As you know, Bono spoke at the California Women’s Conference this past Wednesday. One volunteer Amy Quinn was in the audience, and had this to share:

I was one of the lucky 14,000 women to have attended the Women’s Conference in Long Beach last Wednesday. I left the conference with a renewed sense of purpose, which quite frankly, I desperately needed when I arrived at the conference that morning.

In particular, I was moved by Bono’s recollection of his experiences back in the mid 80’s – on his visit to Ethiopia during the horrible famine that occurred there. This is also when my “world vision or Weltanschauung” changed, and I, at the ripe old age of 14 – became a hunger/poverty activist. As Bono said – the flames of that continent sting your eyes – they sear your conscience… He said, “In my travels I have met kids the mirror image own and looked into their faces as they let go of life. And it makes me even angrier that their eyes are always free of accusation. It humbles me beyond belief that they don’t hold it against a world that couldn’t spare the twenty cent immunization that would have them back in the bosom of their family. Even their mothers and fathers…their grief is pure. There’s no blame, just acquiescence…”

As the mother of a six year old little boy – it was easy for me to substitute my son’s eyes for this image.

Just that week – before the conference – I am ashamed to say that I had temporarily suspended my monthly sponsorship of the two children – Madalena and Rashid – that I help to care for in Africa because of my own personal financial hardships.

Bono said that in these difficult times, “…it is tempting to double-lock the doors, stop answering the phone, focus on your own problems for a while…”

“This is exactly the right time to think about the world. Even to change it.” He said.

I believe that perhaps it is when we feel the most vulnerable that we are most able to find that place in our own souls and hearts – to truly stand up for the world’s most vulnerable and do what is right.

So I picked up the phone the next day – after the conference and canceled the suspension of my commitments to these two children. Maybe I’ll suspend my gym membership or my gardener instead…

What was I thinking?

-Amy Quinn, Volunteer Team Leader, The ONE Campaign Los Angeles