Our worlds shifted last year when we visited Washington DC with a group called 'Women of Vision'. 'We' are a group of Chicktime leaders from various chapters who felt a great desire to advocate on capitol hill for women's and children's issues locally and globally. The trip was so life changing that we came home compelled to make sure not only our families knew we were different, but that our friends would come to know this new and very important part of our souls... and to help light a fire in their souls as these Women of Vision had done for us.
We each see ourselves in a new light... as Global Girlfriends. We no longer feel disconnected to the women who live so very far away. We didn't visit their villages, share hugs, meals, tears, or laughter, we simply heard their stories. Through the week of global speakers and presentations, we felt the pain of mothers who lost their children to curable diseases, the courage of women working their fingers to the bone to provide enough food to simply keep their children alive, the desperation of mothers who had lost their children to the world of human trafficking, the hope of women when given the opportunity to make their lives better through small business loans.
We came away from our trip with a sense of urgency to do SOMETHING... and with a sense of hope that there is an answer: One Woman. If ONE woman in the United States would commit to do something for just ONE woman in a developing country... then lives would change all over the world...for the better.
We love the story of the boy who was walking along the seashore with miles and miles of starfish that had washed up on the shore in front of him. As the starfish lay dying, the boy walked along picking them up and tossing them back into the sea, one by one. An older man came along and said to the boy, "You know, you aren't making any difference. Look at the hundreds and thousands of starfish ahead of you that you won't be able to help." The boy simply bent down and picked up another starfish and as he threw it back into the surf the boy simply said, "Made a difference to that one."
If you would like to make a difference today in the life of a woman who NEEDS you, please visit the World Vision Microfinance website. WV has made it extremely easy for you to financially support women entrepreuners and Chicktime can help you with your questions! Please click on this link which will take you directly to the Chicktime group and a list of our entrepreneurs: World Vision Microfinance Chicktime group. There may only be one loan currently funded or one may have just completed funding, so check back regularly for new ones! How easy is that?! Please feel free to contact us at info@chicktime.com if you have any questions or issues when accessing the site.
We would also like to encourage you to check out the Women of Vision website and learn more about a chapter in your area. Women of Vision
On a final note, we will be advocating in 2011 for new laws to protect women and children globally. If you would like to join us, please contact info@chicktime.com. By joining us, you will receive news about laws and talking points to discuss by phone with your senators and congressmen as well as opportunities to advocate in person.
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