Because I Said I Would

"The sun finds a way to shine into even the deepest parts of the forest.  

It is a metaphor for all of us who are working to restore hope and 

dignity around the world. 

In the history of the AIDS response there have been, and still exist, many 

obstacles to overcome but our path is clear—we work together to get results 

for all people. 

To the millions who have come together with compassion and determination, 

we say, your blood, sweat and tears are changing the world." 

-Introduction to the 2012 UNAIDS World AIDS Day Report

I've had many conversations during my first three months in Russia about why I am here and about the sustainability of my work. It is a question I often asked myself during my summers in Ukraine and a question I continue to ask myself today. It takes no stretch of the mind to understand that great need exists within this country and within this region. Local NGOs need continued international support and collaboration despite current political difficulties. NGOs need long-term employees and volunteers to invest in their work. Women need effective health care and social services that will meet them where they are at. Whether they are career women, mothers, sex-workers, or drug-users; they need a system that will not discriminate, that will not make access to health services an obstacle course; they need a system that will treat them with dignity. Children need education. They need to know how to lead healthy lifestyles, how to live and interact with those that are different than them; they need to know that they have the power overcome cycles of poverty and substance abuse. Children need families - whether they be biological, traditional, adoptive, single-parent, grandparents, or made up of peers - this love and support is crucial to their development.  

While this might be a simplification of the many complex issues Russia and Eastern Europe face, no one can deny that these needs exist. So then how am I any more qualified to answer them than the next person? Truthfully, I'm not. Certainly language proficiency and regional experience give me a slight edge, but it definitely doesn't mean that I have any answers. My goal is not to give answers to the complex problems that have existed with Russia for decades, if not centuries, but rather to learn and support existing efforts. While my learning has been exponential, it is still only a drop in the bucket of all there is to understand. 

Beyond my recognition of need and my desire to engage these issues in order to better understand them, I am here because I said I would be - and I don't take commitment lightly. After my first summer spent in Ukraine, I felt as though I had been given a beautiful and rare glimpse into a culture and region that I previously knew very little about. Not to mention falling in love with every single one of the children in the orphanage. I knew that I was not done with Eastern Europe and that Eastern Europe was not done with me. And I still feel that way. I have made a commitment to invest in this work and in this region for at least part of my life. This is that part of my life.