Meet our first MOM (Mama of the Month!). Jody is currently mothering six children—five boys and one spunky little girl. After giving birth to four boys in a row, Jody’s twins joined the family from Sierra Leone through what she describes as the “tragedy and miracle of adoption.” (You can catch up on all things Jody here at her personal blog.)
We “sat down” with Jody (we really just sent her a message on Facebook, but it sounds so journalistic and official that way) and asked her some questions about her view on motherhood and the world. Here’s what she had to say:
What is the biggest lesson you learned from your mother?
My mom was the epitome of service and empathy and thoughtfulness—of seeing others, paying attention, and moving toward action with empathy and compassion.
What is the biggest lesson you've learned from motherhood?
Being a mother added a fierceness to my compassion. I think sometimes you don't realize what you have until you experience the love for a child. And it can be channeled to advocate for mothers around the world in some pretty cool ways.
What issues affecting women around the world are you passionate about?
Family preservation and economic opportunity.
So what is “family preservation and economic opportunity?” Jody plays a key role in running an organization called The Adventure Project, a non-profit that was “established to increase investments in positive social enterprises around the world.” In the last three years, TAP has grown quickly to address humanitarian issues related to the environment, water, hunger, and health. A look at their results page shows real individual lives being changed through jobs sponsored by TAP’s donors—individuals who are transforming their communities, primarily through their ability to have safe, stable jobs for the first time.
Somebody’s Mama exists in part to highlight the work real mamas are doing around the world. Jody is one of our people—she’s living proof that women are capable of so much when our thoughts turn to action.
Mother Teresa said, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” Today, we celebrate the ripples Jody is making in the lives of the six children she and her husband, Andy, are raising in Olympia, WA and in the lives of mamas across the globe.
