And then I realized why I'm here

Work, it's overwhelming. My list of to-do's has been growing without my consent. At one point I looked at it and its 29 lines cackled back at me. I couldn't stand looking anymore so I stole away to the kitchen to make my perfect sandwich. As I cut up the avocado and arranged my thinly sliced turkey in neatly folded layers, I almost cried. How did it get like this? Not my to-do list, but my job? I love my job, but I never feel like I've put in enough effort. At least not proportionate to the amount of work I produce. Just when I've polished off a project, five are waiting in a line like noisy little kids begging for attention. I got into global health because of the cry of my heart to make a difference in the world. But somewhere in the process "making a difference" morphed into making a dent in menial work. I don't want anyone to question my commitment, shoot, I don't want to question my commitment, but I need to get back to the reason I started doing this in the first place.

So I suppressed the tears (because I never want to let 'em see me sweat, let alone cry) and carried my sandwich back to my cube, slid the door closed behind me and ate in solitude. I opened my email and felt compelled to read an email about the ONE Campaign's Global Campaign for Education. I clicked through to the the video and tears started involuntarily coming. This was the reminder I needed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieQhZAGKYdo

If you just watched the video, did you cry too? Nothing gets me riled up more than the injustice of lack of access to equal education. Every child should have their minds opened through education so they can realize who God made them to be. I am so thankful that I was raised in a country that believes in the equal education of girls and boys. I have a deep longing to move to another place that doesn't value girls enough to give them an education, just so I can stand in the way of that injustice and tell the girls they are just as smart, just as courageous, and just as important. And maybe God will use me some day to do that, but for now, this is how I'm supposed to change the world. One expense report, scheduled phone call and website update at a time. Suddenly the 29 lines look a bit less reprehensible, I think I'm ready to give them another go...

kiki