Extraordinary Ordinary Women

One of the main intentions for this blog is to bring to the foreground positive models of femininity. Unfortunately, these stories are really hard to come by in the media, especially in main-stream media. Thankfully however, every now and then, the local media give us little gems of reality as an encouragement and a lesson.

María Keller and Shegitu Kebede are two ordinary woman who have attracted a sliver of media attention. What do these women have in common? Both have endured great suffering, both are immigrants in the US, and both are living exemplary lives of service to their local community.

Kebede grew up an orphan in Ethopia, whence she managed to escape after almost four years of dangerous and taxing journey. She, among many other women at the time, was subject to violence and rape that ran rampid in the country, even and especially by their own government officials during epochs of war.  After she made it to the US with her children, she was soon joined by her husband, which only added fuel to the fire of her wounds. More suffering befell her as she endured abuse for years before finding the courage to leave her husband.

Kebede has found healing through service. Now in the Twin Cities, she spends her life helping refugee immigrants establish themselves and find communal support, recruiting student volunteers to tutor refugee children, and helping women who have been abused find healing and rediscover their dignity.

María perhaps has a less spectacular story, but lives an equally admirable life. She left her native country of Peru, where she met her husband who was serving as a missionary, to be with him in the US. After having overcome initial difficulties that she encountered as an immigrant, she did nothing less than put herself at the service of those with whom she could empathize. Maria’s service to struggling immigrant families is one of welcoming into a new nation, and encouragement to uphold the family values and faith they have received in their own countries. This mother of three children also works as a psychotherapist for at-risk teens in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA through a community based educated agency, the Guadalupe Alternative Programs.

This sensitivity toward the human person, toward the suffering, and the generous response to give, to serve, is part of the essence of woman.