I Had No Idea...

Saturday, February 20, 2010

About a month ago I received an e-mail from a woman in my World Vision/Women Of Vision chapter inviting me (at Angela Mason’s prompting, of course) to consider joining her in a new venture.  Fremont, California has the largest Afghan population in the United States and the Afghan Elderly Association was in need of women to partner with them in teaching English to the women in the group. 

Now, the interesting thing is that a year ago, no make that 6 months ago, had someone suggested to me that I engage myself in the teaching of English to women from Afghanistan, I would have wrinkled my brow, tilted my head and said, “you’re asking me to do what?  And you’re asking ME because…..?”  You see, I was still living my safe little life in my tiny little world and I wasn’t likely to venture out of my comfort zone and try something new.  Especially not something like teaching, or working with women who didn’t speak English.  But that day, when I read that e-mail from Carol, I found myself, much like the day that Angela Mason asked me to travel with her to Bosnia, intrigued.  I actually thought to myself….”well now, that’s something I’ve never done before.  It sounds like fun!” 

As I drove down to Fremont for my first time three weeks ago, I really didn’t know what I was doing.  I knew that there was a woman who spoke both English and Farsi who would be walking with us through this process, but as I walked into that room, I had no idea how very quickly these women, who come from a world that could not be much more foreign to me, would steal my heart. 

There were only a handful of women present at the start of the meeting and we all smiled and waved ‘hello’ to each other.  They were dressed neatly, most of them wearing scarves on their heads.  We met Mahin, our leader and discovered that she is a local realtor who came to America from Iran.  She quickly commanded order in the room and got us started on our first task. I began testing the women, one at a time to determine their level of English proficiency.  After introducing myself, I then proceeded with the oral exam.  The questions were very basic, “What is your name?  Where are you from?  Are you American?  How old are you?  Are you married?  Do you have any children?”  If she could answer those basic questions in English, then I would proceed to show her photos of various items, asking her to name them.  Mahin wanted to know whether or not they could read English, and that became clear when I got to the picture of a Coke bottle.  If she called it “Sprite” then I knew that she couldn’t read, but if she called it a ‘”soft drink” (which were the English words below the photo) then I knew I had a reader! 

We were a little concerned about the fact that the women weren’t all present and ready to begin when we arrived.  No, they trickled in for a full 2 hours!  We were told by one of our translators that a lack of punctuality is a cultural thing for these ladies.  We weren’t sure how that would play out as we continued with our classes. After testing all 40 women, we then divided them into groups.  There were the women who not only knew no English, but, it turns out, were also illiterate in their native language, Farsi.  In the months to come, we would work with these women during our first session of the day and then the second session would be working with the women who knew and could read and write some English.  I felt such kindness from these women and couldn’t wait to return the next week.  Something that Mahin told us is that the women suffer from low self-esteem and depression.  Many of them are widowed and live alone.  As I have been trying to find ‘my place’ in the world these past months since returning from Bosnia, I had the sense that working with women was somehow one of the things that I was meant to do.  After meeting with them the second week, I knew that I was meant to do this. 

The first thing that I noticed upon entering the room for our second meeting was that it was full.  I was actually surprised to see so many of the ladies already there….anxiously waiting to begin their English classes.  We were working with the lower group for the first session, so we were each given 3 – 4 women along with an interpreter and I quickly fell in love with Maliha.  She had a wonderful sense of humor and really seemed to enjoy assisting me with the women.  They are all friends, so there was lots of laughter in the room.  We began with the absolute basics….. “My first name is _______.”

It was during the teaching of this very simple phrase that I got my first indication of what these women would really need.  Their self-esteem was so low that if they couldn’t get it after the first 5 or 10 tries, they would just shake their heads, cover their faces and give some excuse about their bad memory.  I could see the frustration and embarrassment in their eyes.  I’ll never forget taking Jamilla’s hands in mine, looking her in the eyes and telling her that it was okay.  I told her that the fact that she was sitting there, across from me and simply trying was something to be proud of.  The look on her face as she listened to Maliha interpret for me, in Farsi was quite moving.  With tears in her eyes, she smiled, nodded her head and said, “tashakkor”….thank you.  That was when it began to click for Jamilla.  She just needed to be cared about….to be believed in.  Isn’t that what we all need?  It was at that moment that I gave my heart to these beautiful Afghani women.  I knew that I would be there….week after week, month after month, just believing in them and loving them. 

I spent the second half of my morning working with a more advanced group of 6 women.  We went over the correct writing of addresses, telephone numbers and discussed families.  I think the biggest laugh I had all morning was when I asked Maliha, who was now my student rather than my interpreter if she was married.  She looked at me with a huge smile on her face and said, “Yes, I am married…..to a wonnn…derful man!” and then she laughed and laughed.  She told me that all American women say that they are married “to a wonnn…derful man,” whether they are or not and that she just thinks that is so funny.  Yes, we Americans are predictable and we provide a healthy dose of entertainment for those from other cultures! 

As I was preparing to leave, Jamilla walked up to me with a group of women and gestured for me to ask her what her first name was.  When I asked her, she beamed as she said, in beautiful English, “My first name is Jamilla!”  She flew into my arms and gave me the biggest hug I’ve ever had.  I just cried.  She then grabbed an interpreter and asked me how to say, “My teacher’s name is Laura.”  I told them and they all asked me to write the phrase down in their notebooks.  It wasn’t until I was home later that day that it clicked for me.  This particular group of women have never attended school…..are illiterate even in their native language, so I am the first teacher they have ever had.  They are so proud of themselves and they want to be able to tell their friends that they now have a teacher.  Wow.  It took me awhile to wrap my arms around that one. Talk about a humbling experience.  I will certainly get more out of these encounters than they will and I am honored and privileged to be called “teacher.” 

I called my dear, sweet Angela that afternoon and said to her, “Angela Mason….this is Laura Ackerman.  Do you make it a habit of turning upside down and inside out the life of every woman you meet?”  She, of course laughed and laughed and we proceeded to have a lovely conversation about why she had thought this would be something I should do and how we just never know where life’s path will lead us.  She feels as though she is simply a vehicle for God to work through, but I would argue that she is that and so much more.  She has depth of insight that is rare and she acts upon her instinct.  It is a privilege knowing Angela and I will continue on this new journey upon which I have found myself, with great anticipation, looking forward to what will be down the next road, all the while thoroughly enjoying where I am today.

How They See It

Friday, January 22, 2010

This morning I found myself in the company of a cab driver from Ethiopia. 

We were on our way from the Paris hotel in Las Vegas to the airport…my second attempt to get to San Diego.  Yesterday, I arrived at the airport and was standing in front of the Departures board when my flight was cancelled right before my eyes.  No kidding.  One second it was leaving out of gate C7 and the next, poof!  It was cancelled!  I headed through security and made my way to the gate of the next flight to San Diego.  While standing in line, that flight was cancelled….then the next flight…and the next….and so on, until I reached the gate agent who told me that all flights to San Diego had been cancelled.  She told me that the San Diego airport was closed, which I found rather odd.  I don’t believe that happens very often.  I later discovered that all flights initiating out of Las Vegas, San Francisco and Phoenix into San Diego had been cancelled and the airport was indeed closed. 

I actually didn’t have any complaints about having to head back to Paris.  My previous day had been so wonderful that I didn’t want it to end.  Once I was back at the Paris, I headed to the little café that serves wonderful Roasted Tomato soup and thoroughly enjoyed a cup of it.  I sipped my cappuccino as I watched people walk by and then headed to my room.  It was pouring rain outside and as I looked out my window at the Eiffel tower and the Bellagio fountains which were alive and dancing to the song Singing In The Rain by Frank Sinatra, I found myself once again relaxing….content to have a day ahead of me with nothing to do but read and write.  That doesn’t seem to happen often these days, which is what makes traveling to Vegas so very wonderful for me.  I love the escape from life.  The escape from schedules, from ongoing demands and expectations placed upon me.  Oh, I understand that in order for things to flow, there needs to be order, scheduling and expectations, but it is such a glorious feeling to be without…

But I digress.  As I was saying, this morning I found myself in the company of a cab driver from Ethiopia.  As we pulled away from the Paris, he asked me if I was ready to go.  I quickly said, “No”, but that at some point, one must return to reality.  He asked where home was for me to which I replied “San Francisco.”  I told him that I was headed to San Diego for the weekend and he asked if it was for work or pleasure.  There stood my gateway to telling yet another person about World Vision and the wonderful work it does.  “I’m attending a conference held by a non-profit, humanitarian organization called World Vision,” I said.  “Oh, I’m very familiar with World Vision,” said the driver.  He then began telling me about its’ presence in Ethiopia and throughout Africa.  I just listened as he told me of the wonderful people he had met over the years and how hard working and well respected the organization is. 

Then he dropped the bombshell.  “The problem is” he said, “The people of Ethiopia don’t ever see any of the money that comes into the country.  The government is horribly corrupt and they keep every dollar that comes in.  They tell all the humanitarian organizations that their money goes to the proper people, but that never happens.”  Then he said, “All we ever see is corn.  Just a tiny bit of corn for each person.  We are given it once a week.  Corn.  What are we to do with corn?  We cannot live on corn.  It is useless to us but they tell us that we should be grateful.”  He went on about the corn for the next 3 minutes.  It was very sad. 

I just listened as he spoke about his home country, which he loves so much.  He told me how beautiful it is and how he would love to still be living there but he couldn’t stand the corruption.  He feels fortunate to be living and working in the United States and doesn’t take his life of freedom for granted. 

It was then that I attempted to explain to him what I knew of World Vision and what makes it different from some other non-profit organizations.  I told him that I was relatively new to World Vision but I knew that of the money that is donated to the Child Sponsorship program, 89 percent of it goes directly to the community.  I could tell that he wanted so badly to believe me. 

He asked if I had ever traveled to Ethiopia and I told him that I hadn’t.  “When you travel to Ethiopia and throughout Africa, they (the government) fool you.  On the day that you are there, the health clinics are full, the schools are filled with children and everyone appears to be happy and well-tended.  This is all a lie, though, just to make you feel good and to try to convince you that your money really is going through the proper channels.  The government knows that if you see suffering, empty schools and clinics, you will stop sending your money, and then our country will suffer.  So they perpetuate the lie.  For their own gain.  And nobody ever knows.  Except the people of Ethiopia who are so impoverished.” 

I was so saddened by all that he had to say.  I do believe that the government in Ethiopia and in so many other countries is corrupt.  I believe that there are many instances where monies donated never make it to their intended destination.  I found this information on the World Vision website:

“At World Vision, stewardship is an integral part of everything we do — because we recognize that every resource entrusted to us can transform real children's lives.

As part of our stewardship, we optimize resources and distribute them where they are needed most.

We carefully monitor and review programs and costs, use donations and grants for their intended purposes, and look for ways to leverage funds for maximum impact.

In addition, we continually strive to keep our overhead rate low. In 2009, 89 percent of our total operating expenses were used for programs that benefit children, families, and communities in need.

Our effectiveness has earned the trust and support of nearly a million donors, thousands of churches, and hundreds of corporations, institutions, and government agencies around the globe.”

I believe that the money that is donated to World Vision truly does make it to the people who need it most.  The more I learn about this organization, the more impressed I am with it and I am proud to be connected to it.  I am glad to have been able to tell my cab driver today what I knew of World Vision’s work and I hope that he will think about my words and perhaps at some point, believe what I had to say.  

Earthquake In Haiti

Saturday, January 16, 2010     

On Tuesday, January 12, 2010 an earthquake of magnitude 7.1 hit Port-au-Prince, the capital city of Haiti.  I learned of the earthquake when I turned on my laptop that evening.  There were three things that came to mind.  First of all, I thought about how close Nick would have been had he still been in the Dominican Republic as he had planned and I am thankful that he is in Guatemala.  Next, I thought of my friend John because he was in Port-au-Prince in November of 2009 working with Rotary and Word Vision to bring clean water to the country.  I wondered how many of his friends had lost their lives in the previous few hours.  Then the reality of this tragedy began to sink in as I thought of the devastation that had just occurred and the people whose lives were affected by it. 

The depth of sadness I felt for people who I have never met surprised me.  I’ve always thought of myself as a compassionate person, but since returning from Bosnia, well, I find my feelings rising to the surface much more easily.  The intensity of what I feel is so powerful and at times, rather distressing.  I was hard-pressed to focus on much other than the tragedy in Haiti all week long. 

I’m not really interested in watching TV, so most of my information has come from the internet.  I was impressed by the outpouring of money from people on social networking sites such as facebook.  On Wednesday morning, I joined a group formed by World Vision called “Fundraising Project:  URGENT Haiti Earthquake Relief.”  By posting it on my “wall” all of my friends are able to learn about it and have the option to join the group as well as give money to relief efforts.  I heard that it was possible to donate $10 simply by texting “HAITI” to 90999.  No longer do we need to get out the checkbook, write a check, place it in an envelope, try to find the proper address, add and stamp and drive it to a post office to donate money. 

As of last night, the Red Cross estimated the death toll to be around 45,000 – 50,000 and it will surely rise.  Government workers began burying thousands of dead bodies in mass graves.  There was no time to identify, document or photograph the bodies as removing them quickly has become paramount. 

Because most homes are either destroyed or severely damaged, hundreds of thousands of Haitians are sleeping on the street.  It is believed that there are still survivors who are trapped under rubble, thought their time is running out.

Paul, Emily and I were saddened to learn of an orphanage in Haiti that is full of children whose paperwork had been completed and were ready to go to their new families in America when the earthquake hit.  Now all the paperwork is under tons of rubble, never to be seen again and the poor children are stuck in Haiti.  Their future is bleak.  It is so sad that because of beaurocracy, hope for the future is lost.

It will be very difficult for Haiti to recover from this natural disaster.  The country was so impoverished before.  They had no natural resources and just struggled to survive, but now, things are so much worse.  During dinner last night, we had an interesting discussion with our friend Roby, Emily, Chris and 5 of his friends.  One of them, Alex pointed out that it is during times of tragedy that countries tend to unite and I was so impressed by the maturity of these kids’ viewpoints.  My hope in the coming days, weeks, months and years is for unity among our world.  I wish that it wouldn’t take tragedy to bring people together, but I am thankful to see people from all around the world working together to help the people of Haiti today.