The Center for Sharing recently invited guests from Kenya, Mexico and locally to meet and discuss how Servant Leadership is making an impact on their lives and the work they are doing. Here are a few of the exciting things we learned—A full report is available upon request.
Participation in a Servant Leadership class changed the lives of every participant present. It has brought purpose, passion and positive change into the communities of each servant leader. As a result, young men are now given a shot at redemption; women and girls in Kenya have access to water and time for education and family; young women in Mexico have the opportunity to follow their dreams, and communities have been transformed.
The implementation of servant led projects isn’t always easy. For Lemayian Tawuo of Kenya, it meant a lot of self sacrifice. Burned by a contractor who jumped ship and abandoned his water project after he had been received payment to do the work, Lemayian was depressed and angry at God. He had worked so hard to get his project off the ground, only to face a huge setback. But Lemayian didn’t let it stop him. He put his house on the market, and moved his family into a small store he owned. With the money he made from selling his house, he was able to continue the project.
As a group, we’ve learned a lot. Everything starts with trust—without it, we can’t survive. We must learn to forgive, and help others do the same. We can’t expect our work to last if we aren’t willing to do it together, as a team. We must learn to respect and know ourselves before we can know and respect those around us. And the quality of leaders in our society will determine it’s course. These are a few of the lessons we learned.
Each leader reflected on the feeling that they weren’t alone, that they are part of something bigger. Roseanne commented that she felt like she was part of a new tribe—the “Servant Leadership” Tribe.
Each project continues to move forward, but the world needs more servant leaders to create sustainable communities that are healthier, freer, wiser and more autonomous. That’s where you come in. Help support the Center for Sharing by donating, volunteering or joining a servant leadership class today! Call 509.546.5999 or visit staging.obscure-ear.flywheelsites.com.