Reason #3 to Support Periclean Scholars: Minimizing Border Crossings.

Okay, I have two confessions. First, my title is a teaser. My narrative has nothing to do with border crossings in the US - though you may find that there are parallels. I hope that, after reading this, you will find that it is a good thing to minimize border crossings - and that Periclean Scholars can help to achieve this.

My second confession is that I believe that many of you will respond better to pictures than to narratives alone. You need to see it to believe it. Believe me - Periclean Scholars are excellent at documenting their groundwork with photographs, so today I will use images to complement my narrative.

This looks like just another rainy day in Kawama, Zambia - right? From this photo, it looks like we are just exploring the community on an early morning (6 a.m.) walk. However, this is the trail that leads to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The DRC, formerly known as Zaire, is directly north of Zambia and is currently best known as the center of "Africa's World War" and its epidemic of rape as a war weapon. Luckily, we were far away from the fighting epicenter in the DRC's northeast.

These are Zambian women that we met along the trail. They are accompanied by a border security guard, because their goal is to get to the DRC - every day. Why would they want to go all the way to the DRC? They seek land to farm. Going to the DRC is their best hope of making a living and eating. They must make the journey there and back every day, regardless of the weather.

Note the border security guard in the blue jacket. He will escort them to the border, but the border guards will also ensure that they return. They can get in a lot of trouble for staying overnight in a foreign country. Hence, they must make this journey every day.

When we met the women, we were at least 6 miles from the DRC. By presuming that these women lived at least 6.5 miles from the DRC and the land they wish to farm, then they walk at least half a marathon every day.

During our morning walk, we also met one man on a bicycle who rides two hours each way. He must also make the journey daily, rain or shine.

These women are no doubt going to be a huge source of inspiration for me during my run. What they go through each day, each week, each year is nothing compared to the temporary strain that I will put my body through.

Yet, this post is about why you should support Periclean Scholars. While these were the women's lives at the time, I have to believe that the current work of Pericleans on the ground in Zambia is going to minimize the need to cross borders to earn a living and eat. Opportunities that will come from the hammermill business and other technologies that Pericleans help communities to obtain self-sufficiency will meet needs beyond housing. They will make time and money less of a luxury. Maybe some day, crossing the border will be for leisure alone and not a daily occurrence.

I am not sure if the women we met were citizens of Habitat's Kawama village, but if they do not have homes, then our work could potentially have even more significant of an impact in their lives. Let's consider the extremes: the women are now homeless and must travel across borders - no less than half a marathon every day - to eat and make a living. Now, let's imagine that they have been helped by Periclean efforts. They would have a roof over their heads - a significant step upward in quality of life. They would also be less of a strain on international resources and more productive in their own communities. What a difference that would be.

If my running a marathon one day out of a year or lifetime is one reason to help these women from walking a marathon every two days... then that would be incredible. The investment of a relatively small amount of money can minimize border crossings for necessity and maximize time and money spent in the local community. The Periclean Scholars program can make this happen.

This is reason #3 to support Periclean Scholars: minimizing border crossings.