Therese and Rebecca

Since I am going back up to Foya tomorrow and will be a little crazy busy I thought "Bev do another blog entry TODAY!"  So I want to share with you about Rebecca and Therese, two ladies who are part of the CLP women's literacy program.  They are such sweet ladies!  Here is a picture of Joni (CLP manager extraordinaire!) with Rebecca on the left (jo's right) and Therese on the right...

With the SP film crew here, Joni was able to interview these two ladies for the camera.  Some of the high lites of the interviews was hearing the excitement in their voices about the opportunity they have to learn.  Both came from families that were very poor and couldn't afford to send these girls to school.  Therese stated that due to the civil war with schools not open she was not able to go and learn even if her family did have funds to send her. 

Me and Therese

When Joni asked them how the classes have changed their lives-both responded by stating that when it came to register to vote for this years election-the election people handed them a stamp pad to put press their thumb into to sign their name.  With great pride they said "I told the man -no give me pen, I can sign my name!"

I know this is sideways but I can't figure out how to flip it right now

just focus on the fact that Therese can write her name!

I was very encouraged as I talked to these women-showing off their rabbits (the livelihoods part of the project) which they can raise to sell or eat.  They said that now that they are helping provide for their families their husbands are much more supportive about them going to school.  Many times women are not encouraged to go to school because men may feel threatened or that it will keep his wife from doing things that need to be done-like cooking, getting water, washing clothes (by hand)-the list goes on and on for Liberian women!  I really hope that through my running this marathon I can continue to help women like Rebecca and Therese.  If you are going to donate (see link below) or already have-I want to thank you-Rebecca and Therese want to thank you-for making their life a little easier but most of all for making them feel loved and empowered!

Training- I am back in Monrovia where it is hot and humid!  My run this morning was short but good-gave me a chance to run out my nervousness for this new team coming in today :)  I will be running up in Foya again and look forward to running in the cooler air through the little villages.  It is starting to hit home that I am really going to run 26.2 miles in 45 days-wow...but I know that whenever the pain sets in (I am guessing around mile 17ish) I can think about Therese and Rebecca and be able to push on.

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/spuk