Lisa Shannon

Last night I was lying on the couch, watching the end of the World News when a story came on about a woman named Lisa Shannon. Lisa had been lying on her couch watching Oprah one day when she learned about the war going on in the Congo (considered the worst place on earth to be a woman), and the atrocities going on there. The war has been going on for eight years now, millions of people have been murdered and countless women have been raped and tortured. Think about that for a minute if you will - being raped, tortured, and then watching the Militia kill your husband and your child. Think about that while you sip your coffee or debate what to make for lunch in your air conditioned house while your kids play freely and your husband does, well...whatever he does.

At the time that Lisa saw this Oprah show she was gainfully employed and engaged to be married. Something came over her in that moment and she knew she had to do something to help - "Literally millions of people have been killed and they haven't been missed so I decided I needed to do something to send the opposite message to the women of the Congo". She started by sponsoring two survivors through Women for Women International who provide job training and education to these women but quickly felt like it wasn't enough. She decided to organize a 30 mile run to raise money so she could sponsor more women. She trained and when the day of the race came she had raised $28,000. She said that every half mile she ran represented another woman for her and she was able to complete the run. At this point in her life she felt like helping these women was the most important thing she could do. Her engagement ended and she spent more and more time organizing runs which now take place all over the world. She said, "I don't have a fiance but I have 1000 women in the Congo who consider me their sister.".

About two years after watching that Oprah show, she decided to go visit her "sisters" in the Congo. Despite everything these women have gone through, she was met with singing and dancing and joyful faces. "They kept the letters they'd received from me and other sponsors in pouches around their necks where the letters could stay close to their hearts - like they were the most important thing they'd ever received.".

One woman whose name is Generose told her story of when the robbers came in the middle of the night, killed her husband and then cut off her leg. Lisa decided to do a run right there in the Congo with her "sisters" and Generose, dressed in a beautiful red dress and pearls with her prosthetic leg on, did the run with her (and the other women). As of now, Lisa's decision to get up off her couch and do something that day has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars to the women of the Congo and up to 12,000 women have been sponsored.

After the story ended I looked at my husband with tears in my eyes and said, "I don't know about you, but that story sure makes me feel like a piece of shit". His response was, "Yeah, you can't even get yourself motivated to shampoo the kitchen carpet" (gotta love that man)! I am determined to help aid Lisa in her fight to help these women. I don't know how yet, but I will start by buying her book called - A Thousand Sisters- and googling information about how to help. I would ask that you do the same and the next time I start to whine about my life, I give you all permission to slap me.

xo,
Carrie