In Sunday’s gospel Jesus rescues a woman caught in adultery from its prescribed punishment – stoning. Jesus doesn’t condemn the woman but challenges her to transform her life. Prostituting women continues around the globe today, especially among the 40% of the world’s population that lives on less than $2 per day. Education and micro-financing hold out the possibility for women to transform their lives and our world.
In their book, Half the Sky, authors Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn describe the beginning of a new global movement to emancipate women and girls. These New York Times journalists have traveled the Third World for two decades and identify the education and empowerment of women as the key to ending global poverty.
The book has also inspired a film, Facebook game and worldwide movement to “turn oppression into opportunity for women worldwide.”
What stories of women and girls transforming their lives and countries have you heard?
Keeping Faith Today 
I’ve traveled NW MN, E ND and N IA doing portrayals of women of the bible. Often, I have a chance to meet with the children. I ask them to name their favorite bible characters. Only ONE time did anyone name a woman. All other names were male. This is my question: Where does a young woman LEARN what it is to be a strong, faithful woman of God? And, if we could teach them, would it not be the best way to transform their lives? We could transform many women’s lives by transforming the way we interpret the word of God.