Squirrels, Elephants, and Cows

What do squirrels, elephants and cows have to do with helping survivors of slavery?  This past weekend I found out, at a fundraising/awareness event among California's Gujarati Indian community.  The guests really took us, our issue, and our girls into their hearts - several people offered to buy cows for an income generation project we are launching with our partner organization Rescue Foundation.  One of our speakers, Da-ji,  made a powerful call to action on our behalf.  He told a story about a squirrel who took part in a rescue of an abducted girl

What do squirrels, elephants and cows have to do with helping survivors of slavery?  This past weekend I found out, at a fundraising/awareness event among California's Gujarati Indian community.  The guests really took us, our issue, and our girls into their hearts - several people offered to buy cows for an income generation project we are launching with our partner organization Rescue Foundation.  One of our speakers, Da-ji,  father of event organizer Nayna Uka, who made a powerful call to action, on our behalf.  Da-ji told a story about a squirrel who took part in a rescue of an abducted girl

In this parable from Hindu scripture, Sita, the beloved wife of King Rama, was abducted by a ten-headed monster, and held captive in Sri Lanka, 80 miles across the ocean from India.  King Rama and his army began building a  bridge across the ocean to rescue Sita.  All the people and animals joined in the effort, carrying huge stones and logs and boulders.  A tiny squirrel looked down from her tree and wanted to help.  She was too small to carry stones, so she jumped in the water to soak herself, rolled in the sand, and then shook off the sand from her body to add to the bridge.  With everyone's help the bridge was built and Sita was brought home.

Da-ji invited everyone at our event to 'be the squirrel'.  "You don't have to give a million dollars," he said. "just do what you can.  If you have no money to give, then give your time.  Just please do something to help rescue and care for these girls."  Da-ji is really practicing what he preaches - he is 74 years old and was retired, but he has offered to use his experience as a farmer to help set up the program for survivors at Rescue Foundation.  This project, which we are calling 'Destiny II' will include our usual handicrafts income generation program, as well as an organic dairy farm and bio-diesel facility on Rescue Foundation's 40 acre farm and shelter, one hour from Mumbai.  Da-ji is prepared to begin his service as soon as we have raised the money for the project.

So... that just leaves the elephant, which has been TEN's mascot from the beginning.  This was inspired by a Nepali folk saying, 'the elephant marches on, heedless of the barking dogs".  Regardless of what others are saying or doing - criticizing, griping, giving in to cynicism, hopelessness, or despair - I just have to keep going.  The elephant in this image is unswerving - he moves forward, in his strength and in the singleness of his purpose.  The power of our cause and the beauty in the spirits of our survivors give me the strength to do likewise.