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International Women’s Day 2020

This is my post from last year in honor of International Women’s Day. I continue serving and learning from the women I meet. I pray this honors you as well. We women are amazing. I also honor the men in our lives who spiritually and emotionally support us as they encourage us and come along side us as we passionately share the love and hope of Jesus through our actions and our words. We love You Jesus!

Honoring 

Today, the world’s focus is on International Women’s Day. This is dear to me because of how many women I have met across this world. From my daily involvement in our Honduras programs to the mountains I have stood upon, to the villages in rice fields to the war torn places where families escape with only their lives and what they can carry, I honor.

Eph 3:20–21ESV

 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. 

 This scripture defines my desire to go when I have an opportunity to go. To be present. In the now. In the today. In this world we live in. There is only one reason I am able to go – the power of God living in me – at work in me. I could never imagine going without this. People ask me if I’m afraid. There have been only a handful of times I was concerned but God’s presence immediately assured me and I know He is bigger than any enemy I could ever face in this world.

First up is Honduras. I’ve been involved there since 1998.

In 2002 Mi Esperanza – The Women of My Hope was founded. You can find out more about us here. http://www.thewomenofmyhope.org

 

A group of our Mi Esperanza trained women – incredible, strong, intelligent and talented in jewelry making. This is the team that created 85,000 bracelets ordered by a company in the US.

 

My dear friend Irma and her 93 year old mother, Consuela.

 

The women behind Mi Esperanza – our board

 

Next up – India. I have been working as a team member there for 8 years. 

This is a group of women I have worked with almost every year I have visited.

 

A group of gypsy women and children who attended a meeting we hosted. Amazing, beautiful and loving with a strength I deeply admire.

 

Spending the day in a village and we became connected through our joy and their laughter and happy children followed us all day.

 

One of my new friends and her grandson.

 

My dear friend Sheela with her mother.

 

Next up – Jordan on the Syrian border 2017 – I was invited through a mutual friend to join a team originating in Dubai. We spent time with the women as they knitted items that are then sold in Dubai and the US, supporting their lives there. They are all refugees escaping the war ravaged cities where they had lived all their lives. Some of their families came and some stayed behind. And we sat – and just listened – and I cried a lot of tears – and then they asked us to pray with them. I’m not sure what I would do without the ability to pray. 

Every evening we were served dinner in the home of one of the knitting women. A feast. Filled with love and building community. They shared their family’s stories through our translator. Connection was a challenge. But our common love of our families and our respect for their hardships and our deep and sincere desire to hear their stories – that is how we connected. There is no thing in my life that comes close to what these refugee families have experienced. Our team paid for the food and the families joined us. Always men in one room and we women in another.

 

From the roof looking toward the Syrian border less than 5K away.

 

As we visited families in their homes, chai was always a part of our time with them. We sat on the floor on mats and were humbled and honored to listen to their stories told through the translator.

 

 

One day in knitting group, they asked no pics be taken so I asked my group to place our hands together. These hands represent so much my heart can’t even put these moments into words.

 

To be able to sit in the sun, eating lunch in silence because of the language barrier, was such a time of praying in my head and heart, smiling, sharing food and realizing there is a strong and powerful bond between women even without language or culture shared. Silence built trust. Being there was important. Just being present. Showing we cared. By the end of the week, we were getting to know each other. It was hard to say goodbye.

 

These are just a few of my favorite moments. I have so many. Today – I honor all the women I have met around this world and here at home. Many of the women in my family share the same passion. Three of my grandchildren, all my children and two daughter in laws, six nieces and a nephew have been to Honduras with me. Creating this generational desire to honor and engage in lives everywhere we go will prayerfully be my legacy I leave when I move on. 

To women – everywhere.

With much love,

Janet

 

Author: Janet Reeger

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