New York City - I arrived at 2:30AM this morning after traveling from Kauai and San Diego. I checked into The New York Plaza Hotel, into a room on the 47th floor. I am here for the annual Women Moving Millions Summit. And once again I am in utter awe of the contrast between the lives of members of our global human family. The extraordinary splendor of this hotel vs the housing for the majority of people in Liberia. The bed with fine linen, the working shower and all possible amenities vs a simple mattress on a dirt floor in Liberia.
The tremendous choice of food for lunch today for the millions of people in Manhattan vs the simple bowl of rice in Liberia.
The order in the streets with vehicles and pedestrians moving in a busy but functioning manner vs walking or perhaps getting into a taxi with strangers in Liberia.
So many people working in this city vs few jobs in Liberia.
Towering skyscrapers vs shanties in Liberia.
And I wonder, is there a sense of community, of belonging, here like there is in families and neighborhoods in Liberia? Is this life in NYC better for the physical and spiritual well-being of people here vs life in Liberia for those there?
The extremes are so present for me today. It is a warm and beautiful September day in New York. I enjoyed a long walk around my hotel neighborhood at lunchtime and found a special park to enjoy a light meal with a friend. I wonder what Moses or Deborah from Liberia would think if I could beam them over to join me here; or for that matter, our Foundation for Women Liberia staff or the women we serve – what would they think?
I am here to once again be the voice for those whose voices are not heard, for the thousands of Liberian women and their families who are struggling to get past years of senseless civil war and then Ebola. I wonder how many people in this city even know where Liberia is? Ever give a thought to Africa and the members of our human family there who have been forced to live through so much? I wonder when we are going to finally get that we are all one human family, that we all must join hands with each other, that we all need each other…
With one foot in one world and one foot in another very different one, Deborah
The order in the streets with vehicles and pedestrians moving in a busy but functioning manner vs walking or perhaps getting into a taxi with strangers in Liberia.
So many people working in this city vs few jobs in Liberia.
Towering skyscrapers vs shanties in Liberia.
And I wonder, is there a sense of community, of belonging, here like there is in families and neighborhoods in Liberia? Is this life in NYC better for the physical and spiritual well-being of people here vs life in Liberia for those there?
The extremes are so present for me today. It is a warm and beautiful September day in New York. I enjoyed a long walk around my hotel neighborhood at lunchtime and found a special park to enjoy a light meal with a friend. I wonder what Moses or Deborah from Liberia would think if I could beam them over to join me here; or for that matter, our Foundation for Women Liberia staff or the women we serve – what would they think?
I am here to once again be the voice for those whose voices are not heard, for the thousands of Liberian women and their families who are struggling to get past years of senseless civil war and then Ebola. I wonder how many people in this city even know where Liberia is? Ever give a thought to Africa and the members of our human family there who have been forced to live through so much? I wonder when we are going to finally get that we are all one human family, that we all must join hands with each other, that we all need each other…
With one foot in one world and one foot in another very different one, Deborah
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