IWD#2

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY to all my female readers!!!!!  Today is a day to celebrate the women in our lives.  My list is long but I have to say the woman who does the most for me over here is my counterpart and friend Nargis.  She's a wife and mother who tutors young children here is English with her "free" time.  She's also an English  teacher at the school where I work.  In addition to all this, she tutors M-TH for 2 hrs, she agreed to be my “go-to” here in my town.   She does a lot for me!!  She speaks English very well and because of that...let’s just say I try really hard but sometimes have to “remind” myself I should be speaking in B. when talking to her.   She is younger than I am and really cares about her students; it’s obvious.  So  a BIG thank you from me to you!!  I think some of you know my maternal grandparents are a big inspiration in my being here!  She, this is about women after all-no offense gpa, went to Africa with Heifer Project in the early 80s when she was in her upper 60s I think.  She was a teacher in Goshen Indiana.  I’m not sure when but between church and taking care of the grandkids and taking care of her mom and helping with the farm and cleaning and all the stuff that comes with grandmotherhood, that must not have kept her busy enough because for the last 10-20 (I could be way off here) years of her life she started making handmade greeting cards COMPLETE WITH CALIGRAPHY!!   Because of an accident either when she was very young or still waiting to be born she couldn’t bend her pointer finger of her left(?) hand and painting the cards helped her hands.  Every year on my birthday I got a “Helen’s Homespuns” birthday card and a $5 bill.  This past January I lost my paternal grandmother so now all the babas (grandmas) I have are not living.   THe weekend before I was set to leave with the corps my mom and I went up to Goshen, where she’s from an lots of family in the area, and I learned about another woman in my past that I can look to that is an example of the strong women in my family.  I’m not even sure of her name, Sarah sounds right, or what she is to me.  She was my grandfathers grandmother (or even several “grand’s) and went through terrible hardships.  Of course at that time, I’m going to say 1800s but I could really be off, hardships weren’t uncommon; at least that’s what I gather from books and television.  Because she didn’t give up and "settle", because she dared to see things how she thought they should be instead of just accepting her place/role, I am here.  Yesterday I wrote about the babas, the backbone of B.  I could go down a list of cousins and aunts and neighbors, and of course my mom and sister,  of women that mean something to me.  I'm sure there are women praying for me that I don't even know about and for that I am very grateful.   I am proud to be part of the Steffen legacy of shrong women and of service!  My maternal great-grandma lived until she was 99 and lived in her own house until way past the time I think most older folks think about retirement homes or what have you.  You know I just happened to think.  Lots of people give me props for being here, credit for doing my service here.  I am happy to accept a little of that but the credit should really go to all the women in my family who paved the way for me, who created the desire in me, and made me the strong woman I am.  Of course first off I believe God gets any credit.  With that:  Ronni, Steph, Mom, Charlotte, and Maya- Happy International Women's Day!!!  To the men out there?  Go celebrate the women in your lives!!  Love and hugs!