I have worked at Five Talents for seven years but have never travelled to one of our overseas programs because I didn't want to leave my family for that long. But this past week I met Euphemie Karerewa (R), who recently gave her four children and her husband a hug goodbye as she travelled to the United States for the first time.
Euphemie is a literacy trainer with Mothers' Union in Burundi, a small African country the size of Maryland that is poor, rural, and still recovering from years of civil war. Through partnership with Five Talents, she teaches business skills to women who have no access to jobs or education. With this training they can start businesses using savings and credit groups.
Last week, Euphemie shared stories about her work at our Spring Gala, a charity event held to salute women fighting global poverty.
During her visit, I had offered to host her one night and so she came to my home where she marveled at a dishwasher, giggled that we allowed our animals inside our house (she thought our dog, Max, looked like a small cow!), and was in awe of our blooming azaleas.
We ate at Church Street Pizza and went to Madison High School to watch baseball and softball - a typical night for most suburban moms. But my favorite moment was a few days later when she and I had coffee at Cafe Amouri.
Any barriers of her broken English fell away as we shared about our children, our countries, our church and our work. My world got a little smaller this past week as God blessed me with the friendship of a fellow mom.
Aimee Davis (L) lives in Vienna, Virginia and is a Board Member and former Accountant for Five Talents. She is the mother of three children.