CHANGING THE WORLD.
Seems like a crazy idea but it’s not IMPOSSIBLE J
I just finised a book called Kisses From Katie, it’s about a work of Katie Davis (a -now- 23 years old girl) who established Amazima Ministry in Uganda to empower the people of Uganda. Katie started the ministry when she was still 19, she fell in love with Uganda when she went there for a mission work with her Mom in 2006 before finally decided to return there and made a lifetime commitment to Uganda.
Katie was so overwhelmed by the poor condition of the people and how the children suffer from malnutrition and lack of educaion. She often felt as if what she’s done is like trying to empty the ocean with a teardrop...yet what made her keep on going is, the fact that she learned from the Bible. Jesus didn’t heal everyone, but He stopped for one person and made a difference in that one person’s life. That’s how she learned to love, one person at a time. Katie couldn’t help everyone in Uganda, but she could help one person in front of her.
From her compassion to one person it then led to another then to another then to another. Now, she has 13 officially adopted daughters from Uganda and Amazima ministry has been changing the live of one community in Uganda. From loving one children, now Katie has been able to send more that 200 Ugandan children to school, teaching the women to make necklaces from beads to be sold in America to help them earn some income for their family and recently, Amazima has developed a farm program to help the local people.
I believe that what she's going through during these years were not easy but, she kept on going to love one person at a time and God trusted her more and He's working on the part she couldn't do herself.
Austin Gutwein was 9 years old when he decided to start a movement called Hoops for Hope in 2004. What moved Austin was his concern for the children who had lost their parents to AIDS. He wanted to help then he decided to shoot free throws on World AIDS Day in 2004, he shot 2057 free throws to represent the 2057 kids who would be orphaned during his day at school and with the support from friends and family, he was able to raised almost $3000 and the money was used to provide hope to 8 orphan children.
Over the past nine years, his effort has turned into the largest free throw marathon in the world with an estimated 40.000 people in more than 25 countries participating in Hoops for Hope and able to raised more than $3 million. The funds would then be used for the construction of the only high school in a rural region in Southern Zambia, four dormitories, two medical clinics, two computer laboratories, feeding programs, multiple water projects as well as the funding of a dormitory at an orphanage in Kenya and a school in India.
He started by loving a girl named Maggie, whom he saw from the a video about AIDS oprhan. His heart was moved with compassion and he acted on it.
A friend of mine, a woman with two kids and one grandson, a wife of an amazing man and a daughter of a passionate father that I know whom everyone called as Mommy Inge, she's been taking care of homeless people. She couldn't help every homeless but she would love one person at a time. Now, she's living with people she's taken care from the street, giving them love, family and even a work to do. She's a woman with a great big compassionate heart. It's not always easy to love people, but from her, I learned that...if you keep on loving people even though they have hurt you, in the end it's not just changing their lives but also change your life. your heart is filled with greater love and their lives are changed because of the love you're giving them.
I've seen people changing history in their lives. Not just Katie Davis, not just Austin Gutwein, not just Mommy Inge...but us, everyday people, who are willing to stop and love one person at a time. That's why I said, changing the world is not impossible if we continue to love and remember to love, love will change people's life.
I've met awesome people across Twitter every single day. People who are willing to stop and love one person at a time. I've read the story of Veronica Colondam, founder of YCAB, the story of Valencia, founder of Blood for Life and Three Little Angels movement, the story of Nila Tanzil and her Taman Bacaan Pelangi and the story many more who are willing to stop and love one person at a time then another then another then another until they are changing the lives of many people.
I have a dream since I was young (well, I still am young now :p) that I want to make the world a better place. I want to be someone who are impacting the world, changing the world. It was sure hard to do. It's hard to change the world. But then, I learned to narrow down the scope. I stop trying to change the world, but start to change one life at a time. It's a joy when you know that your love is changing someone's life. It's a joy when you know that you can do something to help someone improving his/her life. And it will surprise you that the more you give out love, you can never be lack of love.
Sure things are not always easy, dealing with people is not always easy but surely, loving people is never a vain thing to do. Loving people is not to let them take you for granted, but loving people is to build their lives to be better, is to encourage them and empower them to live a better life.
Not everyone has to move to Uganda like Katie, not everyone has to start a movement like Austin, not everyone has to take care of the homeless at their house like Mommy Inge, not everyone has to establish a foundation like Veronica, not everyone has to be a blood donation ambassador like Valencia and certainly not everyone has to make a librarly for children like Nila Tanzil...because you and me, we all have our own parts to do in this life. You just need to find your part. It might in your office, it might be in your family, it might be in your school, it might be around your house, it might be your neighbours but it might also be the people from other countries. Your part, might be to become an enterpreneur, teacher, employee, speaker, doctor, psychologist, politicians and so on. Find your part and be a problem solver where you are.
Recently, I have committed myself to sponsor the education of two children through World Vision Indonesia. I cannot sponsor every child in Indonesia, but I at least I can change the lives of two children and hopefully in the future they will also change the lives of other people. It's kinda like "pay it forward" :) - my late aunt was also a child sponsor through World Vision Indonesia, when she passed away, my parents took over her legacy and be the sponsor of her child. Just two days ago, I got the news from World Vision Indonesia that the child is now working in one of the government beaureau and he wished to meet my parents to thank them for giving him the sponsor so he can finish his education. How wonderful it is to know that you are helping to improve someone's life.
There are many ways for us to love and to care for other people. Find your own way to care and remember to always stop and love one person at a time. From the simplest act of opening the door for the elderly, to helping strangers or simply smile at a weary soul, you have taken a part in changing someone's life and the world.
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