blog entry

It's a God Thing

Kim Sisto Robinson

 

I love searching on women’s web sites.  For example Skirt! Wow, Bitch, Feminism Today, Gossip Girl, and so on… but when I encountered “The Glass Women,” my life changed. 

I read an essay entitled The Untold Story and my socks were blown off.  I immediately wrote to the editor and asked about the author of the story.  Beate (editor of Glass Woman) asked if she could pass on this information to the author, Mercy Ahbiambo, and of course, I responded YES immediately.

 

Next day I had an email from Mercy. And this connection transformed my world a I knew it.  We have emailed back and forth for one year (Mercy walks 9 miles a day to a cyber café to use the computer) In fact, I have hundreds of letters of our correspondences, which I have saved, as the letters are rich, powerful, and inspirational.

 

Mercy lives in a small hut with two of her siblings, her mother, and her father.  Her father has two other wives, which she is not happy about.  “Two more mouths to feed,” she complains.  The wives live in the same village in huts nearby. Mercy said in African culture, this is the norm-- “A man who has only one wife is considered less of a man.”

 

Mercy has no electricity and little money, yet she has learned four languages and is quite articulate.  She admitted to me that she reads everything, even old news papers blowing on the streets of Kisumu. She works with young girls in her village advocating education, reading, and empowerment.

 

 “My own father toldme that education for me was a waste of time because I am a girl, but I don’t believe this.  I believe that education is the only way to break the chains and bondage of ignorance.”

 

Do you understand why Mercy has captured my heart?  But not only mine.  I have shared Mercy with the entire staff of LauraMacArhturSchool where I work.  How could I not share this precious gift? 

 

Here is what has happened after one year:

 

1. The reading teacher sent Mercy a wind-up lantern, so she can read as long as she desires. (I sent her writing books and memoirs and novels by Angelou and Morrison.)
2. The Principal bought Mercy a digital camera (this way the students can see through Mercy’s eyes)
3. An anonymous staff person donated money for Mercy’s siblings (2 girls) to finish school and purchased school uniforms for them. 
4. MacArthur students began a “Mercy College Fund,” earning over $1000.00
5. Several packages have been sent with books, money, tampons (none of the girls have these essentials,) makeup, and clothing. 

Mercy and I call this a “God Thing.”  I mean, who else could have orchestrated this beautiful journey for her, these chains of events, this correspondence?  In a recent letter I told Mercy this:

 

“When we meet, I shall hug you long and hard and announce finally; finally I get to meet the Prime Minister of Kenya.  Yes, I believe God has unbelievable plans for her, I believe God is using all of us for his purpose.  And I am so excited to see what He does next.

“My plan is this,” Mercy says.  “To get a college education and help the girl child, who are bound with the chains of ignorance.  I will help them break those chains.”

 

In our year of letters, Mercy has been though several trials.  Even war.  But she admits a quote from a great African writer has given her peace.  “MAN MUST LIVE.” 

 

We have both used this quote many times in our emails.  But I told her I was going to make one tiny change, which was…

 

“WOMAN MUST LIVE.”

 

***UPDATE:  Mercy will leave for Nairobi next month to begin college.  She is ecstatic about this adventure.  We are hoping to have enough money for her first year after a global grant we are writing, rummage sales, and a car wash!  Any ideas about fund raising, please let me know!! It will be appreciated.

--for more information on Mercy go to: http://www.sigriddaughter.com/you_don1.htm