SheLoves Magazine

Seeking the Face of Justice: Lessons from Two Former Child Soldiers

By Stephanie Motz Skinner | Twitter: @stephmotz

When we see how much injustice there is in the world, sometimes we forget that a simple act of reaching out and caring can make all the difference.

I can’t say I fully understand justice. Living in Uganda, however, as I hear firsthand the stories of people who have experienced great injustice–people who are now healing–I’m often reminded of what achieving justice looks like. I also learn that in seeking justice I don’t need to become overwhelmed.

God reminds me there’s nothing silent or static about justice. Wherever I search for the word “justice” in the Bible, I come across action. Justice is life-giving, loud and active. He also provides me with many examples on how to seek justice: speak out, reach out and give.

Seeking Justice

I learn that to seek is the desire or attempt to achieve something. I may have the desire, but if I don’t take the leap from desire to action, I’ll never “achieve” justice. Justice isn’t just the feeling in my heart. It’s the ways in which I will choose to respond to that feeling.

I’m reminded that seeking justice is a choice I continually have to make, because seeking justice, though it’s not impossible, isn’t easy. It can be uncomfortable.

It’s not easy

-Personally, I’m not very good at speaking out. I’m shy.
-Being generous is hard when I feel like I don’t have the finances.
-Reaching out requires meeting people and investing my time.

I have to be honest, sometimes I can get lazy, overwhelmed and scared. I can fail to take the leap from desire to action because it means I have to get out of my comfort zone. Therefore, I have to continue to choose to keep my heart and eyes open so I don’t fail to see injustice and take the opportunities to respond.

Lessons from Filder and Susan

Filder and Susan belong to a generation of children who were abducted by the LRA in northern Uganda and forced to live under the captivity of rebel soldiers. Many of them were forced to witness and commit unimaginable atrocities. They were robbed of their childhood and innocence. Boys were forced to become child soldiers and girls were often given away as trophy wives to rebel commanders.

Like many other abducted children, when Filder and Susan returned from captivity, their community rejected them completely. Now they are part of an initiative run by Watoto that trains and disciples this stolen generation and helps them reintegrate into their communities. They have been given the opportunity to regain control of their lives because somebody acted.

We sat at their new home on Suubi Hill, and when I asked them what was the most important thing I as an individual could do to seek justice, their answers were surprisingly simple. They said that if I care, I will stop and listen to those who are hurting around me. To Susan and Filder, former child soldiers, realizing justice begins with an interaction.

“Just talking with someone who has been through something very painful can help him or her,” Susan said. “Don’t pass and go, find out how they are doing. Talk to them, take your time to sit with them.”

Filder added: “Encourage and be faithful to one another, help them, build them up.”

I know justice is not one-dimensional. Choosing to stop, care and listen might not solve all of the world’s problems. But if it reminds one person of her worth–if one person rises up from her circumstances and starts to believe in herself again–then that simple action might just be the beginning of someone’s experience of real justice. It’s easy to think that our simple, individual acts of goodness, kindness, or love are insignificant when we see how much injustice there is in the world, but it’s exactly those simple, individual acts that, when added together, can begin to make real positive difference.

I notice that difference when I see Filder and Susan. These girls have experienced war, loss and rejection, but when you meet them, you see love, joy and a real sense of appreciation shining through them. They are healing, smiling and dreaming. They want to shine that light and share that face of justice with other women in their community. And that’s the other thing I’ve learnt about this face of justice: it doesn’t stop at that one person. It sets off a ripple.

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What are YOUR thoughts?

• What speaks to you in this post?
• When and where do you see the face of justice?
• How would you like to grow in this area?

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About Stephanie:
Stephanie is a humanitarian and portrait photographer for fakeleft.com where she shares stories of hope and dignity. She blogs at fakeleft.com/blog and tweets at @stephmotz

Threads of a Sister’s Story: Building Bridges of Hope

“I am inspired by women like Nikole, who recognize they are called to walk alongside others in the mutual goal of seeking justice in the world, not as a do-gooder, or a savior, but as a sister in Christ.”

By Enuma Okoro | Twitter: @TweetEnuma
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I was raised in four countries on three continents.

I am a cradle Catholic whose first memory of God is laced with multi-ethnic faces and visions of a holy Mary. I come from a family where women’s voices are loudly heard at home and in vocations around the globe. No matter how often the world and even the church may try to convince me otherwise, I cannot separate my understanding of God from my recognition of the strength and beauty of women.

It’s amazing really, the way one woman randomly encountering another woman can tell a small snippet of her story and lay a thread down, soft and silent, one more weave of rope for that hanging bridge of hope we all dangle on.

I met Nikole Lim at a speakers gathering last year. We were signed up to share a room at the conference center. Nikole is a young striking Chinese-American woman with a playful and edgy sense of style. I was not surprised to discover Nikole was a photographer and a humanitarian documentary filmmaker. As the days went on, I wasn’t even surprised to discover that she had started Freely in Hope, her own 501(c) faith-based nonprofit committed to addressing issues of poverty, sexual abuse and educational injustice for women in Kenya.

But I was surprised to find out she was only 23 years old.

And I was surprised to find out how open Nikole was to shifting her life steps in order to dance to the rhythm of God’s heartbeat, the rhythm she heard while listening to some snippet of another woman’s story.

Through a mutual friend, Nikole was introduced to Eunice, and learned about this particular Kenyan woman’s strength and resolution to overcome the violence of rape and poverty.  Humbled by Eunice’s story Nikole felt her own life forever altered and said yes to a daunting but convicting call to build a bridge between her world in California and Eunice’s world in Nairobi.

“Through Eunice’s story, I was liberated from my own selfishness,” says Nikole. “As God was challenging my heart, I felt called to start an organization to provide spiritual, educational and economic empowerment for girls worldwide. I thought that maybe, God was calling me to be a part of something greater—a part of stories that could change not only my life, but the lives of so many other women who are vulnerable to sexual abuse.”

I am inspired by women like Eunice, who in the face of horror, deep pain and mounting obstacles can courageously and gracefully hold onto the seed of knowledge that she, too, is a child of God with power and purpose.

Eunice believed in herself and in God before meeting Nikole.

I am inspired by women like Nikole, who recognize they are called to walk alongside others in the mutual goal of seeking justice in the world, not as a do-gooder, or a savior, but as a sister in Christ.

“I’ve been a witness to countless images that portray the “third world” as a place of despair,” says Nikole. “For too long, images have been used to capitalize on individuals, families and cultures. Worth has been shattered and dignity broken. My goal as a humanitarian photographer and filmmaker is to not exploit, but to leverage stories that empower, restore and transform.”

I am inspired by women who take time to listen to the still small voice of God, to discern how God would use their own unique hands and heart to foster healing in a broken world.

There are so many contexts and cultures that teach women to be passive and quiet recipients of injustice and varied forms of violence. And there are so many untold stories of women like Nikole and Eunice who do not shy away from challenge and conviction, because they believe that central to their life’s meaning and faith is the call to issue in God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Wherever Jesus went about preaching the kingdom of God and calling onlookers to reconcile themselves to God’s love, he did so hand in hand with changing people’s circumstances to reflect the type of world God envisions for all. The kingdom of God is made manifest wherever creation moves one step closer to physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental healing.

“Our vision is for women worldwide to experience God’s transformative love by living freely in hope.” -Nikole Lim , Founder of  Freely in Hope.

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My dear SheLoves sisters, I’d love to hear:

• What soft threads of another’s sister’s story have been woven into your own story of hope and purpose?
• Is there a friend, a sister’s story, that comes to mind that has particularly shaped how you live your life now?
• Any other thoughts or comments?

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About Enuma

Enuma was born in the United States and raised in Nigeria, Ivory Coast and England. She holds a Master of Divinity degree from Duke University Divinity School where she served as Director for the Center for Theological Writing. She is an author, speaker, spiritual director and continues to lead workshops and retreats on varied topics engaging the literary and visual arts, and spiritual disciplines.

Her spiritual memoir, Reluctant Pilgrim: A Moody Somewhat Self-Indulgent Introvert’s Search for Spiritual Community  (Fresh Air Books, 2010) was a winning finalist in the 2010 USA Best Books Award and received the 2011 National Indie Excellent Book Awards Winning Finalist in “Spirituality and African-American Non-Fiction.” She is co-author with Shane Claiborne and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove of Common Prayer: Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals

Enuma’s new forthcoming book, “Silence,” will be released in Summer/Fall 2012

She also writes an online column at Patheos called “Cornering God” about women’s ways of knowing and engaging the holy. You can find her online at  www.enumaokoro.com

Photo credit: All images of Eunice, by Nikole Lim

TGIF: ‘Cause I Gotta Have Faith-a-Faith-a-Faith …

On small faith, mind-bending miracles, weepy bear hugs and an epic summer.

by Tina Francis | Twitter: @teenbug
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“How much have you raised so far?*” he said resting his coffee cup on my cubicle wall and peering down on me.

[*Context: On June 24th 2011, I announced a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG): 50 women in Vancouver + Half-Marathon = Raising $50,000 for Our Sisters in Uganda. Read more.]

Glasses, sweater vest, baby blue shirt tucked into beige pants … What’s-his-name-What’s-his-name-What’s-his-name, I thought frantically. Bryan … Kevin … Jared? My desperate attempt at recollecting his name was interrupted by the loud slurp of coffee. What’s-his-name swallowed and said, “You know, your half-marathon goal of raising $50,000?”

Ugh.

Luckily, I’d learned a thing or two from years of watching the question round of the Miss Universe pageant. So I repeated his question back to him as slowly as humanly possible, stalling for time. “How … far … away … am … I … from … the … half-marathon … goal?” deliberately leaving out the little detail of $50,000.

“Yeah, how far along are you in relation to the $50,000 goal,” he responded.

What’s-his-name was relentless.

I took a deep breath and with my best (fake) calm voice I said, “You know, it’s really exciting! A lot of girls have signed up for the run. Most of them are not runners, so they want to train a little bit before they ask friends and family for money. At the moment we are at $840.”

His eyes widened, “But it’s the second week of August already! You have to make over $49,000 in a month and a half!”

I smiled, “I know! It will somehow come together. I have faith.”

Here’s the thing, I lied.
I didn’t have faith.
Well, I had faith.
I had small faith.

What is small faith you ask?

Small faith is …

- When you’re a “rah-rah” cheerleader on the outside, but secretly want to curl up in a fetal position and cry.
- When you quote Martin Luther King on your Facebook status and then take three nervous OCD showers to calm down.
- When you dream about raising $50,000 for your sisters in Uganda, but start convincing yourself that finishing the race without injuries would be a victory. It’s the thought that counts, right?

Guilty as charged.
I had small faith.

Real life doesn’t end with “happily ever after.” So, I typically dream safe dreams. “I hope there is parking close to the entrance of the mall.” Or: “I hope this new shampoo helps with my dandruff.” You know? That sorta thing. Dreams that don’t have the potential to embarrass me. Safe and realistic dreams that required small faith.

Unfortunately in the case of the half-marathon, I had opened my big fat mouth and put my BHAG out there, and now the whole world was going to know that I was a big fat failure/lunatic/loser.

Confession: When we made a You Tube video for creating awareness about the half-marathon, I asked my friend Dave who was editing the piece to remove the section where I talk about the $50,000 goal. Gulp. I know. We were days away from the run and nowhere near our goal, so I had started preparing my heart for a smaller dream.

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“Not failure, but low aim, is a crime.” - James Russell Lowell

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Earlier this week I was thumbing through Charles Swindoll’s book “Can One Person Make a Difference?” In the last chapter entitled “This is no time for wimps,” Swindoll talks about how God always gave big instructions.

He told Noah to “Build an ark.”
He told Joseph, “Return good for evil. Forgive your brothers”.
He told Moses, “Lead my people out of Egypt.”
He told David, “Kill the giant.”
He told Peter, “Feed my sheep.”

Woah.

God never aims low.

So yes, $50,000 was an obscenely high number, but it was what I felt God wanted us to work towards.

You know the guy who peered over my cubicle? Yeah, he checked in every two weeks. He asked the same question, “So how away are you from your $50,000 goal?” After every conversation, I felt my heart sink and I set my sights lower. I said things like, “If we just make about $___, it would be okay. It would be decent. At least, we created awareness, right?”

I have to admit, I harboured some not-so-nice-thoughts …

 Money Money Money 

Over the next couple of weeks, this is what our fundraising progress looked like:

August 23^rd – $4,460

God, $10,000 would be a respectable number.

September 6^th – $6,248

God, seriously, if we could just get to $10,000, I won’t ask for anything else this year.  

September 21^st – $11,516

Haha. Okay God. You’re amazing. Maybe, $15,000?

September 22^nd – $14,816

Eek!!! God, would it be crazy to aim for $20,000? P.S. $25,000 would be epic/mega/amazing/miraculous.

September 25^th – Race Day!

You are my rock, God. With you by my side, I can do anything.

**____After the Half-Marathon____**

October 5^th – $27,817

GOD?!! WOW! WOW! WOW! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!!

November 17^th – $43,607

… * tears * … I’m a fool for ever doubting you, Father. I’m sorry I had small faith. 

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A Letter to my Girls …

Dear half-marathon girls + Josh,

WE DID IT!!! We finished strong. We wrote a beautiful story together. We witnessed a miracle. We helped. Even though there is so much more work to be done, we did something. We didn’t just sigh and turn the other way, we put our words into action!

Thank you for leaping with me. I couldn’t have done it without each and everyone of you. Thank you for the mystic bond of sisterhood. I will always cherish the laughter, tears, prayers and hugs we shared on this journey. I will never forget that familiarization run with Dan: running in the dark, sharing Gatorade, peeing in bushes, squealing in laughter and disarming crazy car alarms. What a night. Thank you for reminding me what we were fighting for when I was overwhelmed. Thank you for grace in moments of (administrative) chaos. Thank you for your tender, juicy, beautiful, thumping-aching-bursting hearts. Thank you for carrying me when I had small faith.

My sweet and strong sisters, this is only the beginning …

I love you all.

Rib-crushing, weepy bear hugs,
Teen
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  If you haven’t donated to our cause yet and would still like to give, we are accepting donations until November 30th.
- Donate: HERE
– How it all got started? Read the story: HERE
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Here are  5 things that made me smile this week:

 Poetry Jam + Marcel “The Shell with Shoes On” + Murmurations + Seasame Street + Kina Granis = TGIF

1. Joshua Bennett’s spoken word tribute to his sister triggers a sharp pain in my chest. Powerful + Beautiful + Tender.

2. I found this little gem while randomly surfing on Vimeo. Meet Marcel “The shell with shoes on.” Jenny Slate is the brilliant (untreated and unenhanced) voice behind the protagonist Marcel. Jenny Slate, you are adorbs.

MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON from Dean Fleischer-Camp on Vimeo.

3. So, you know my long standing fear of birds? This video is so beautiful-breathtaking-awe-inspiring, I may have to reconsider my position on birds. Two girls in a canoe stumble upon one of nature’s greatest phenomenons; a murmuration of starlings. I’ve watched the video at least 10 times and I still get chills. Prepare to be enchanted. (P.S. If I had to pick my favourite out of this week’s list of 5 things, this would be it.)

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

4. My friend Brandi-Lee (or B.Diddy‎ as I like to call her) was watching Sesame Street with her son, Finn, when she heard this catchy tune. “She’s gonna change the world, she’s gonna make the world a better place!” Yeah she is! I don’t know why but I love the massive pearl earrings on the puppet. I keep imagining someone looking at the puppet and saying, “There is something missing here. Ah yes, pearl earrings!” Haha. Yes, I’m easily amused.

5. I’ve been following Youtube star Kina Granis  for years now. She was on The Ellen show this week after the release of her new music video “In your arms”. 22 months, 1,357 hours, 30 people, 2 ladders, 1 still camera and 288,000 jelly beans. Dedication or insanity? You decide.

Watch the making of the video:

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So, dear friends…

1. Have you ever experienced a miracle in spite of having small faith? I would love to hear about it!

2. What keeps you from dreaming big? Failure, past disappointments, responsibilities, etc.?

Love you more than Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars, (<- Recipe)

xoxo,
Teen

To read more TGIFs from Tina: Click here.

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My name is Tina. Loved ones call me: Teen.

Words are my chocolate. Music, my caramel. Photography, my bread. Girlfriends, my butter.

Confession: Some girls dream about Manolo Blahniks or their next Hermes bag. Not me. I dream of freshly baked bread, perfectly barbecued meat & steaming bowls of Pho. My dream lover *cue Mariah Carey song* is someone who would read out a menu to me in Barry White’s baritone voice.

I celebrate food, ask for help, interrupt conversations, laugh and cry hard, acknowledge the elephant in most rooms, fight for the underdog and believe in the power of storytelling.

My word for the year is “leap.” If something scares me, I do it.

I was born and raised in Dubai and currently live in the beautiful city of Vancouver, known for some of the best sushi in the world.

ShePonders: Another Anointing

“Can we messiah one another–propelling each other into the larger salvation story of which we all have a part to play?”

By Kelley Johnson-Nikondeha

“You have to quit your job.” All the others around the room that morning nodded their heads in agreement. A sober-minded brunette reached for pen and paper: “We can help you write the resignation letter now.” Among this group of trusted friends gathered to help me discern my current situation, it was all but settled–it was time to embrace Africa and let go of lesser things.

“I will cover the cost of your first year,” one said. Such a bold investment brought immediate gravity to the sunlit room that morning … and then I felt another take my hand and whisper, “I am coming with you.”  Within moments there were hands laid on us and prayers ascending; the room awash with tears and blessing. This was a holy moment that pushed me forward into my deeper purpose–and I needed my sisters more than I realized.

The weekend I was messiahed.

* * *

For many months she had been following the Rabbi. She had heard him tell many of his parables–some more than once. She had listened to his teachings on hillsides in Galilee and in homes like Martha’s. She had witnessed healings and walked so close behind him that dust would sometimes cover her garments. She had eyes that saw and ears that heard … and she knew where he was headed because he said so on more than one occasion and in more than one way.

So she saved coins here and there. She even found one in a corner–she had thought it long since lost! But not too long ago she took her small purse and purchased some ointment of nard. It was a small alabaster jar–all she could afford–but it was of the best quality. She had it by her bed where she could smell the fragrance like night-blooming jasmine.

There was a dinner party at Simon’s house in Bethany, a familiar occasion for the Rabbi and his disciples. But that night, as she left her house, she reached for the alabaster jar and carried it with her down the street to her neighbor’s home.

By the time she arrived, the Rabbi was already there. He was sitting at the table and laughing with Simon (once a leper) and some other friends. Other disciples were mingling about the room in spirited conversation while the house staff brought platters of food and began pouring the wine.

Now. Now was the time. She took a deep breath and felt the weight of the jar in her tiny hand. She walked toward him. She broke open the top of the jar and began to pour the ointment over his coarse hair … dark hair that reminded her of her own brother. But, unlike her brother, the Rabbi was destined for Jerusalem–for death and yet for victory, too. In her bones she knew him to be Messiah, though she hardly could conceive of what that really meant. She poured slowly … pondering these many things.

She was thinking of this when jolted by Peter’s sharp elbow and the angry words of Judas. The room was filled with noise. With shouting. With accusation. She felt confused … didn’t they all know what she was doing? Like Samuel and Elijah she was merely recognizing the Rabbi’s true calling.  She was affirming his destiny.

But they did not have eyes to see or ears to hear.

But the Rabbi knew. He felt the cool ointment dripping down his scalp and down his neck–and knew the fragrance immediately. She was preparing him. She was empowering him for what lay ahead. She was making visible his salvific purpose: a martyred messiah.

He pushed back Peter and the others pressing toward her; he chided Judas with one sharp look. Then he spoke: “She has anointed me.”

The woman sighed in deep relief as she realized the Rabbi had received her gift.

Like the prophets of old, the woman anointed Jesus and proclaimed his true identity. It was the woman who stood in the long prophetic tradition–not John the Baptist, who baptized with water; not Peter who attempted to announce Messiah but then misunderstood his agenda entirely. It was this woman who was the perceptive prophet. She messiahed Jesus.

She possessed the insight cultivated over months of patient watching, listening and pondering. She invested in the ointment of nard and made an intentional decision to take it with her on that cool night. She was inspired by the Spirit to anoint and therefore participate in the work of Jesus, giving momentum to his salvation agenda. One scholar notes that she empowered him, the disciple empowering the Rabbi. How stunning a reversal!

* * *

I have grown up with another concept of anointing, one that is more spontaneous and charismatic.  For many years I carried a green glass bottle of scented oil in my purse in case a moment arose where anointing was called for. Not too long ago I anointed the feet of some African leaders on Ugandan soil with olive oil.

It is good to bless one another with rich symbols. I recommend it.

But this is a story of another anointing. This woman, most likely a disciple of Jesus, observed him and was attentive to the meaning of his life. She knew there was a deeper purpose afoot. And she prepared for a prophetic moment when she would affirm and announce it. She would, unbeknownst to her, push him into passion week with her anointing. She pushed him in much the same ways my friends propelled me that sun-drenched morning. They messiahed me into my part in God’s salvation story of transformation in Africa.

This anointing involves more than scented oil in shapely vessels.

This anointing involves:

attentive observation,

intentional action and

bold participation

in the divine purpose of another.

This anointing pushes others toward their true call. We are invited to anoint each other toward the things that matter–for our sake, for their sake and for the sake of the world in need of transformation.

Can we messiah one another–propelling each other into the larger salvation story of which we all have a part to play?

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My dear SheLoves sisters and friends, I would love to hear your thoughts and comments:

• Have you ever been messiahed?
• Who has seen you in and participated in the divine purpose of your life?
• Other thoughts?

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<<<Another Anointing>>>

Click on the link above for an audio version of Kelley’s ShePonders: Another Anointing
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About Kelley:

Kelley Johnson Nikondeha is co-director of Amahoro Africa and international staff member of Community of Faith with her husband Claude. She’s a thinker, connector, advocate, avid reader and mother of two beautiful children. Kelley lives between Arizona and Burundi. She loves handwritten letters, homemade pesto and anything written by Walter Brueggemann.

The Lights of Diwali

“This Diwali, I’m celebrating the individual diyas–people who are steadily pushing back the darkness.”

By Stacy Wiebe
India does bright and bling 24/7, but shimmers most during the festive days leading up to Diwali. The “Festival of Lights” is a season of giving and feasting, of savoring the creamiest sweets and shopping … for yet more bling. It culminates with a raucous night of lighting firecrackers that resound like machine gunfire, shrouding the streets in smoke.

Personally, I’m more drawn to the quieter adornments of the holiday—the diyas. They’re small clay lamps shaped like mangoes, filled with oil and arranged around doorways. You see them glowing among the tin-roofed houses in the slums and around the long entrances leading up to the city’s bungalows. Unlike their firecracker cousins, the diyas are silent and fragile. Still, their power is incontrovertible. Wherever they are, darkness is diminished. The diyas’ simplicity and ubiquity witness the fundamental meaning of Diwali: the triumph of good over evil.

While India’s star continues to rise on the global stage and its economy continues to boom, this Diwali, I’m celebrating the individual diyas–people who are steadily pushing back the darkness.

In India, 53% of children have been sexually abused and it’s generally not talked about, lest shame come upon the family. What happens in the dark, stays in the dark.

Earlier this month I met Prema*, a girl the same age as my own daughter. The eight-year-old has a tentative smile framed by short, playful pigtails. For the past couple years she and her sister have been cared for by Aruwe, a small organization working with the homeless and the destitute in Chennai.

Prema’s Story

“I’ll never forget the first time I met her,” my friend told me. “She was holding her sister and I picked up the baby and carried her. Prema came after me and snatched her sister from my arms. I later learned it was because she didn’t want her to be hurt by a man, the way she herself had been.”

Prema had been systematically abused. She was the target of a neighbor who was HIV positive, who held to the superstition that intercourse with a young girl would cure him of his disease.

During my visit to the shelter earlier this month, I watched Prema bounce in and out of the room, gathering notebooks and pencils to study for her exams.

She has tested negative for HIV and has begun to trust some of the male staff and volunteers. Still, word on the street is that her mother wants to try to sell her, because she is so pretty. Innocence and beauty have been twisted into liabilities for this little girl, whose name means “love” in Sanskrit.

Her now preschool-age sister, Chloe May, introduces herself to me as “Beauty Chloe May.” The care and affection she’s received by the staff and volunteers at Aruwe have so shaped her identity that she unabashedly prefixes her name with “Beauty.” She owns that name. And, well, she should.

I’m just a visitor at Aruwe, a spectator to miracles-in-progress. Every day, local staff members feed, tutor and love dozens of children, not to mention provide a home for abandoned widows whose families are unable or unwilling to care for them. Daily demands leave the staff little time for marketing and fundraising. Their work is quiet, steady, diya-like. It’s true religion.

*The girls’ names have been changed for their protection.

About Stacy:

Stacy Wiebe likes biriyani, books and things that grow. She’s lived in Chennai, India for the past three years, writing and speaking with WOW and other non-profits.

Because of a Little Love: The Story of Beatrice and Agnes

Beatrice needed more than facial reconstructive surgery. She needed Agnes to remind her she is loved.

By Stephanie Motz Skinner | Twitter: @stephmotz

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©Fakeleft. Quote by Mother Teresa.

I am thinking about loneliness this week. Mother Teresa, a woman who witnessed extreme poverty and disease, believed that being unloved, rejected and lonely is a form of poverty.

She said: “We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love.”

A Little Love

When James and I heard of the opportunity to film a girl who had just undergone reconstructive surgery we jumped at the opportunity. It was the last footage we needed to complete the production of a short video for Living Hope that we’ve been working on and we were eager to begin piecing the final story together.

So we set off early one morning with a Living Hope team leader. She informed us that the girl we were filming would be returning to her home in Gulu soon. We were excited for her because we figured she was probably anxious to return to her family.

Meet Beatrice

To protect her identity, I’ll call her Beatrice. Beatrice is about fifteen years old. She had undergone two surgical procedures in a week and was recovering at a Watoto village near Kampala. A cheerful and loving Living Hope graduate named Agnes was caring for her. She had been trained to nurse reconstructive surgery patients after their operation and had spent a week nursing Beatrice. When we met them you could tell they had become increasingly attached to each other. Agnes would hug Beatrice and fix the scarf around her neck. She would wipe Beatrice’s chin when spittle would trickle from her healing lips.

The stitches around her lips made it difficult for Beatrice to speak, so Agnes shared with us the details of Beatrice’ story. Beatrice had not experienced war injuries but she had been born with a cleft lip and palate and this had profoundly damaged her quality of life.

Reassurance

As Agnes spoke, Beatrice stared blankly at the ground. She seemed shy and even a little scared. Agnes pulled her close. She caressed her head and whispered a few words to her in Acholi, their local language. Beatrice smiled and appeared reassured.

After listening to her story, we explained the purpose of the video we were working on. We pulled out the reflectors, set up the tripod, opened some windows and began directing.

As we filmed, the Living Hope team leader and Agnes spoke to Beatrice making her feel at ease. But after a few minutes of shooting, she suddenly began to cry. We immediately stopped. We thought maybe we had approached her insensitively and briefing her had not been enough. Maybe she needed a little encouragement. I immediately asked the team leader to translate for me, but after a few minutes the team leader interrupted me to tell me that we weren’t the reason she was crying.

Phew, I thought at first. But then she explained that Beatrice was crying, because while we were shooting, she was told she would soon be returning home and this was harrowing news to her.

Going Home

Beatrice’s community associated her birth deformity with witchcraft. So when she was born, her mother gave her the Acholi name for “the cursed one.” Her mother abandoned her when she was young and her grandmother who is raising her, mistreats her. Even though she goes to school and has a home to sleep in, Beatrice didn’t grow up experiencing kindness and care.

And yet she seemed like such an innocent child. She had a shy smile and a sweet and gentle demeanor. For the last week Agnes had treated Beatrice like a daughter. She didn’t just nurse her wounds, she nurtured her heart.

Later that day Beatrice was transported to a recuperation center in Gulu and I thought I’d never see her again. But a week later James and I traveled to Gulu and while we were there, we visited the Living Hope recuperation center where women recover from their reconstructive surgeries or are prepared for their upcoming procedures.

Flourishing

As we pulled into the driveway and parked our car, we spotted Beatrice. When she recognized us, she sprinted towards us. And as soon as I was out of the car, she gave me a huge hug, her healing lips quivering as she tried to contain her smile. It was as if her experience with Agnes had unlocked something inside her and this was allowing her to flourish. I like to believe that the care and love she experienced will give her the hope she needs to persevere through difficult times. I can’t be certain what is going to happen to Beatrice, but my brief encounter with her has reminded me that sometimes the simplest, most uncomplicated acts of love and service–the type that Agnes demonstrated towards Beatrice by simply being there for her and treating her with dignity–can bring healing to people in ways that can surprise us.

I know a person can’t subsist solely on love, but love feeds hearts and helps people flourish. Love and acceptance can help a person conquer her fears and reach her potential.

We all experience pain, but there are so many people in this world who are hurting alone. There are people out there who are seldom noticed and are isolated from their community. As I was thinking about Beatrice and many others like her, this documentary, A Way Out, came to mind:

A Way Out – documentary (2010) from Noora Shalaby on Vimeo.

I am reminded of the impact Love has on a person and how we should never take an encouraging word, a squeeze of the hand or an embrace for granted.
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So, beautiful SheLoves friends, what are your thoughts?

• What speaks to you in this post?
• Have you experienced or witnessed the impact that a simple act of love can have on a person?

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About Stephanie:
Stephanie is a humanitarian and portrait photographer for fakeleft.com where she shares stories of hope and dignity. She blogs at fakeleft.com/blog and tweets at @stephmotz

What Does Running a Half-Marathon with Your Sisters Look Like?

On hugs, sweat ‘n tears.

Photos by Brandi-Lee Doucette and friends | Twitter: @brandilee1
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It’s hard to put into words what we (38 women + Josh) accomplished yesterday. It’s hard to give expression to the strength and camaraderie we saw yesterday as we supported and suffered (yes, it was hard) on behalf of our sisters in Northern Uganda. Stiff knees, sore hamstrings, purple toes and seizing hips seem insignificant compared to what some of our sisters have endured. We are laughing and crying, because yesterday “the good guys” won for a change.

Thirty-eighty women in our world have come alive. Our Facebook newsfeed is proof of that. There is a steady stream of “likes,” notes, comments, pictures, tweets and emails flying around. Our friends and family have rallied so beautifully around this cause—there’s something about a company of women rising up to be the change that sets hearts ablaze and moves others to mobilize too.

We hope these pictures communicate some of the very big emotion of our day.

We love you more than carbo-loading before race day,
xoxo
Teen + Idelette

TGIF: Are you a Lone Nut or a Leader?

On Derek Sivers, being gutsy and how to start a movement.

by Tina Francis | Twitter: @teenbug
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In the last couple of weeks, I’ve had more than one person refer to me as “leader.” The l-word often induces a severe panic attack that can only be treated by taking deep cleansing breaths into a family-sized bag of Cheetos.

Apparently, I now live in a parallel universe where 65 women are willing to run a half-marathon to raise $50,000 with me.

I lay awake at night tormented by the following thoughts:
- How am I going to run 21 km?
- Are my thighs ever going to get smaller?
- How are we going to raise $50,000?
- No seriously, I think my thighs are getting bigger…

My terribly unimpressive life, that mostly involved binge-eating bread and browsing the Internet, radically transformed overnight. I’m suddenly an email-answering ninja who runs at night. How did I become this unlikely cocktail of Anderson Cooper and Lance Armstrong?

The best part? It’s contagious.

The 65 women who said yes are experiencing a similar phenomenon.

I’m witnessing first-hand, a small but significant underground movement. Women are waking up from a deep slumber. Snow White and Sleeping Beauty are no longer lounging in their 300 thread-count Egyptian Cotton sheets, waiting for Prince Charming to come rescue them. They are going to tag-team with Cinderella, Belle and Jasmine to kick some serious booty.

How To Start a Movement?

I got some interesting responses when I posted the question on my Facebook Wall:

Some of my faves:

- “One compellingly worthy, passionate, adoptable idea that breeds its own momentum through people moved upon to act.” -Doug

- “Start a conversation about something that matters… and keep inviting people into that space.” -Kelley

- “Just move” -Andy

I’m pretty sure that last one was meant to be a joke but it still packs a punch. How many times have we wanted to do something but have been too paralyzed by the fear of failure to “move.” It is reminiscent of Nike’s slogan, “Just do it.”

Since all of life’s big questions are answered on Google I did a search on “How to start a movement?” That is when I found a fascinating TED talk by Derek Sivers best known for being the founder and former president of CD Baby.

You have to watch this 3-minute video. It’ short, sweet and resulted in a huge paradigm shift for me.

‘How to Start a Movement’ according to Derek  Sivers:

1. A leader needs the guts to stand out and be ridiculed.
2. The first follower transforms a lone nut into a leader.
3. Now it’s not a lone nut, it’s not two nuts, three is a crowd, and a crowd is news.
4. A movement must be public.
5. It’s important to not just show the leader, but the followers because new followers emulate the followers, NOT the leader.
6. The biggest lesson– leadership is over-glorified. Yes, the shirtless guy was first, and he’ll get all the credit, but it was really the first follower that transformed the lone nut into a leader. <- This rocked my world
7. We’re told that we should all be leaders, but that would be really ineffective.
8. If you really care about starting a movement, have the courage to follow and show others how to follow.
9. When you find a lone nut doing something great, have the guts to be the first one to stand up and join in.

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I love Derek’s take on leadership.

According to his definition I’m just the shirtless “lone nut” shaking my groove thang on the grass. It was only when my first follower (Idelette) joined me that I suddenly became a “leader.”

All the “new followers” emulate the followers. NOT the leader. NOT the original lone nut. NOT me.

If you’re doing something captivating, people will follow, validate and endorse you.

The large scale adoption of the “leader-follower” combo committed to one goal, idea or cause starts a movement.

That’s how a video goes viral on YouTube, a movie like Slumdog Millionaire wins 8 Academy Awards and millions of Egyptian protesters from different socio-economic and religious backgrounds demanded the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak’s powerful regime.

There was one shirtless lone nut that got the ball rolling.

I encourage you to either:
- Be that lone nut, or
- Support that lone nut and make him (her) a leader.

Huzzah… I can breathe again!

Xoxo,
Lone Nut
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Here are 5 things that made me smile this week!

Joggers ‘Before & After’ + Inspiring NY Apartment + English Problems + Potato DIY Project + Rachel Platten= TGIF!

1. Joggers Before and After: Sacha Goldberger created an outdoor studio at a park near Paris and stopped joggers to ask them, if they would sprint for him, and then pose right after for his camera. Strangely enough many out of breath, joggers obliged. A week later he shot the same people at his professional studio recreating the pose from the park.

“I wanted to show the difference between our natural and brute side versus how we represent ourselves to society,” says Goldberger.

I find this series fascinating. To see the more images click: here.





2. I’m tickled pink by designer and style icon Iris Apfel’s in-your-face eclectic style. Her bold use of colour and patterns are inspiring. Her New York apartment would make a killer location for a photoshoot or music video. To see more pictures of her home click here.





3. English Problems: Here’s some YouTube goofiness for ya. My favourite is the “em-pha-sis” guy.

4. Potato Print DIY project: I love how this simple project that involves 5 potatoes and acrylic paints in rainbow colors, completely transforms a room. I’m tempted to experiment over the long weekend. For the DIY tutorial click here.



5. New York City singer-songwriter, pianist and beatboxer Rachel Platten’s album ‘Be Here’ is getting a lot of playtime on my runs. The album is full of head-bobbing music perfect for your morning commute to work.

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So … my global SheLoves sisters:
- Is there a lone nut in your world that you need to be supporting?
- Are you the lone nut stalling for time, because you are afraid of putting yourself out there?
I’d love to hear your thoughts, fears and inspirations!

Dear half-marathon Bravehearts,
- I would love to hear what your friends and family have been saying to you, since you said yes.
- Are they using the word “inspiring” or “leader” to describe you?

I’d love to hear about what this experience has looked like for you!

Love you more than refreshing summer fruit Papillotes with a scoop of lavender ice cream,(<- Recipe)
xoxo,
Teen

To read more TGIFs from Tina: Click here.
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SheLoves Half-Marathon for Living Hope
- How it all got started? Read the story: HERE
- Donate: HERE
- Facebook Event Page: HERE
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About: My name is Tina. Loved ones call me: Teen. I am drawn to all that is fresh, spontaneous and creative.

Confession: Some girls dream about Manolo Blahniks or their next Hermes bag. Not me. I dream of freshly baked bread, perfectly barbecued meat & steaming bowls of Pho. My dream lover *cue Mariah Carey song* is someone who would read out a menu to me in Barry White’s baritone voice. ha.ha. Everything about food makes my toes curl. The only thing that excites me more than eating food is beautiful pictures of food.

I was born and raised in Dubai and currently live in the beautiful city of Vancouver, known for some of the best sushi in the world.

I enjoy taking pictures.

TGIF: Why is Beyonce Giving Me Mixed Signals?

On skytrain journalism, sanitary pads and the real face of dignity.

by Tina Francis | Twitter: @teenbug
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I don’t typically brood over words like “dignity” while chomping on a piece of toast on a Thursday morning. I’m usually preoccupied with trying to make decisions like, “Can I get away with not washing my hair today?” or “How long can I sit on Facebook before I’m officially late for work?”

This week, however, was different. I came face-to-face with the stark reality that dignity is:
- A vague concept.
- A scarce commodity.

Allow me to illustrate my point by going over my week.

Monday: I spot this guy on the Skytrain. The repressed journalist in me just HAD to take a picture of his hoodie.

It’s a little hard to read in the picture because I was trying to be discreet. His hoodie says, “Chicks should come in six packs.” The infamous mudflap girl imprinted on each can. Pun intended.

The feminist in me was appalled. For the record: I’m not anti-men. I’m just pro-women.

Tuesday: I read this really great article: “MILFs and Happy Endings” (You should read it too.)

“Was it just me, or was I being bullied, along with everyone else, into having to accept porn’s invasion into everyday life with its coarseness as the new norm?”- Lili Bee

Wednesday: I sat across from this guy…

“My parts are the best,” his T-shirt reads. TMI … but I’ll take your word for it kind sir. On closer inspection, it’s mudflap girl again! Only this time she’s on her knees. I’d like to give her the benefit of the doubt but I’m guessing she’s not changing the tires.

How does a woman living in today’s world define “dignity” when the media tells us we are most appreciated on our knees, half-dressed, preferably in front of an automobile.

Don’t believe me? Take Beyonce’s music video “Run the World” for example. Ms. Knowles is singing about female empowerment on all fours in front of a car. Look at the similarities between the T-shirt and the video.

Car? Check. Mudflap girl? Check. Girl power? I don’t think so. Talk about sending mixed signals.

I really don’t want this to sound Anti-Beyonce because I love the girl. She can sing, dance and is a successful business woman. What’s not to love? It just bothers me that the music video for a song about girl power is communicating a conflicting message.

Why aren’t there more T-shirts emblazoned with the faces of Rosa Parks, Madeleine Albright and Margaret Atwood? I’d wear that!

Thursday: As you can imagine I was feeling pretty deflated by this point. The overly sexualized imagery and language surrounding my gender was depressing.

In an effort to cheer myself up I was browsing through the Living Hope website on my lunch break. Readers who have been following SheLoves regularly know that a group of 50 women in Vancouver are running a Half-Marathon on September 25th to raise money for the Living Hope Program that aids women in northern Uganda.

Looking through the photos on the website, I saw a true picture of dignity. I saw women with deep-rooted self-worth, effortless grace, resourceful spirit, fervent courage and untainted joy.

This is the kind of “girl power” that appeals to me. I’m tired of the in-your-face, skin-baring, swearing-like-a-sailor, overly sexual, middle-finger showing, aggressive, violent, catty, condescending “girl power” the media advertises. It’s a cop-out. It’s counterfeit.

True girl power is someone who forgives the unforgivable, loves the unlovable and dares to show up for life even at the risk of getting hurt in the process.

“What should move us to action is human dignity: the inalienable dignity of the oppressed, but also the dignity of each of us. We lose dignity if we tolerate the intolerable.”- Dominique De Menil

The Intolerable: Abducted, gang-raped, infected with AIDS, left for dead, mutilated, forgotten, beaten, disfigured, shunned from society and sold as sex slaves.

“Restoring dignity” is the mandate of the Living Hope program that supports the women of northern Uganda. These women have suffered the intolerableand are rising up from the ashes, daring to rewrite their story.

That to me is real “dignity.”

Real women with real dignity

This is the glee-inducing portion of this post. The Living Hope Training Center provides vocational training and helps the women generate projects with the help of micro-finance loans.

The key to restoring their sense of dignity is training and equipping them with skill sets so they can integrate back into their communities as valued contributing members of society.

Here’s a peek into the Living Hope Training Centre in Gulu:

1. Sewing Workshops

2. Making Honey

3. I was saving the best for last, a brilliant initiative called “MAKAPADS.”

According to UNICEF, approximately 1 in 10 African girls will skip school during menstruation because they fear being ridiculed or stigmatized. Rural schools don’t usually have proper toilet facilities or water and girls can’t afford sanitary pads. Often times they have to resort to unsanitary alternatives like leaves or cloth. This is the crucial juncture where many girls drop out of school.

The Living Hope ladies in Gulu have been part of an initiative that provides affordable sanitary pads, called Makapads made mainly of papyrus reeds and almost entirely of local materials. It is exciting because, not only is this a skills development opportunity, but the ladies also get to be a part of an initiative that is giving a new generation of girls the opportunity to remain in school.

The finished product is pretty impressive if you ask me!

“Our ladies are not a drama of victimization; they are a story of empowerment that transforms formerly abducted little girls into successful businesswomen.”- Marilyn Skinner, Founder of Watoto – Living Hope

Transforming abducted girls into successful business women?!

Hello? I love that.

“All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

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I’ve been running to Rachel Platten’s album “Be Here” this week. It’s upbeat without being preachy. The video below is a live recording of her song “Nothing Ever Happens.” Enjoy!

“Nothing ever happens if you stay in your room
Nothing ever happens if you leave the party too soon
Never be a winner if you’re not in the game
Nothing ever happens if you always play it safe
So, make a little space and get out of your own way.”

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So … my global SheLoves sisters:
- Does the portrayal of women in media affect you on a personal level?
- Any stories or anecdotes that you’d like to share in lieu of this post?
- What is your definition of dignity?

Dear SheLoves Half-Marathon Bravehearts,
- Many of you have had milestone runs this past week, how are you feeling about the Half-Marathon now? Is the end in sight?
- How are your fundraising efforts going? I’d love to hear about how you’ve been spreading awareness. Mailouts, phonecalls, meetings over coffee, email, etc?

Share-share!

Love you more than Almond Herb Tarts with Dandelion Pesto, Truffled Fontina & Figs , (<- Recipe)
xoxo,
Teen

To read more TGIFs from Tina: Click here.

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SheLoves Half-Marathon for Living Hope
- How it all got started? Read the story: HERE
- Donate: HERE
- Facebook Event Page: HERE
______________________________________________________

About: My name is Tina. Loved ones call me: Teen. I am drawn to all that is fresh, spontaneous and creative.

Confession: Some girls dream about Manolo Blahniks or their next Hermes bag. Not me. I dream of freshly baked bread, perfectly barbecued meat & steaming bowls of Pho. My dream lover *cue Mariah Carey song* is someone who would read out a menu to me in Barry White’s baritone voice. ha.ha. Everything about food makes my toes curl. The only thing that excites me more than eating food is beautiful pictures of food.

I was born and raised in Dubai and currently live in the beautiful city of Vancouver, known for some of the best sushi in the world.

I enjoy taking pictures.

TGIF: What I Learned About World Peace from JFK, Titanic and Miss Congeniality

by Tina Francis | Twitter: @teenbug
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Remember the scene in the movie Miss Congeniality when Sandra Bullock’s character announces, “I’m not gonna parade around in a swimsuit like some airhead bimbo that goes by the name Gracie Lou Freebush and all she wants is world peace?”

In a later scene she finds herself in the Q & A round of the beauty pageant, facing the exact situation she was dreading:

Stan Fields: What is the one most important thing our society needs?
Gracie Hart: That would be harsher punishment for parole violators, Stan.
[crowd is silent]
Gracie Hart: [plastic smile] And world peace!
[crowd cheers ecstatically]

In the final scene of the movie, Sandra Bullock comes clean with her fellow beauty pageant contestants about being an undercover FBI agent.

And then … something unexpected happens. She gets teary-eyed, fans her face with her hands (like they often do in beauty pageants) and says, “The thing is … I really do want world peace.” [crowd erupts in applause]

Heal the World?

I think a lot of us can relate to Gracie Hart’s sentiment. We hear the news, we see the headlines, we are aware that people are hurting in Haiti, Japan and Israel.

It breaks our hearts.

But here’s the problem: the enormity of the injustice in the world is overwhelming.  It’s too big. It’s intangible. It’s monstrous nebulous form is hard to wrap our minds around.

Titanic Analogy

If the world and its endless problems are the sinking Titanic, then we are the panicking passengers on board the ship (of life) trying to find a piece of driftwood (i.e. job, SUV, iPhone, etc.) to hold on for dear life. We don’t make eye contact (or heart contact) with anybody because (God forbid!) we might have to share our tiny piece of driftwood. And let’s face it, that never works out in the end. R.I.P. Jack.

Here’s a couple reasons why wanting to change the world sounds cheesy and naive:
a. We don’t know how to help.
b. We have no time to help.
c. We have no money to help.
d. And there’s always some yahoo screwing over the system … so why bother?

Ergo, we fall into the trap of doing absolutely nothing.

The JFK Paradigm Shift

I love this quote by JFK! Let’s break it down … shall we?

Peace is a:
- Daily
- Weekly
- Monthly Process

Peace is:
- Gradually changing opinions,
- Slowly eroding old barriers,
- Quietly building new structures.

So the “Top Secret Formula” for World Peace is really quite simple:
Little Acts of Peace + Everyone + Every day
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An Update on our “Little Act of Peace”

So for the benefit of those who missed last week’s TGIF post, here is the back story. Last week I asked our Vancouver SheLoves readers if they would join me in running a half-marathon in September in order to raise funds for the Living Hope program in Uganda.

The Living Hope program helps restore dignity to the lives of women whose faces have been mutilated by the LRA rebel soldiers who terrorize northern Uganda. Women have had their lips, ears, noses and even genital parts severed from their bodies.

Original goal: 20 Women + Half-Marathon= $20,000 for Living Hope

The amazing news is that under seven days we had 50 women sign up for the race! *doing my happy dance* It’s beyond my wildest expectations.

My original plan was to raise money for reconstructive facial surgeries for the women. In my emails back and forth with the organization, I have now learned that they are in the midst of processing over 150 surgeries.

Translation:
- 150 surgeries have already been paid for!
- 150 women get a second chance at life!
- 150 women will be rewriting their story!

You’ll have to pardon my excessive use of exclamation marks. But this is crazy exciting!!!!

Here’s where we come in…

So the immediate need for funds right now is not for reconstructive surgery. It is to provide trauma counseling, medical care and vocational training to the ladies who have undergone surgery. The surgery is one small but significant step towards restoring dignity to the mutilated women. It’s the beginning of their journey. Many of the women are HIV+ and ostracized in their own communities. They are treated like modern-day lepers.

The crucial key to restoring their sense of self-worth is training them with skill sets so that they can integrate back into their communities as contributing members of society. The funds raised through the half-marathon will be used to support ladies who have been through reconstructive surgery or undergoing surgery soon.

I love that we…
- Get to be a part of their new story …
- Get to beat our big drums and tell the world their story …
- Get to be inspired by their stories of courage and resilience …

But most of all, I love that….
Love heals all.
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Here are 5 things that made me smile this week!

Spoken word + Beet Cake + Obvious vs. Amazing + J.Crew + Ellie Goulding= TGIF

1. Spoken Word: I was watching leadership videos on Vimeo (yes, I’m a super-nerd) when I came upon the regal and radiant word-maestro Amena Brown. All my fellow half-marathon sisters, listen to this gem on full volume before you head out for a run. It will make you misty-eyed and get your heart rate up.

2. Beet Cake: Some people meditate to the sound of ocean waves crashing. I, on the otherhand, like to take deep cleansing breaths while watching cinematic HD videos of cake being crafted. “Om” Nom Nom Nom. Tip: Watch the video in full screen to experience its full glory. Make sure you catch the time-lapse sequence of semi-sweet chocolate squares melting at 0:42 mark in the video.

3. Obvious to you. Amazing to others- Derek Sivers, best known for being the founder and former president of CD Baby is the next author being positioned by Seth Godin’s publishing venture “The Domino Project.” For the launch of his new book “Anything You Want,” Derek is creating ten animated videos to accompany the chapters in the book. I found this nugget particularly enlightening. All creatives need to be reminded of this simple truth.

4. J. Crew goes to Italy: I’m sure that President and Creative Director of J.Crew, Jenna Lyons paid her dues to get to the top. But … can you imagine being paid to look for print inspiration in the rich archives of Italy?

*sospiro* (that’s “sigh” in Italian according to Google Translate.)

5. Ellie Goulding: I’m a huge fan of English sing-songwriter Ellie Goulding’s album “Bright Lights.” Fun Fact: Ellie was the only live performer at Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding reception. She sang her rendition of the Elton John classic “Your Song” for the couple’s first dance. Enjoy!

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So … my global SheLoves sisters:
- Have you had a “why-bother-it’s-all-so-overwhelming” moment?
- How do you overcome it?
I’d love to hear your thoughts, fears and inspirations!

Dear half-marathon Bravehearts,
- Does life look different since you’ve said “Yes”?
- What is your family’s reaction?
- Some of you have started training already! How was Week 1?
Share-share please.

For those of you who would still like to join the half-marathon: Click here
For those who would like to donate to our cause we will have information coming soon!

Love you more than perfectly popped sweet-and-salty Kettle Corn,(<- Recipe)
xoxo,
Teen

To read more TGIFs from Tina: Click here.

______________________________________________________

About: My name is Tina. Loved ones call me: Teen. I am drawn to all that is fresh, spontaneous and creative.

Confession: Some girls dream about Manolo Blahniks or their next Hermes bag. Not me. I dream of freshly baked bread, perfectly barbecued meat & steaming bowls of Pho. My dream lover *cue Mariah Carey song* is someone who would read out a menu to me in Barry White’s baritone voice. ha.ha. Everything about food makes my toes curl. The only thing that excites me more than eating food is beautiful pictures of food.

I was born and raised in Dubai and currently live in the beautiful city of Vancouver, known for some of the best sushi in the world.

I enjoy taking pictures.