Going through my morning routine of getting a five-year-old ready for school and juggling my own preparations for work, I heard the words “Taliban” and “education” from the television as I passed through the kitchen but didn’t hear much more than that. The same news report was repeated that evening, and then I heard the fate of Malala Yousefzai, a name I soon won’t forget.
As Diane Sawyer introduced the piece on why Malala was shot, I felt something pull at my conscience. The reporter delved into the story and spoke of Malala, a girl who had been shot by the Taliban after they had intentionally stopped her bus. Why? Because she had been too vocal about the right she felt each Pakistani girl should have—the right to an education.
I listened to the story in its entirety with so many thoughts flooding in all at the same time. Some included: Are you kidding me? How evil can they be? Are they monsters? Who wouldn’t want their child to better him/herself? These questions and many more consumed my thoughts. I thought about my two girls, not because of the opportunity they have to be educated in this free land, but because of the possibilities that await them.
My husband and I expect them to continue schooling long after our parental control has reached the “We Say, You Do” age limit. So I sat there, frozen. Over and over I replayed the conversations we’ve had with our five-year-old about the importance of having an education. I also thought about my husband watching his daughters grow and remembered his comments of “if anyone were to ever hurt them, then . . .” That’s why the story of Malala Yousefzai tugs right at the core of me. How could the Taliban commit such a grievous act to someone else’s daughter? What about protecting the vulnerable? We are given these children in this temporary state to guide, love, and protect. Don’t they know how essential family is to God’s plan? What about the commandment given “that ye love one another,” (John 13:34)?
The Taliban’s efforts to silence a fifteen-year-old who just wanted an education has backfired and enraged a nation. It has empowered many, not just girls, who are praying for Malala’s recovery. With the momentum building around her positive daily prognosis, my hope is that we continue to encourage our boys and girls to be all that they can be.
As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are encouraged to further our education and help others do the same. With the establishment of the Perpetual Education Fund (PEF), church members can assist others who stand in need of funding for their education. The primary focus of the PEF is to provide assistance to youth in developing countries who long for a brighter future but can’t do so without financial assistance. This assistance is also available to men and women who find themselves in difficult financial situations after returning from full-time church missions. In a 2008 news conference, President Thomas S. Monson discussed the need for such a fund by emphasizing the importance of education. He agreed that all should be able to compete in a global world, but one must first be equipped for the battle. Grounded on five supporting principles, the fund aims for “strengthening the life of individuals, families and communities.” At a time when such horrible things happen, it’s comforting to know the distance the Church will go to support its members.