I am not sure why it's taken me so long to write this blog.  I have been thinking about it since last Thursday when I saw the movie A Powerful Noise.  I saw the movie hoping to learn more about issues women face around the world.  I saw the story of three strong, caring women who live difficult , rough lives.  I will never encounter the challenges they face here in the U.S.

The three women portrayed in the film inspire women, and men, to do just a little bit more in their own communities.   Just by reaching out to neighbors and community members can make a big positive impact on someone's life.  These days I have been doubting if human's have it in them, but in the movie I did see how humans can be nice, comforting, giving, joyful to others.  We can touch another's life with just a small action.  It may be small to us but perhaps quite large to someone else.  As Gandhi said, "You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result." 

Each of the women gave themselves to others, women, men, and children, and were all the more fulfilled themselves.  A Vietnamese HIV-positive woman teaches her community about HIV, Aids, and prevention.  Another woman, from Bosnia, has been helping women farmers create a co-op to affectively sell their goods and make income to take care of their families.  The third woman, from Mali, helps girls who come to the city from rural areas looking for jobs. It would take me pages to accurately reflect their experiences and efforts; I can say that they were each inspirational. 

The panel discussion follwing reminded us here in the U.S. not to forget about all of those living in poverty throughout the world.  Women and children are affected the most by poverty.  We really do have quite the comfortable easy life here and tend to forget about the challenges other women face on a daily basis - War, AIDS, hunger, disease.   Former Secretary of State Albright siad that extreme poverty throughout the world is the biggerst threat to U.S. security which is why we should all care about what happens in these poverty stricken, war torn, faraway lands.

You can get involved just by being part of CARE or ONE.  Check out the websites. 
www.care.org
www.one.org

As Dr. Gayle, CARE President/CEO said, "Be a voice for the voiceless."

- Jules