Sisters in the Africa Faith and Justice Network-Nigeria have set out to change the statistics on human trafficking in their country. At a recent meeting in Benin City, we gathered community leaders to educate, sensitize and enlighten them and their people about the horror of trafficking in Edo State.

"It turns out all these stones — rejected by an empire that drives wedges between us and labels some of us 'criminal aliens' and 'thugs' — make a stunning foundation. ... And as we organize together to put one rejected stone on top of another, my sentiment echoes: Good luck movin' that!"

Thirteen sisters collaborated on 13 essays in a new collection, In Our Own Words, published Jan. 25 by Liturgical Press. "We're not reinventing religious life, but connecting with our experience of religious life," said Dubuque Franciscan Sr. Sarah Kohles, who edited the book with Society of the Sacred Heart Sr. Juliet Mousseau. Younger sisters want the collaboration used to write the book to be a model for religious life, where differences in congregations and leadership conferences don't create division.

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." I like the quote because it keeps me in the present moment.

Human trafficking is a potent global issue to religious sisters and their colleagues within Catholic humanitarian networks. The Sisters of St. John the Evangelist combat trafficking in Haiti through Santa Teresita del Niño Jesús, a shelter for potentially trafficked children and unaccompanied minors trying to cross the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. 

"We always hold things in balance. That's what virtue is, holding things in balance. Not going to the extremes. Grace for me is that means of holding things together and seeing that the ultimate end of the story is not us."

"It's amazing how God leads you down his little pathway and all you have to do is say, 'Yes, I'll try it,' and then all these doors and windows get opened if you follow the lead of the Shepherd." 

See for Yourself - "God is in this business. My kids think I'm crazy, but I believe that God is very present and actively directs my work," said Ralph, a friend for years with whom I was chatting recently.

As I moved into my day, the whole process of rebuilding the foundation for our compost bin struck me as an echo of what I've seen and participated in over the past 18 months at my ministry. I came on the scene as many vulnerable people were feeling toppled.