Finding Purpose in Serving Women and Girls

CARMEN ROCELI M. LOPEZ

Grace

As a young leader in Youth For Christ (YFC), in December 2004, we organized an immersion in a Gawad Kalinga (GK) Village in Brgy. Tatalon, Quezon City. We intended to expose ourselves to the community. We lived among the kapitbahayan (neighborhood) members. Coming from a middle-class family, I never appreciated my privileges until I encountered the family of Tatay Cornelio and Nanay Baby. They had a humble home and did not have much to offer. However, they openly welcomed me and showed me what they had. At the end of it all, their daughter, Grace, thanked me. I asked her why she was grateful when I was the one who was on the receiving end of their hospitality. She said that my presence was enough and that people cared for them despite their poverty. That encounter struck me and stuck with me. From then on, I became more convinced about my calling to be there for others.

Rosario

From being a volunteer, I decided to go full-time in GK after getting my license as a nurse. I had many plans. At one point, I wanted to be a doctor; there was also a moment when I wanted to fly abroad since nurses were in demand during that time. But I knew within me that the Lord had a mission for me.

Since I was a nurse, I became a member of the health team, Gawad Kalusugan. In our years of implementation, what kept me going was the story of an infant who died in Bulacan named Rosario. We shared her story with all the health workers we trained from Ilocos to Sulu. Time and time again, we witnessed people cry, get frustrated, and feel the agony of Rosario’s family. It has always been about Rosario’s lack of livelihood. It always got me thinking about how a nurse like me can make a difference in the lives of people like Rosario. Her story kept me devoted to the work I was involved in. Even though I chose a path less traveled, what I was doing was way bigger than who I was.

Kumari

After years of service in GK, I finally decided to move on and try something else. What was clear to me, however, was that no matter where I went, I would carry the same kind of love and care. Everything that I was doing was for the glory of God.

My missionary journey eventually led me to Nepal, where we worked for the betterment of extremely marginalized girls. I learned how girls (Kumaris) as young as 8 to 10 years old were married off following tradition. I couldn’t fathom how this was possible in this modern world. This unjustifiable situation ignited in me a passion for fighting for women’s and girls’ rights. It was the start of a new calling.

Clair, Girlie, Lily, Sheree

Upon my return to the Philippines, I pursued my Master of Arts in Women and Development to get a clearer picture of the situation of women and girls. I learned a lot about issues related to inequalities and gender-based violence. In a project I joined, I met women micro-entrepreneurs like Clair, Girlie, Lily, and Sheree, who inspired me with their work. Through assisting these women in thriving more economically, I recalled the stories of Grace, Rosario, and the Kumaris I met in Nepal. If and only if they or their parents had their chances, choices, and opportunities, they could look forward to a better future. They have the potential to become like the empowered women entrepreneurs whom I have met. This hope fueled me more in my missionary journey.

Carmen

What I have witnessed in the last 20 years has allowed me to see how blessed I am. We may not be rich, but my parents, both teachers, worked hard for our education. By God’s grace, all of us siblings were able to graduate. God has been so kind to us, to me.

The love of the Lord is overflowing in my life – one of the reasons why I serve. How can I not love or care for others when my life is a testament to God’s greatness?

I turned 35 this year, and while some of my friends have started their families and others have been building their careers, my mission matters most to me.

Recently, I founded a startup called HerStore Asia, a digital empowerment platform that supports women artisan enterprises by creating safe and empowering spaces and markets. God has clearly called me to work for women’s and girls’ rights. So, no other Rosario may die in infancy, no other Kumari will be married off young, and no other Grace will be limited by poverty.

Mary

Though the journey towards women’s empowerment and gender equality is long and winding, uncertain most of the time, I remain steadfast because I know that my purpose of serving and fighting for women’s and girls’ rights is anchored on God’s love. As John said, “We love because God loved us first.” (1 John 4:19)

I know that Mama Mary, the epitome of an empowered woman, will guide me through this path. I hear her saying, “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:1-5). I shall, and I will follow the call of the Lord. May He bless the work of my head, heart, and hands as I continue to do whatever He tells me.