As I mentioned before, we have limited to access to internet and we have been very busy with preparing presentations for the Salesian Sisters/ International Institute of Mary Help of Christians and VIDES NGO side event for the UN.

Our team consists of 9 members: Sister Mary Louisa, Sister Leonor, Sister Roxanna, Sister Roberta, Sister Glorina, Gloria, Mireya, Janet (who works in the Mary Help of Christians Academy Development Office) and myself. Each one of us has a special roll in executing our presentations, but the most inspirational and motivating member of our team is Gloria Maricela who is traveling for the first time outside the boundaries of Honduras. She is with us to give her story of success in overcoming hardships with the help of the Salesian Sisters working in the IIMA. Gloria Maricela is 22 years old and comes from a poor rural village in Honduras. She is currently enrolled in IHER, a distance education program run by IIMA that provides instructional lessons to isolated students in rural areas of Honduras via radio. This program supplements radio lessons with lessons held at the school in the town of Ojojona where they also administer exams. The school in Ojojona is a two hour walk from Gloria’s home. This structure allows students like Gloria to work during the day to continue to help support their families. Gloria is now in her first year of high school and has dreams of going to college to become a teacher. She would then like to return to Ojojona to give back to the children in the rural villages of Honduras.

Gloria’s story and her presence here is truly amazing. I am in awe of her confidence and courage. She has come so far from home without knowing any English and experiencing and environment completely alien to her. She has coped with the transition and ups and downs of these two weeks better than I have. Gloria makes me so thankful for all the blessings that I have been given in life, and inspires me to follow my dreams and God’s plan for me freely, no matter what the costs. I have so much respect for Gloria as a woman who has accomplished so much. Today, as I write, Gloria is sitting across the table from me. She is dressed in her traditional Honduran dress that is cotton and embellished with bright red rick-rack, yellow lace and crocheted flowers. Her long silky black hair is parted down the middle and two beautiful braids hang on each side of her delicate face. She is beautiful and she is strong. She is truly a leader for her the people of her country. I am honored to share this experience with her. I pray that I can one day live with her courage, resilience, and determination.

I told Gloria, in very poor Spanish, that one day I would like to visit her country of Honduras. She laughed at my attempt, but told me in English that she will be waiting.

My role in our UN team will be to share a testimonial from, Agnes Wasuk, who was supposed to be part of this experience here in New York, but because of travel difficulties is unable to attend. Agnes Wasuk’s story, like that of Gloria’s, is one of amazing strength and courage. Agnes Wasuk was a displaced woman in South Sudan and was hired by the Salesian Sisters/ IIMA as a nurse in their Primary Health Center. While working with the Salesian Sisters she learned other skills like tailoring, noodle making, was an adult educator and was trained in counseling for women and children. Agnes still works with the women in South Sudan in helping women re-integrate into their communities, giving talks on Women’s Roles in Building Society and health education training for women in the field. She credits the Salesian Sisters and IIMA with helping her to become a leader for the rural women in South Sudan.

This experience at the UN with the Salesian Sisters who have done so much for the advancement of Rural Women all over the world has truly been a blessing. I have so much respect and am in awe of the great work they have been doing across the globe. It is an honor to share this experience with them.

As we begin the end of our first week here at the CSW, we will be listening to presentations from various government representatives and NGO's from all over the world to learn about the status of rural women and their role in development as well as to learn the best practices so that the IIMA and VIDES missions can implement those practices and methods into their projects.

Sister Mary Louisa and Sister Leonor have asked Mireya and I to write up reports at the end of our experience and submit those to them to share with other members of the IIMA organization.

Again, I cannot express how honored I am to be here and to contribute to the great work that is being done through the Salesians Sisters, IIMA and VIDES.