—I’ll let you know where I stand. | | |
| Now that my sweet baby girl is nearly 8 weeks old, it's probably time to write her birth story.
As our son's second birthday approached, my husband and I decided it was time for baby number two. It turns out that our first child's conception was no fluke and we are, in fact, as fertile as they come because I got pregnant almost instantly and we anticipated the birth of our second.
The due date for Baby #2 was set for August 8th and I settled into pregnancy. I'm not particularly fond of pregnancy, though it doesn't bother me too much. Apart from the new level of aches and pains that come with a second pregnancy, it went pretty uneventfully. At week 21, we found out the sex: a girl. We were going to have a girl. The next few months went quickly. The worst part was easily the heat and humidity of a Cincinnati summer. I was in good spirits, though, and looking forward to meeting our baby girl.
But then it happened.
The last week of July, with two weeks until my due date, some mysterious illness hit our household. I know it wasn't pregnancy or food-related because, a few days later, my husband came down with the same sickness. (Thankfully, our 2.5yr old son was spared.) That next week was (perhaps) the most miserable of my life. It was the hottest week of the year and I was 9-months pregnant and extremely ill. Then our 3rd floor A/C unit broke. And so all three of us spent the next few days holed-up in the only remaining air conditioned room in the house. I spent half the day on the toilet; half the day in bed. I couldn't eat. I survived on Pedialyte and Gatorade, all while trying to keep my son healthy and entertained. I read that dehydration can cause contractions so, at one point, I had nearly resolved to head to the hospital for an IV for some fluids. But, I could tell that any contractions I was having were not productive. So, I didn't go.
After a few days, my husband got a bit of his energy back and decided to go back to work for a half day. Almost as soon as he left the house, I started contracting. It was nothing serious, but enough to make me take notice. I spent that morning in a daze. Sometime between when I woke up and when I put my son down for a nap on the couch (remember, only one room with A/C), I had enough foresight to prepare for the possibility of going into labor. I called my mother in-law and told her I was having contractions and my son might need to spend the night. I started packing my bag for the hospital and my son's bag for his grandma's house. I sent a good friend, who works only a few blocks away, a quick warning that I might need her help. Then, I sent a quick warning to my husband: I'm having contractions.
As soon as my son was asleep, with contractions increasing in intensity, I headed (again) to the bathroom and discovered I had lost my mucus plug. It was about 2pm and I knew that I was going to have my baby that day.
I wept.
I wept because it could not have been worse timing and I simply wasn't ready. I wept because I was only in early labor, but I was already exhausted. I wept because I hadn't yet packed and I wouldn't be able to say, "I love you" to the little boy sleeping in the other room. I wept because my husband was still sick with some sort of virus and I was afraid they wouldn't let him in the delivery room. I wept because, this time, my mother was not here. I wept because I was afraid I was going to have to do this alone.
The next two hours are a blur because by the time my husband got home, I was definitely in labor. Contractions were hard, coming about every 5 minutes, and I could barely stand. We made arrangements for our son. We also contacted the doctor, who thought the contractions might only be related to dehydration, but told us to head to the hospital anyway. My friend came over and packed my bag for me because I couldn't stand still long enough or bend over far enough to do it.
While my husband waited at home for his mom to arrive and pick up our son, my friend drove me to the hospital. The women at the check-in desk told me there was, essentially, a line of women waiting for labor & delivery rooms. But, by the time we had talked through my paperwork, it was obvious that I'd need a room before many of those women. Rocking back and forth. Moaning. My poor friend Maria must have worried I was about to scream at any moment.
I overheard the conversation between the nurse and my doctor, which went something like this: We have a woman here. It's her second child and she's in a lot of pain. Can we give her a room?
Awesome. Thank you.
Without even putting me through a proper triage examination, I was checked into a labor & delivery room. The second I met the nurse, I made it very clear:
"I haven't eaten anything in six days. I need an IV. Now."
So, before even checking my progress, the nurse and I got right down to business. She got my IV ready. My friend helped me get out of my clothes and into the hospital robe, then called my husband with information about our location. I waited for the IV to kick in and give me a little energy for the job.
The two hours between when I arrived at the hospital and when my husband got there were both the fastest and the slowest hours of my life. When I arrived, I was at about 4cm dilated, 60% effaced. The contractions came faster. More painfully. And I couldn't catch up. When he arrived, I was at 6cm, rocking back and forth on a birthing ball, moaning and breathing and counting each contraction. But I couldn't get on top of them. It was the slowest two hours of my life because my husband was still not there and I needed his support.
After our son was awake from his nap and safe with his grandma, my husband arrived. It was 6pm, about two hours after I checked in at the hospital. We told my very gracious friend that she could go home. (We didn't tell the nurse how sick he was.) And then I told him, "I've decided that I'm going to get an epidural. I just can't do this. I'm so exhausted. I just don't have it in me."
I told the nurse to call the anesthesiologist and, when he arrived, I asked him a question he said he'd never been asked before: Can you give me a half dose?
Yes, a half dose.
My experience with the epidural during my son's birth was terrible. I had something akin to an anxiety attack and was so shaky and nauseous that I had to let the epidural wear off after I'd progressed enough. So, this time, I knew I needed some relief but wanted nothing near to the full, numbing dose. He said he was willing to administer a half dose, but that it wouldn't do much. So, he'd wait around to see how it worked and to give me more if I needed it.
As anyone who has gotten to this point can attest to, the time between the decision to have an epidural and the actual pain relief is torture. For me, it was excruciating. During that time, I progressed into transition. This was something that I had not felt during my son's birth, so it was an obvious change. The contractions shifted. The pain came at the front, not in the middle. And the sensation was completely different.
When the epidural was prepped, the nurse asked me one last time if I still wanted it. She believed I could make it through without it. And, for a quick moment, I second guessed myself. But, only for a quick moment. I knew I was defeated--physically, mentally, and emotionally--before I even walked in the door. And the weight was so heavy on me that I needed a break. I did not want to weep through the delivery. I did not want to expend my emotional energy on the pain. I wanted to enjoy this experience in any way possible.
So, while he administered the epidural, I labored through two or three excruciating contractions. And, after it was done, I lay back on the bed and quietly wept while the relief worked its way through my body. By the time another few contractions had passed, I was calm and sad. I spoke quietly to my husband, looking out the window, commenting at how much our son would have loved to see the construction work just outside our window--the cranes and trucks. I allowed myself to mourn for a moment about how difficult that past week was and how quick and painful that past few hours had been, how different this experience would be from what I wanted. But then the peace set in and we moved on.
We called my parents and told them we'd have a baby by the end of the night. We rested. We enjoyed the air conditioning and listened to quiet music. I ate a popsicle. And I reveled in the fact that my plan had worked. The "half dose" epidural had taken off just enough of the edge that I could still feel a manageable amount of pain and was well aware of my progress in labor. I could move, turn my own body, lift my own legs. At roughly 8pm, I could tell the baby's head was nice and low. I asked the nurse to check me. She called the doctor. The doctor "broke my water." And then, about an hour later, when I knew it was time to push, she came back to deliver my baby.
The next 30 minutes was amazing.
I pushed through three contractions. Then, my doctor said something crazy: "This time, don't push. Let her do the work." And I did. I felt her, literally, pushing herself out. After that, two more pushing contractions. Then, my doctor told me to stop pushing and let my baby finish it off.
And she did.
I felt my baby, literally, deliver herself.
It was wild.
The rest is sort of a blur. She fussed. Then cried. They let me hold her. They wiped her off, weighed her, and then let me have her for good. I laid her on my chest while the doctor stitched me from a small tear. And then, I nursed my baby girl for the first time.
We talked one last time about names and my husband let me make the final choice: Elsa Joy.
"Elsa" in homage to my grandmother Elsie and for my German heritage. "Joy" for the fruit of the Spirit.
We moved into a recovery room and I moved into "recovery." I had been told that recovery was more difficult the second time around, but I felt wonderful. The next two days were easy--nothing to do but sleep, breastfeed, enjoy the air conditioning, watch cable television, and relish in the company of my husband and our new baby girl. My son came to visit and, seemingly, fell in love with his new sister. My parents came to town. And my body rested and healed from both childbirth and from the week of illness prior to it.
The experience, as a whole, was both terrible and wonderful. And the beauty of it all was in my simply act of surrender. Of admitting defeat. And of allowing myself to accept the available relief. Once I did, I was able to enjoy one of the greatest miracles of the human body--both mine and my daughter's.
Part of me would like to think that, next time, I'll be able to make it to the end without pain relief. And that this second childbirth will give me the confidence to do that. Maybe, next time, I will be prepared. My head will be in the game. I will be on top of things. But, if that doesn't happen, I won't feel like I've failed in this.
I have my baby.
And that's all I really wanted.
| | |
| Over the course of the past 15 years, my journey into womanhood has brought with it a lot of frustration, both at my own natural limitations and those imposed on me. My thoughts on feminism, liberation, and gender roles have ebbed and flowed and taken many faces. I've thought long and hard (and written much about) issues of womanhood, motherhood, beauty, femininity, marriage, etc.
Here, in my 29th year, I believe I'm on the cusp (notice: I said only "on the cusp") of some wisdom on the issue of "being of a woman." I think I'm coming closer to defining a solid Biblical view of womanhood, while still honoring my God-given distinct identity and gifts. And I think I'm becoming more aware of the lies the world tells us, the Church tells us, and we tell ourselves, about what it means to be a "woman." I'm still a long way off, of course, but I believe I'm at least on the right track.
Now, on to my story.
I recently made a few people on Facebook angry when I posted a link to a PBS article about the oppression of women worldwide and made this comment:
In honor of Independence Day, check this out. It's a good reminder of how many of the women in the world live. In America, women whine about a $5,000 difference in salary, the "oppression" of cultural expectations to marry and have children, and the fact that they can't abort as many babies as they'd like. Wake up and smell your freedom. You are blessed and likely have not even glimpsed true oppression.
The article was basically telling of the horrendous treatment of women worldwide, specifically in these five nations: Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, India, and Somalia. You can read the fact sheet here and the article at PBS.org for details, but it should really be no surprise to us. While women in our country are fighting battles for equal pay at upper management positions, the legal right (on all levels) to reproductive freedom and choice, and for respect for women who choose not to marry and/or bear children, women in nations like those listed above (and I would add others such as China, Nepal, and Columbia) face much more dire situations.
Systematic female genital mutilation
Systematic forced abortions or foeticide
Human trafficking and sexual slavery
Zero access to education
Zero access to sufficient health care
Forced adolescent marriage
Forced pregnancy and motherhood
Culturally-sanctioned "honor killings"
Culturally-sanctioned domestic violence
Culturally-sanctioned rape and sexual violence
It wasn't the article that made these few people mad. It was my comment.
But I still stand by what I said. And as I commented later, in a response to their critique:
If we were forced to live one day in a country where we were mutilated at age four, forced to marry and have babies at the age of 14, then watch them kill our newborn babies because they are female, it would make us thankful to live in a country where we can (essentially) marry whomever we want whenever we want and have as many children as we want or do not want. And even the immense amount of social pressure in the US is still nothing compared to living in a culture that condones killing women who stray from the norm.
It's like begging for chocolate milk when we have already been given plain old milk and our neighbor is starving.
American women could do the world a great deal of good by battling the real "war on women," which is being fought by millions of women thousands of miles away.
Now, obviously, these horrors do exist in nations other than those listed above. And, obviously, there are women living in our own country who are victims of these same and other terrible abuses. But, there is a vast difference between the women in the nations listed above and those in the United States of America and many other nations: if executed properly, our country's justice system at least provides the opportunity for women to be protected from these abuses. Yes, there is an actual system in place to protect the rights of US citizens. Obviously, the system is flawed. And, obviously, women fall through the cracks. But could we honestly say that the plight of the average American woman is anything when compared to that of millions of women worldwide?
Ask your average "liberated woman" how they feel about the issues facing women in our country, when compared to those worldwide, and they will agree that many women have it worse than us. And that, comparatively, a $5,000 salary difference is small beans. But, they would say, the "War on Women" still exists on many levels in our country today and it's the educated, liberated woman's responsibility to fight back. Now, I don't really disagree. But I do think we need a global perspective on women's issues in order to see our own plight in a better light. Like I said above, "it's like begging for chocolate milk when we have already been given plain old milk and our neighbor is starving." And as much as I might offend someone by suggesting that getting free access to birth control is not a significant enough issue to warrant my attention, I will still stand by my position.
We've got much bigger fish to fry when it comes to protecting the most basic rights of women worldwide.
Especially speaking to Christian women, I believe we're fighting the wrong battles. In the Church, we fight theological battles about gender and family roles, women in leadership, and femininity. And I believe these are important theological battles to fight because they make a huge difference in the way our families and churches are organized and led. But, for a Christian woman, I don't see much consequence in this battle we fight for the sake of ourselves when there exists such great and important work we could do for women next door and across the world.
What if, instead of fighting to be able to preach on a Sunday morning, a brilliant and educated woman spent her time mentoring the teenage girl next door whose own mother is absent?
And what if, instead of fighting to get a pay raise at her corporate job, a strong female leader decided to stay home and educate her own daughters toward emotional, physical, academic, and spiritual maturity?
This is how Christian women should fight these battles domestically.
As I've said before, the battles we encounter in our nation are pretty small in comparison to those worldwide. But I can guarantee that some Christian women have been called by God to forsake family and friends and leave the US to serve women and children overseas, even if only for a time. One of the most wonderful examples the Church has seen of this calling was Amy Carmichael, a missionary to India. (If you haven't heard of her, look her up NOW.)
But, what about women who are already committed to the life of "wife and mother?" Apart from a short-term trip, there is not much opportunity to leave the country and serve these women in tangible ways. So, what can be done?
Some ideas:
Educate yourself.
Learn about the lives of women abroad. Read their stories and then share them. It will not only educate others, but it will give you a different perspective on your own life and struggles.
Pray.
This should be obvious, but I know I forget to do it so I'm guessing you might, too. Hang a map in your home that pinpoints specific nations or areas of conflict for women and, every time you see the map, say a prayer for the women there. Pray that God would preserve their lives, make them strong, give them healthy children, and renew their minds in Christ Jesus. Maybe the women in your church or your group of friends could "adopt" a community of women abroad, committing to pray for their health and well-being. Or maybe you and your daughters, nieces, or granddaughters could do the same.
Buy.
I've finally resolved that it might be true what they say: women like to shop. This is true especially when it involves shopping for others. In many nations, one way that women achieve independence from abusive and oppressive systems is by learning a trade or art. There are hundreds of organizations that specialize in selling fairly-traded, handmade goods made by women in such situations. (There are many in the US that specialize in domestically-made items, as well.) The next time you're considering what to purchase for a friends' wedding, baby shower, or mother in-law's birthday, consider buying something made by a woman in one of these countries. (Just verify, please, that the organization selling the item is legit and the money actually goes to the woman!)
Loan.
Have you heard of micro-lending? Look it up.
Give.
Often, giving money is our first reaction to a crisis. And, admittedly, this is sometimes a cop-out and an excuse to wash our hands of an injustice by handing the task over to someone else. Thus the reason why I've listed giving as a last option. But, giving can also be a great blessing and so it shouldn't be written-off as legitimate way to help. There are thousands of organizations--secular and faith-based alike--that are doing great, important work in protecting the most basic rights of women worldwide. Perhaps, in lieu of supporting another overseas organization, your church could dedicate a small amount of your budget to supporting the work being done in caring for the widows and orphans worldwide. (I'll list a few of these organizations below.)
The point, I guess, is that any educated person will agree that women have not always been treated equitably in the United States. But any worldly-minded person will agree that the struggles women deal with today, in this country, pale in comparison to the real oppression we see in multiple countries worldwide. My suggestion is that strong, educated Christian women in the United States give their own rights a rest for a bit and, instead, work to protect the lives and livelihood of women next door and abroad.
Fighting the real "war on women" starts in our own homes.
But then it extends far across the ocean to women who are mutilated, abused, and killed every day while we get fat on nutritious, plain ol' milk and beg for the fancy stuff.
Share the wealth, eh?
Links:
Kiva: http://www.kiva.org/lend
Kiva administers mico-loans between lenders and entrepreneurs in the US and worldwide.
Heifer International: http://www.heifer.org/
This organizations turns cash donations into agricultural care packages to sustain needy families abroad. Choose from basics like a flock of chicks or donate an entire "gift ark" which provides 15 pairs of animals which will procreate and the offspring given to other families in the same needy community.
Amnesty International: http://www.amnesty.org/
Amnesty Int'l is a secular "smoking gun" organization. If you can deal with the liberal politics, it's a great resource for information about justice and human rights issues worldwide.
International Justice Mission: http://www.ijm.org/
IJM is a faith-based organization that works within the legal systems in oppressive nations. Their website is a great resource, as well.
Samaritan's Purse: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/
Samaritan's Purse is a Christian organization focused on "going to the aid of the world's poor, sick, and suffering," in Jesus' name.
World Vision: http://www.worldvision.org/home.nsf
You've probably heard of World Vision's "Sponsor a Child" program. A small, monthly donation alleviates the financial burden of an impoverished family to care for their child and provides basic medical care, education, and nourishment for the child.
Maiti Nepal: http://www.maitinepal.org/
I saw this organization featured on television and was very impressed. It's a safe-house for women and children who are victims of the sex trade and domestic violence in Nepal.
Dohnavur Fellowship: http://www.dohnavurfellowship.org/
This organization was founded in 1901 in India by Amy Carmichael. It rescues children and babies from infanticide and temple prostitution.
Nightlight International: http://nightlightinternational.com/
Nightlight rescues and empowers women and children who are sexually exploited in Thailand and the US.
Not for Sale: http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/
Not for Sale trains US citizens to recognize and fight human trafficking in the United States and abroad.
Hagar International: http://www.hagarinternational.org/
This Christian organization provides social and economic rehabilitation for women and children in Afghanistan, Cambodia and Vietnam
Doctors Without Borders: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/
This organization provides preventative and emergency medical care in nations and regions where it is unavailable.
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| Life downtown is lonely these days.
And it's forcing me to do all sorts of dangerous thinking about the nature of this thing called "community," and ask myself dangerous questions about why I can't seem to be a part of it--downtown or anywhere else in Cincinnati.
"Community," in the Biblical sense, is a difficult thing to quantify, especially in a Church age when every Christian group claims to have mastered the art. Ask your average faithful Believer to define the term and they'll give you everything from "a group that worships together regularly," to chiches like "sharing life together." But no one seems to agree about what exactly that looks like, how it's done, and what implications it has on our way of life as Christians.
It's ironic that, for many of us, once we reach that famed pinnacle of human intimacy--marriage--we grow increasingly more isolated from people other than our spouse. And it only gets worse when we have children. Our social circles seem to shrink with every new phase of life until we find ourselves home with our spouses at nine o'clock every night, with sleeping children upstairs, wishing we could just knock on the neighbor's door for a late night talk on the patio or around the fire pit.
But, most of us barely know our neighbors. And, if we do know our neighbors, they are are not our friends. At best, they are the people we greet in passing as we arrive home from work or wave to from the driveway while we wash the car.
Let's be honest here.
You can plan all the social events you want, you can market your Bible study groups as "community groups," and you can change the name of your church to so-and-so's Community Church, but your church probably has no idea how to create a REAL community of its members.
Sure, there are exceptions.
Heck, I've seen a few, firsthand, and I've read about a few dozen more.
And I want to know what makes these groups of people so different.
What do they understand that the rest of us do not?
What am I missing?
I'm going to try not to draw this issue out for too long, but I will be posting a few short blogs in the next few weeks on the topic of Christian community. And, this is not meant to be an indictment against you or your church specifically. Basically, I am doing a piss-poor job at attaining something that I consider of ultimate importance and I want to know why. So, this is more an examination of myself as a part of the problem and a public monologue about what needs to change. But you are welcome to join in the conversation.
Stay tuned.
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