I just finished reading "The Road of Lost Innocence" by Somaly Mam, Cambodian heroine. I was only in about 3 chapters when my friend asked about the book and the only response I could come up with was, "Why was I born in Canada?" That's really the difference between her life and mine - she was born into poverty in Cambodia and I was born into riches in Canada (not by our standards per say, but certainly by the world's). I always end my speaking engagements by saying that I don't want people to feel guilty about our resources, but rather to do something with them. We've - I've - been blessed beyond compare and can no longer stand by and wait for someone else to do something. . .change starts within each of us.
"I don't feel like I can change the world. I don't even try. I only want to change this small life that I see standing in front of me, which is suffering. I want to change this small real thing that is the destiny of one little girl. And then another, and another, because if I didn't, I wouldn't be able to live with myself or sleep at night." (p. 128 - 129)
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