Momentum Article- Frontiers of Justice

By Jenny Girard and Dawn Harrison, on behalf of Frontiers of Justice 2004

Through the generosity of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS), this year's Frontiers of Justice group traveled to India for 10 days to experience first hand the many programs in which CRS is involved.   We visited Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta), and several small villages in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Jharkand.   We were fortunate to meet such an inspirational people, people who have benefited from a wide range of development efforts including self-help groups,   food distribution sites, private education programs and literacy projects.   One issue area which struck us as innovative and vitally important is women's empowerment.    In many cases,   across the country,   women are taking the lead in their communities and are solving some of their community's problems relating to money lending, education, and health issues.   

As a group we experienced a wide range of emotions.   We continuously felt awe, joy, and humility as we made strong connections with one another to reflect upon our various reactions.   In everything we experienced,   we were most touched when we witnessed   hope. We came away with a stronger sense of what it is to be a global citizen, and a steward of Christ's vision for the poor and vulnerable.   We learned we must not forget our common humanity across borders, especially where dignity is concerned.

In the Dumka district of the state of Jharkand, CRS is helping to execute a program that teaches women to read and write in their native Santhal language in just 4-6 weeks.   The women in this program were completely illiterate,   as they were deprived of schooling their entire life.   As educators we were flabbergasted! How would this be possible?   By what methods?   But when we met with the women of the village Asanbani, we learned that their new knowledge was beyond   any typical educational “method”.

Through a translator, we asked the women what it felt like to learn how to read and write.   Several women responded: “money lenders cannot cheat us now,” “my husband can no longer enslave me,” and “I know now that there is so much more to learn- the world has opened up to me.”   Our guide and translator, Vinod, said,   “How do we know you can read?”   All of us shot him a surprised look- how could he be so disrespectful?    We didn't need proof- we heard their stories and we believed them.   Yet the question was important as it challenged the women to speak up for what they had learned.    One older woman stood, looked at him calmly, and in Santhal replied, “Give me a book and I will show you.”

The woman took the primer, and read- slowly but surely, sounding out the words with a shy confidence.   We watched in amazement—there she was, reading.   We knew that her life was forever different for having this skill.   She continued, and then another woman stood to read.   And another and another.   If we could have stayed for another 3 hours, every woman in the room would have risen to her feet and read.   We were so moved that silence overcame us.   We were truly in the presence of greatness.   We witnessed God's spirit in these women who, for the first time in their lives,   are speaking their truth to the world.

On the other side of the world, we live completely different lives.   Our lives hide us from realizing how precious this beautiful gift of literacy is to the women of Asanbani, India.   We forget that reading opens minds and widen worlds.   As we sat watching those beautiful women, women who we could easily have been had we been born under different circumstances, an important conclusion came to mind.    Something as simple as reading is not so simple at all.    For so many people throughout the world, the power behind words is hidden until they learn how to stand up and read.   Our Frontiers of Justice group saw how literacy is making life happier, more just and how it empowers women.

It is important to realize and remember that we give our students a gift when we educate them. And really, each of us is paying back the many gifts we have been given to become the educators we are now.   God has given us the opportunity to pass on something beautiful to our students- a little bit of ourselves.

We know that social justice issues can sometimes seem overwhelming and the problems so daunting that progress seems incredibly slow.   But in remote villages in India, there is hope that people are making progress toward self-development and community revitalization.   And it is happening in simple,   powerful ways.   Truly, our memories will inspire each of us as we return to our classrooms to share this experience with our students.   We have seen first hand that CRS' efforts make a difference. We are honored and grateful to both NCEA and CRS for this amazing opportunity to participate in Frontiers of Justice.   We know that this experience will stay in our hearts for the rest of our lives.

The 2004 Frontiers of Justice group includes:

Tinnah M. dela Rosa, Our Lady of Guam, Guam

Micheala Ecker, Archbishop McCarthy High School, Florida

Jenny Girard, St. Ignatius College Preparatory School, California

Katherine Hamm, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Washington D.C.

Dawn Harrison, Cretin-Derham Hall High School, Minnesota

Jim Monahan, Bishop McNamara High School, Maryland

Brian Backe and Neal Deles, CRS, Washington D.C.

Michael Conroy, NCEA, Washington D.C.