Women

I am working on this project (http://women.overcomingviolence.org) with the World Council of Churches. As part of a Lenten study the site showcases different places around the world where people are working to eliminate violence against women. One of things that we are trying to do with this information is not to simply show what women in other parts of the world are doing, but to inspire women (and men) everywhere to work to eliminate violence against women in their context.

The first video that we have is about Dalit women in India. These women are part of the lowest caste in India and they have very few rights within their society, yet by working together they are being empowered to create change. Yet, the point of this video is not to see how amazing these women are over there. The point is to see that change is possible in any situation, no matter how dire it seems. Although this was our intention, I was not sure if was clear or not through our resources. However, today, after reading a review of the site that a friend of one of the coordinators wrote, I realize that our intention has come through.

I hope that if people choose to use this as their Lenten study that women will be inspired by these stories from around the world to create change in their communities, whatever the context. Inspiration for hope and change is the point of this study. I think that is the point of Lent too. We use the 40 days before Easter as a time to remember Jesus' suffering and the hopelessness that he experienced in the desert as a time to become fully aware of the suffering in our world, but then to see all of that through the lens of the Cross. The hope that comes from having a God that loves the world so much he suffers with us. Yet suffering is not the end. Far from it. Jesus' resurrection points to hope. To hope of a new way that is possible. Hope and inspiration.