A Letter from the Mahjar

To Mrs. Eveline Bustros, president of the Lebanese Women's Union.

Your kind letter is a part of the inspiration of your great spirit — so I thank you for your concern, together with my sisters, the members of the Women's Union, for a distant sister who has long struggled in the cause of what you strive for today: the winning of rights for woman that are a part of her legitimate demands.

And how I wish, in this step — blessed, God willing — that my sister, woman, may possess the awareness that the venture demands — so that she puts forward into the fields of work only those of whose full fitness she is confident — in sincerity — in energy — and in disinterestedness — those qualities which we have so long wished to find in the man to whom the reins of judgment have been entrusted, so that no flaw might taint our judgments.

For this reason I hope that the woman who takes the first step will be wholly confident in herself that she possesses these three qualities, for fear that judgment be spoiled and she be exposed to man's mockery and criticism.

And now, in response to the wish of the 'Women's Union,' in the request it addressed to me in the pages of the esteemed magazine The Woman's Voice, to be informed of the works of the Lebanese woman in Chile, I say:

The Lebanese colony here is small in number — for this reason woman did not undertake any work worth mentioning until the year 1946, when an association was founded under the presidency of Mrs. Victoria Zalaket — its first aim was purely social, its efforts devoted to holding parties and receptions, only and nothing more — but in this recent period it has added to its former aim the assistance of the needy, and most particularly — the Orphan's Home — built by the Syrian-Palestinian Ladies' Association, founded more than twenty-five years ago.

A few days ago I had occasion to attend a meeting of the board of the Lebanese association — and I found in all the members a keen desire to improve their finances, so that they may be able to widen the circle of their charitable works until it passes beyond the bounds of the Mahjar to Lebanon.

The number of subscribing members is one hundred and twenty ladies — and every year, on the date of the Lebanese national holiday, the ladies of the board go to the orphanage bearing gifts of food, clothing, and money.

They do good to every needy petitioner; they are now helping in the building of a new church, and they have also taken upon themselves the furnishing of the Lebanese House which the colony recently purchased.

And foremost among their aims, when they have finished these projects, is to help the charitable societies in Lebanon — for their aspirations are great.

This is all I have been able to learn of the works of the Lebanese woman; may I have done what was incumbent upon me in their service.

I repeat my regard and respect for the lady of merit and nobility — your admirer,