ANGELA

Walking into her home I feel as though I am entering a dark cave, a cave harboring emotions of fear, grief, and longing for a better life. The only light comes from the cracks in the mud walls, and I can barely make out her face in the darkness; but I can feel her sadness. Angela is 55 years old and a mother of 6. She is HIV positive along with her mother, daughter, and grandson. Her face is like stone having no expression, but her eyes tell us all. Her eyes speak of the suffering she has endured throughout her life; her eyes speak of the murder of her 15 year old daughter, and the pain of raising her children in the slums of Korogocho. She tells us that she is unable to sleep because worry fills her mind, and her inability to care for her children haunts her at night. Her HIV medication is no longer working because she has no food and her body cannot absorb the medicine. This was the Angela I met on my first trip to Kenya; on return only 6 weeks later I met someone new. I could hardly recognize her, her face was no longer stone it had softened and now wore the most beautiful smile. Within those six weeks Angela had now become a part of a Humanity Unites Brilliance sponsored microloan group called the Self Empowered Women of Korogocho. This group sponsors 10 women, providing them financial literary, product development training, a means of creating an income, and in January along with Feed The Children will be providing food for all the women and their children. Angela and I begin to talk and she tells me that she dances for God each day now, and has a reason to wake up each morning. No longer does she contemplate suicide for she now has confidence in her ability, and no longer fears death for she knows her children will be taken care of. This is the spirit of Africa, the ability to see hope in the darkest situations, the ability for women to step into their power when everything around them is preventing them from taking that first step. I write this short piece not so you feel bad for Angela, but that you look at Angela as a mentor, and a symbol of overcoming obstacles no matter what the outer picture of your life may be. Remember Angela, and be inspired by the overwhelming strength of women around the world, that wake up each morning and dance for God.