Celebrating Our Community

So far, over 500 people from around the world have joined us on PulseWire with a thirst to connect with others, many writing in spite of difficult or infrequent access to the internet. When Martha (http://beta.pulsewire.net/node/2960) returned home to Zimbabwe from the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City she wrote in her journal, ""The program overwhelmed me, but [I] valued meeting the faces whose names I always see on [the] PulseWire website - this has spurred me to start contributing, and will do so whenever we have electricity and internet connection."

Exciting Projects
As our community grows, blossoming across the vast expanses of oceans and craggy mountainsides and bursting through quiet villages and the commotion of cityscapes, I think about who we are here at PulseWire and the rich resources we are for each other. The Christian Youth Outreach-Uganda (http://beta.pulsewire.net/solutions/post/2335) is offering volunteer opportunities with their organization in Kampala. "Over the past 2 years, the project has expanded from 15 children to 400 orphans and Youth. A commitment is needed to support each child by giving him or her strong educational foundation, a good time, self-esteem and values, and to help them plan how they can earn a steady livelihood as a step towards improving their standard of living." Kusum, of Gram Bharati Samiti (GBS), is looking for assistance in shipping 171 computers from the UK to India. Her organization has already trained 171 personnel from NGOs in 14 states in India and wants to make sure they can continue their work with HIV/AIDS and preventing violence against women by providing each with a computer. On Max's (http://beta.pulsewire.net/node/2561) journal she shares clips from her new dvd called Women's Power "that looks at what has been withheld from us about female leadership, courage and creativity." We do a fair amount of information sharing here at PulseWire as well. Edith (http://beta.pulsewire.net/node/2591) has posted about Mautam, the bamboo/rat cycle, and passes along information about how this process has led to mass hunger in Burma and surrounding areas. If you would like to contribute resources and have needs please visit the Resource Exchange: http://beta.pulsewire.net/exchange.

Fresh Voices
Our community is a community that values our own knowledge. We post questions on our journals to find answers within our community, to learn more about each other, and to gather strength to carry on. elmcmillen (http://beta.pulsewire.net/node/2959) reaches out to find out more about our experiences with eating disorders and the intersections of anorexia, bulimia, and race. Tricia Robin (http://beta.pulsewire.net/node/2998) asks, "What makes a relationship work?" Rebecca poses the question (http://beta.pulsewire.net/node/1843) "Where did you find the courage to leave behind the comfortable and charge toward the unknown?" To begin projects, often undervalued and with few resources, or change directions in life it takes incredible courage, passion, hope, vision, and endurance. I find all of these traits in the people I meet here at PulseWire.

Community Champions
I continue to be amazed by the girls and young women on PulseWire. Leila recently had the chance to visit the State House in Kenya. You can read about her journey here: http://beta.pulsewire.net/node/3074. I hope you have had a chance to welcome some of our newest and youngest members from Adelante Chicas (http://www.adelantemujeres.org/about/AdelanteChicas.html). They are an organization of girls and young women from Forest Grove, Oregon in the US who have been working on HIV/AIDS awareness using radio and video with the Cascade AIDS project.

The 2008 Olympics
The Olympics has captured the attention of people all over the world including the thoughts of PulseWire members. Wujing (http://beta.pulsewire.net/node/2912) writes about the importance of the Olympics for China past and present. She shares her memories of watching the Summer Olympics that was held in Los Angeles in 1984 and what it means for her to have the Olympics held in China. "To me, the Olympics is about people...This is a time to let all the challenges we face day to day go off our shoulder and celebrate." For Helen http://beta.pulsewire.net/node/2965, the Olympics brings a sense of hope to China and it's people, "Because of the Olympics, people from different countries are coming to China, and China is more connected to the world. I hope it will help people throughout the world know more about and better understand China, so that there will be fewer clashed arising from misunderstandings." If you have seen the front page of the latest World Pulse emag, you must have noticed the breathtaking featured photo of a girl from the village of Wanchuang taken by photojournalist, Josie Liming. You can read more about her time spent with the Moso community here: http://beta.pulsewire.net/node/2701.

With all of these powerful women and allies convening to share ideas, resources, and a bit of their lives, can you imagine what is possible?!