Love this photo of our city from the top of a nearby ridge. We've hiked this path many times with all its twists and turns! Makes me think about life too...
The path to the top is never straight. Any car drive up the Appalachian or Himalayan Mountains will teach you that. I was reminded of it recently, when we were taxiing up a little patch of Himalaya. I was the green-faced one, desperate to keep my eyes on the road! But the destination and spectacular views made it worth all the trouble and waves of unfortunate nausea....
Without a doubt our artisan ladies are on a winding path, steadily trekking to the top. Their destination: Empowerment. Dignity. Hope for their families. It took a tremendous amount of courage for them to take that first step up the mountain. Many women are afraid to take that step with us and never do. But for those who do.....the winding path requires more courage, focus on the goal, and perseverance.
That's why our Dekko artisan ladies are my heroes in many ways. I've never seen such hard-working women, who rarely complain when a hard deadline or high quality standards are required of them. It takes courage (and a sense of humor) to work with us weird foreigners with funny accents and weak stomachs! And through it all, we're cheering each other on. To not give up on the dream of a better life. One of empowerment and discovery of their true voices. To make it to the top and experience what so few get to experience.
It's a winding path, but it's tread by beautiful feet.
Photo credit: Aaron Nystrom
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