Save the World: Help Your Neighbor

Last night I finished reading a memoir that left me reeling. I lay in bed for several hours afterward pondering my place in the world. I evaluated the way I spend my time, my abilities (or my perception of my abilities), my dreams, my circumstances, and I prayed solemn prayers for direction. My mind felt fractured like glass as I opened my prayer journal. The night before I had written one line: write to Camila. Camila and I were roommates several years ago and I think of her like a little sister. She is living in another country far from her family and I’d had a feeling as I prayed that she is lonely. When I saw that note the world shrank and my heart expanded. All the things swirling around inside me were grand, but here was something small–almost invisible–yet it felt like the most important thing in the world.

As Big Ocean Women even our smallest acts become great waves of change as we reach out to our global sisterhood and support each other in our endeavors to build our families and communities. Our ever-growing ocean of sisters has women from Brazil, the Navajo Nation, Bolivia, Japan, Guatemala, China, Liberia, Honduras, the Sioux tribe, Ghana, Sweden, Nigeria, Palestine, the Philippines, Hawaii, and India. Our reach is far, not because we are trotting the globe, but because our women are building their families and helping their neighbors where they are. We gather in cottages to raise our vision and identify how we can best meet the needs of our communities. I may not know what is facing our Liberian or our Missouri cottage members from day to day, but they do. If we claim our power to transform our communities, we will discover that the entire world changes.

Our friend Nazreen who grew up at Mother Teresa’s knee in India shared with us:

I sometimes think I was born to serve. My guidance for others is simple. Seek out service opportunities, help local refugees, be a support to those who need it. Women should help other women. Hold someone’s hand that is sick and dying. Learn the language of those you want to help and listen with your heart and soul.

Whose hand will you hold today?

To hear more of Nazreen’s story about her life growing up in an Indian orphanage see our video here.