Shine Update

Hi, I wanted to send out a quick update about Shine. So, we have started the second program of Shine here and have already had three sessions. The women we are doing this program with this time is the single women in the shelter. There are about 8 women and their children all living in our single mother shelter and even though they only have attended three sessions the impact has already been significant. 

Session One: You are Valuable.

We teach on value. Each one of us has intrinsic value. We talk about how 100 kuai is still worth 100 kuai if it is scrunched up and stomped on and thrown away.  We make the illustration that a valuable gift in a nice gift box is worth the same as the same gift in a paper bag.  What we look like or how we have been treated does not change our worth.  Then we talk about how valuable our hands are and that usually we take care of things we value. Then we proceed to give one another manicures. 

Session Two: You are One of a Kind.

We continue to teach on value.  Because there is no one like you, you are priceless. We use the illustration that the Mona Lisa was created by a master painter and that the original is so precious that there is not a price set on her. But that a copy is not worth the same amount.  Because we cannot be copied we also do not need to compare ourselves to others. We talk about how our face is the first thing people see about us and reflects our individuality. Just like we took care of our hands to show we value them so we should do the same for our face. Then we proceed to cleanse, honey mask, tone, and moisturize our faces.

Session Three: You have been Marvelously Made.

This is our last session focused on value. We do an activity where all the girls are blind folded and try to put body parts onto an outline of a woman. This shows them the importance of correctly put together person. How important each piece in its place is. Then we talk about healthy living. Exercise and Healthy eating. 

Now, most of this information is very simple and likely you and I don't need to be taught these things. But for these women it has changed them.  

*Thursday we had them rate on a scale of one to ten how valuable they felt today.  Then how they valued they felt last week.  The difference was quite drastic.  When asked why they valued themselves more today than last week the responses were: "after learning about how to wash my face and care for my skin I know I can value myself."  "before Shine, I didn't know that my value was important."  "I didn't want to be a part of Shine, but now my life is different."

Thank you for your thoughts for these women as well as for me, especially as I prepare for each session.  Your thoughts are fruitful and lives are changing.