Introduce Yourself

[Jessica]

Reply to this message to introduce yourself to the group. And let us know what interests you about this book!

[RosieM]

My sister bought this book for all of her 5 sisters after reading it and being very impressed by it. She has met Kris as they are both from the same part of Massachusetts. We all read the book prior to one of our biannual "Sisters' Weekends at which we spend lots of time laughing, crying, walking, drinking wine, etc. The book brought about several very emotional discussions throughout the weekend. One of my sisters had been a VISTA volunteer in rural North Carolina in the late 60's so it brought back some memories of trying to help people in a very difficult situation. I have found myself to now be a tremendous admirerer of Kris and hope to meet her someday.

[KrisH]

Hi Rosie,

What a sweet message! I love the idea of 5 sisters hanging out, drinking wine, and talking about Monique. Did your sister who had been a VISTA volunteer have someone like Monique to work with?

Kris

[lora]

hello! i am lucky to live in the same happy valley as kris and was thrilled to hear her speak about the book and her long and tricky process of getting the book published. she is an incredible speaker and is very very inspirational. i heard about the book in my book club of new mommies. monique and kris inspired our best discussion yet which means that instead of talking about which jogger stroller is best we were talking about what it means to be "privileged", the tradedy of poverty and lacking healthcare in real terms like what it feels like to hold a malnourished baby to be weighed, and female genital mutilation.
kris, your book has created a ripple that is turning into a wave that will bring great things. thank you so much for your great gift. sincerely, lora

[KrisH]

Hi Lora,

Thanks for that glowing review! And a wave of great things to come is an awesome image...
Kris

[RosieM]

Kris,
It was great meeting you and John at Jeanne and Mike's party. You are both awesome people! To all of you lurkers out there...both Kris and John have that amazing charisma and comfort level with people that make you want to talk with them. They're great dancers also! Kris really, really wants you to participate in this discussion no matter what you have to say.
Rosie
P.S. There are 6 sisters! ....and I don't know if my sister had any one person who affected and befriended her as profoundly as Monique. She did have many interesting experiences including being threatened by the KKK. My family visited her while she was in North Carolina (though an hour or so away at the beach). I remember being surprised to see the volunteers only had an outhouse (across the yard). I was 11 years old at the time and very impressed by this group of "hippies" living together in this rundown house and helping out the poor southern blacks. They did a lot of voter registration, nutrition and health training, etc. They were not well liked by many of the white people down there. It was 1968 and I was very impressed when the volunteers all came to the cottage my family was renting to watch the Democratic National Convention on TV (they didn't have one); they all cried and sang when this amazing spontaneous singing and marching around the room in honor of Bobby Kennedy occurred at the convention. ...and I ramble on...

Message Edited by RosieM on 05-13-200710:37 PM

[hollyrcpm]

I'm Holly, I live in utah and I don't know Kris - but I'd love to meet her. Wanna come to Utah and present at a midwifery conference?!

this kind of dovetails with another thread on female friendships, but for the last year and a half I have been getting together on a regular basis with 3 other women - all midwives, btw - because we need each other. three of us are DEM's, one is a CNM, but it does not matter in the least to us - we are women, we are midwives and we need each other. Kris's book is one I am giving to the others this weekend when we get together. I'm the only one in the group that has been to Africa, but I've been working on getting the others there! I've done a bit of basic midiwfery education in some of the villages I have been in - ones not nearly lucky enough to have someone like Monique within walking distance.

Happy to be here!

[KrisH]

Hi Holly -

And yes, I'd love to come to a midwifery conference in Utah! Just give me more details (I'm kris@moniquemangorains.com).

Have you been to different countries in Africa, and if so, which ones?

And, just so you know, if you select MONIQUE for a book club (so many women I know are in monthly book clubs), I'll happily come in for an hour via speaker phone and we can have a delicious discussion about all things birth-related.

Kris

[hollyrcpm]

Lovely! I'll be in touch about the conference.
I have been to several countries in Africa - Ethiopia in 2004, then Kenya, Rwanda, and Zambia, with a few days in Tanzania. I have done adoptions from Ethiopia and Zambia, and humanitarian work in Kenya, Rwanda and Zambia. I love it.

Thanks for the welcome - looking forward to talking with you more.

Holly