“Pakistan produces people of extraordinary
bravery. But no nation should ever require its citizens to be that brave.” Novelist,
Nadeem Aslam

Note: This reflection is dedicated to the dreams of Malali Yousafzai

As a young girl she only wanted an
education, for she had dreams of becoming a doctor someday. Yet, growing up in Pakistan
this dream was not commonplace but rather a revolutionary idea. In 2009, when the Taliban
took over the valley where she lived, girls were forbidden to shop, listen to
music, watch television or go to school.

It was during the terror of this siege,
that she began to find her voice through journaling. At age 11, she wrote under
a pen name, Gul Makai. Through the power of the written word and in sharing her poignant experiences, she became visible
to the world. 

It was only after the Taliban were
driven out of the Swat Valley that her real identity became known as Malali Yousafzai.
At age 14, she is the recipient of a national award for bravery and was also nominated for
an international children's peace award.

Malali’s activism was awakened and
nurtured by her father Ziauddin Yousafzai who is an ardent believer in
the right to an education and who oversees several schools in Pakistan.  Although, she was born into a culture whose
diminished view of women has not changed for centuries, Malali has seen another
reality. “I have a new dream…I must be a politician to save this country. There
are so many crises in our country. I want to remove these crises.” 

Today, the
world gasps in horror at this senseless act of violence. How can beautiful, Malali Yousafzai
be lying in a coma, after being shot in the head in an assassination attempt? Her
extraordinary courage to speak out has captivated our attention.

Malali had stated, “I think of it often and imagine the
scene clearly. Even if they come to kill me, I will tell them what they are
trying to do is wrong, that education is our basic right.”

Malali’s passion burns so brightly that no one can
ever extinguish it. Let’s us pray for Malali's full recovery and may her inspiring voice be heard again soon.

~liz Sorensen Wessel

This mandala is dedicated with love to Malali