Book Review: The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates

It's a bit gloomy outside today, which makes for a great opportunity for my first book review via this website. While I've done many other reviews per se, I'm really excited about sharing all these thoughts with you here! I've never been one for putting myself out there in ways like this, and recently that has taken a turn. I've really delved into what I want my life to actually look like. What do I love to do? What is holding me back? The answer to the former - too many things to count. Myself, that is usually the answer to the latter.

Reading the Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates really put a lot of this into perspective. She has seen and made so many hard decisions, while still staying humble, and it shows. No, it shines. While the book mostly focuses on the stories and the lives of the women she has met around the globe, the true and raw issues behind each one can resonate even on a larger or more Western point of view.

“If you want to lift up humanity, empower women. It is the most comprehensive, pervasive, high-leverage investment you can make in human beings.” 

In third world countries such as India, subsaharan Africa, and some Middle Eastern countries, women are (usually) considered to be of the least 'in charge.' They have little to no decision making authority, have to succumb to whatever form of family growth is handed to them, and have very few rights in terms of regulating their own work, pregnancies, and spousal relationships. Needless to say these governments hardly ever offer any form of health care and contraception, which is what the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is attempting to change. By starting with government, and then speaking with women, hence persuading the men to realize what they are missing in their wives' and daughters' lives, they began the conversation to make changes so that women are more empowered than ever. 

Melinda is also very seated in her Catholic faith, and has struggled with these endeavors of helping women in different countries get access to contraceptives, which is strictly opposed by the traditional Catholic Church. She has succumbed to demeaning comments from her church as well as others claiming to be of higher moral ground, and she has handled these blows with the most amount of grace I have ever seen. Pushing for the rights of women and those that don't get to speak up for themselves often is something that the Church should be immensely proud of, yet they continue to push back on the grounds of certain scriptures. 

"In my case, the teachings of the Catholic Church helped form my conscience and led me into this work in the first place. Faith in action to me means going to the margins of society, seeking out those who are isolated, and bringing them back in. I was putting my faith into action when I went into the field and met the women who asked me about contraceptives.

So yes, there is a Church teaching against contraceptives -- but there is another Church teaching, which is love thy neighbor." 

Melinda's commitment to women everywhere goes beyond the moral obligations that any religion's scripture can dictate. It's the most human of instincts to help others in any way possible, and in so many ways, she nails it. I can't recommend this book enough, and urge you to pick it up.

❤ | C