Last night I had the privelege of attending the Gogo's gala with some co-workers. Four were planning to attend, but due to a last-minute surgery, there was an extra ticket and I was invited. A little apprehensive to be attending a formal event as the youngest member of our four-some, band practice was cancelled and I thought, what the heck?! I should just go see what it's all about.
The dinner was great, obviously, and the marketplace selling hand-crafted African jewlery, and African-themed items was impressive, and the live-auction was an experience in and of itself. But what impressed me the most was the presentation. The Gogos fundraise for Grandmothers to Grandmothers, an organization wherein grandmothers in Canada and North America support grandmothers in Africa who are raising their AIDS-orphaned grandchildren when they should be, as one woman said, "sitting under a tree" (relaxing as a respected community wise-woman). These women across Sub-Saharan Africa are working hard to raise a second generation of young children, many of whom are HIV-positive themselves, while at the same time grieving their own children, and walking their grand-kids through the process of mourning a parent. I can't even imagine how difficult this must be. And the grandmothers here are enabling them to get the financial, medical and emotional support that they need in order to do this effectively.
It was an inspiring night- a night of watching a group of passionate, committed individuals share their enthusiasm with friends and family in order to make a positive difference half way around the world. A night of great commradery and conversation with some amazing women with whom I work. A night of dialogue with an older generation who realizes that they still have much to offer the world. And a night of putting my petty problems and issues into proper perspective yet again. :)
So thankful for yet another such opportunity.
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