Everyone here has an unbelievable and miracle story of survival. Our host Peace began this project after she had fled to Canada during the genocide with her kids. After rebuilding her life there, and after her children were adults, she felt God tell her to return to Burundi to help the women there. This program was the result. It was this program that pulled on my heart the most, causing me to want to come on this trip. I have met Peace twice as she has come to speak to our Women of Global Action group in Los Angeles. She is the strongest women I have ever met. Two days before we arrived here another tragedy struck her life. For security reasons I won't say much, but one of her family members was murdered, and they believe it was politically motivated.
As I sat in this sewing room and salon with all these women they began to tell us there stories. All of them have either been raped, widowed, starving, HIV/AIDS +, or all the above. Yet there is a fierce hope and peace like I have never seen before. It is the Gospel in action. Alive. Transforming. Even now I am crying as I write this. They have touched me deeply by their faith. They are roll models to me. And their Joy is contagious.
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