Building Community through Storytelling
CEE, Inc. fosters a sense of community through various avenues. Community building encompasses engaging in open conversations and creating shared experiences that celebrate diverse viewpoints. For example, a CEE board member and Dr. Garth-James, Executive Director, recently travelled to the Plateau region of Nigeria to help an organization with agency capacity building. They listened to the leadership and management team share community perspectives and narratives imparting values such as empathy, honesty and accountability. The focus on literacy through biblical translation and oral language projects that helped members of some villages was fascinating! CEE's discussion of Stewardship--learning from empathy, effective management and community accountability--was necessary to appreciate organizational values and relevance to community building through biblical translation.
One topic that intrigues CEE, Inc., is the art of storytelling, particularly focusing on the narratives of widows portrayed in the Bible. These stories exemplify revolutionary ideals such as loyalty, intellect, and determination. The United Nations (UN) Women agency fights for gender equality and women empowerment by supporting nonprofit collaborations and capacity building. Women have used their intellect, determination and faith during ancient times to rebel against oppression. In the Book of Ruth, we understand the struggles and challenges of the biblical Moabitess widow Ruth, and the role she played displaying loyalty to Naomi and highlighting the injustices of being foreign born and a widow. Widows faced challenges in colonial American life and were forced to take over husband's businesses after they had died. Black women during slavery used their faith to fight the injustices of slavery.
It was through storytelling that we recognize the strength of widows then, and now. By sharing their stories, we can highlight the resilience, and resourcefulness as well as contributions of women groups, including widows, to society. This recognition empowers women and encourages others to appreciate their strength. In conclusion, CEE storytelling about widows and revolutionary ideals can bridge gaps and celebrate resilience. In addition, helping organizations in Africa, where we were able to travel, can inspire collaborative action by sharing narratives of marginalized groups. and their values that give them strength and promote a more inclusive society.