Girls' school in Afghanistan

Framed in clean white fabric as though love itself held her close, each little girl’s eyes open up to the future, reading, writing, studying,
this first new generation, girls learning.
Under this blue-bannered roof, each young foot steps forth,
each life given a new purpose and meaning.
“I insist on going to college. I will become a doctor, and return to my village,
where they need me,” says one new graduate.
“I have spoken with the elders and convinced them.”
Unimaginable courage, each day a wonder, this blessing, this joy.
Walk this way with these girls. Fill these schools each day!
Look not to the sky for the drone or the hand-tossed bomb.
There is another way.

Annelinde Metzner December 18, 2009

(Photo from penniesforpeace.org.)
Visit the website http://www.penniesforpeace.org/ to learn how to help build schools for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan by collecting pennies for Greg Mortensen and the Central Asia Institute.