RSWR understands that poverty and materialism are twin burdens, and that when we face them intentionally, there truly can be enough for everyone.
I was first drawn to Right Sharing of World Resources in the late 1990s because it lived out the Quaker testimony of simplicity in practical and transformational ways. RSWR understands that poverty and materialism are twin burdens, and that when we face them intentionally, there truly can be enough for everyone.
I’ve stayed involved for many years not only because of the powerful impact RSWR has walking alongside women’s groups around the world, but because RSWR continues to shape me. This community reminds me to resist the pull of materialism and to live with generosity, humility, and trust in “enoughness.”
Our end-of-year theme, Make Love Visible, comes alive for me in a moment I witnessed while visiting women’s groups in India in the early 2000s. During a visit with a women’s group supported by RSWR, each woman shared how a small loan was strengthening her livelihood, confidence, and children’s futures. As they spoke, members of the wider community stood listening—including several men. As the meeting was ending, one of the men asked if he could speak for a moment. Over the next few minutes, he shared how uncomfortable he was with the idea of his wife participating in this group. He had tried to discourage her in several ways, but she remained resilient and determined to join. Then, with great emotion, he admitted how much her involvement had changed him. Before joining the women's group, he did not respect his wife, treat her with dignity, or see her as capable of more than meeting his needs. However, through her involvement in this women’s group, his view of her changed completely. Now he recognized her business skills, wisdom, and leadership qualities. She was his equal and, in many ways, more than his equal. This new understanding was transforming their relationship, how they raised their children, and was making an impact on their larger community.
I like to think that being a supporter of RSWR is more than writing a check. Rather, it is an invitation to consider one’s own experience with wealth and resources in order to be liberated from the power these things often have over our lives. In addition, partnering with RSWR provides a practical way to impact others by providing the resources that can be used to create and sustain lives where there is enough.
This feels like love in action to me, something transformational for all of us rather than simply transactional.
I have always believed that RSWR provides a clear opportunity for Quakers to work together in collective action and solidarity. No matter where someone stands along the theological or cultural spectrum of the Religious Society of Friends, RSWR's mission and ministry serve as a unifying point for anyone seeking peace, committed to true justice, and eager to make God’s love visible.
With gratitude,
Colin Saxton