From murder comes reconciliation, hope
FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW...On August 25, 1993, Amy, a Stanford University graduate and Fulbright scholar, left her job working to register (mostly black) voters in South Africa. She headed toward Guguletu, outside Cape Town, to drop off two female colleagues. There, a mob stoned her car, then kicked, beat and stabbed her. Amy died on the pavement, begging for mercy.
Two weeks ago they had a celebration of Amy Beihl's life at UWC at the Performing Arts Center.. I attended because i had to remember the past to go on in the future....
In South African townships rife with violence and poverty, thousands of children find comfort and knowledge daily after school by dancing, playing, painting and eating. They study math, reading, music, theater and more, while their older countrymen learn first aid, safe-sex practices, vocational and other life skills.
Above all, these and many other programs run by the Amy Biehl Foundation offer hope -- a sentiment born, ironically, from a horrific murder.
Reconciliation is fundamental to the organization's roots -- the sense that led Amy Biehl's parents not only to forgive her killers but also embrace them to foster her humanitarian legacy.
On a personal note I spoke to Amys;s Mom and with tears in her eyes she was reliving the day that she saw her daughter off on the airport.... " Amy was happy , she told me thta i need not to wait for the plane to leave, I shoild go home to look after her brother. " She always said thta she wanted to be remember by numbers after she dies,, Her own Prohesy came true. according to her Mom ..she is rermembereed by numbers.. the QUESTION IS HOW DO WE WANT TO BE REMEMBERED ... AS HUMANS and as ENTREPRENEURS? Are we making a difference already? I am.. by just participating and showing up at these events and spreading the story..
LOVE AND LIGHT...CATHERINE
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