Still in Africa, we migrate west from Wangari’s Kenya to Congo. Still honoring Black History Month, we share a modern story about “the worst place on Earth to be a woman”—a place that happens to include the setting for Bentari.

Lisa Shannon[1] is a hero. When you follow heroes as I try to do, you often learn that they have role-models, too. And you cannot resist adding them to your own list of worthy people. So it was, I found the story of Generose[2].

Lisa is the author of A Thousand Sisters[3]. In it, she tells an important story for all the world’s attention—in the Congo, there is hell . . . always! And we must act to end it. We must act as individuals, as nations and as networks. We must act collectively as a species to put an end to the violent culture and the societal degradation that we allow to persist in Congo. We must stamp it out!

Generose is one of Lisa’s African sisters who is stamping out the circular, endless violence. Due to her own victimization, Generose has only one leg to stamp with. But you should watch her go!

When Lisa organized her first Run For Congo Women event to be held in Africa, Generose insisted on joining in. On old crutches and one leg, she hopped along her way. She did not make it very far in terms of yards. Yet, sometimes “going the distance” is defined by that distance that a person is able to make it.

In that third of a mile that Generose joined in the run, she did her best to lead us. Despite cruel circumstances beyond her control, she decided to run. She ran for her sisters and for herself and for her children—those who survived the unthinkable ordeal. Her husband and one child did not! Generose ran. So, let’s go—you and me, let’s run, too!

You can help in these simple ways (from A Thousand Sisters by Lisa J. Shannon):

Sponsor a Congolese sister

Join in one of Lisa Shannon’s Run For Congo Women events—bring friends

Join the Raise Hope for Congo Campaign— http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/

Read and share Lisa Shannon’s book, A Thousand Sisters—start a book club

Friend Lisa Shannon on Facebook

Image: by Caitlin Brown—inspired by Generose’s run

February 13, 2011—Happy Birthday, Cait! & Happy Valentine’s Day, too!! I love you!

[1] See: http://www.runforcongowomen.org/ and http://www.bentari.com/Blog/Entry.aspx?pid=276&bid=51&beid=777

[2] See: http://athousandsisters.com/2010/07/27/following-generose/ and A Thousand Sisters: my journey into the worst place on Earth to be a woman by Lisa J. Shannon, Seal Press, Perseus Books Group, 2010

[3] See: http://athousandsisters.com/blog/