TAKING THE WORDS TO HEART
When we read a story that covers an emotional situation, feelings swell up inside us. But no matter how poetic the written words, they cannot match the feelings that are evoked when words are verbalized – especially when they are from someone who has lived through the situation.
 
As you know the Soroptimist International Quadrennial Project is: Project Independence, Women Survivors of War. Through the project, Soroptimist International and Women for Women International are combining the forces of thousands of individual women to support women survivors of war in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Rwanda.

At our January 25 meeting we had the privilege of hearing the story of a women who is a survivor of the war in Bosnia. Her name is Svetlana Pancetovic. She told us about many of the atrocities she saw and/or experienced during the war. After her husband was killed, she knew she had to leave Bosnia. She had two young girls. Getting out of Bosnia was only one of the many challenges Lana and her daughters faced. What got her through it all was her love and concern for her children. Lana spoke from her heart and touched all of ours. Her story is but one example of what life is like as a survivor of war.
 
If you ever question whether or not what we do makes a difference, just remember Lana’s story. We thank Lana for opening her heart and sharing with us.