Noraida

I met the most fascinating woman the other day. She is a Muslim woman from Mindanao in the Philippines. There is much civil unrest in that part of the country at this time. Noraida works with people that have had to evacuate their homes due to bombings and fighting in their neighborhoods. She works for CFSI in providing relief services, as well as on community development projects that help thousands of people. She was nominated for the Voice of Courage Award by an organization in the U.S. (Go to http://www.cfsi.ph/ under “news” and then “announcements”).

We met her upon her return to the Philippines from her visit to the U.S. She told us of her experience receiving this award and of being in America. She had such a sweet and endearing character. At the same time she is very intelligent and passionate about the work she does. I honestly could not get enough of her! She was so humble, loving, and perceptive of the world around her. I was amazed by the dangerous work she does in Mindanao and by the outreach she did while meeting with partners and potential donors in the U.S.

I hope to someday also be known for my courage, for my dedication to my religion, my compassion for my people, and my respect for others.