Ever since I was a child, I wanted to be a superhero. I got a kick out of watching the X-men, Superman, Spiderman, all of the famous Marvel and DC characters we've grown to love. I guess if you would have asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up I would have told you, Batman.
So when January 2009 came around I was thrown into a project I had no idea I could be capable of leading. I was enrolled in a Model United Nations class at Boise State University and we were elected to represent the nation of Sudan in a mock UN Caucus in New York City. I honestly didn't know much about Sudan; I guess to be honest I didn't know anything about it. I knew that there were protests from time to time, people complaining about a genocide, or something. I don't really remember I didn't pay attention, I didn't care.
I told a man I worked with that my class was representing Sudan, but more importantly, we would be going to New York City in the Spring, and well wasn't that exciting? He told me I should have Dr. Ashis Brahma talk to my school about Sudan and the genocide that is going on. Then I asked him "what genocide?", "what's going on?" We had this dialogue back in forth, me asking questions, him perplexed to why I didn't know anything about it. The genocide in Darfur, "What is Darfur?"
It wasn't until I started researching this Dr. Ashis that I started caring. I saw an interview he gave on 60 minutes, then I saw he was traveling around the entire United States telling students and members of the community what was happening in Sudan. Coincidently he would be arriving in Boise in 3 weeks. At this point I knew I needed him to come and talk to my school. I always felt pretty knowledgable, but how did I not know there was a genocide happening. How is that possible? I thought Rwanda was the last one, How could this be? I knew if I didn't know what was going on, there were thousands of other students as well.
In a matter of weeks I secured an auditorium for Dr. Ashis to speak; Darfur: Take a Stand Against Genocide. I fundraised over $1500 from students. Flyers, pamphlets, news outlets, and when the night came Feb. 24th there were over 300 students and members of the community in attendance. Dr. Ashis touched many lives that night, mine included. He inspired a complete auditorium full of mini-activists who want to help and to serve and to spread awareness on everything awful and evil in the world. It was an amazing night.
When I realized how many people cared about those issues, I started an organization called HERO, the Human Equal Rights Organization. We became one of the most active student organizations on campus and became recognized. More importantly it gave me my sense of calling to be the HERO I wanted to be when I was younger. I realized I didn't need a bat belt, or bat mobile, the ability to fly, or any other amazing super power. All I needed was to Love, and that superpower is the greatest superpower of all.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Like a city on a hill
A city set on a hill can not be hidden.
It took me awhile to finally discover what drives someone to help others fervently, passionately, and unrelenting. I always thought it was like an addiction. There is admittedly a certain rush when serving others but that seems selfish, doesn't it? It seems we shouldn't serve out of selfish reasons or out of the feelings gained, we should serve humanity out of Love and only Love. We are either serving out of Love, or we are serving out some psychological attraction toward it, and we can't do both. If we fail to let Love guide us than it is us missing out, and it is us that can be led astray. Think of the greatest advocates and leaders of all time; they were all driven by Love. Think of the worst and most brutal leaders, they were all driven by hate. The most influential people of all time were driven by love or driven by hate and it is impossible to serve two masters.
The greatest leaders of all time only served one master which is Love in the highest sense of the word. Pursuing Love and everything it means to Love can only force someone to serve. Love thy neighbor is practically the most simplistic value taken from the bible, yet why is it the most challenging. Its because this world would be absolutely free of sin if we Loved like we were designed. Every commandment, every golden rule and every platinum rule is based on the principle of Love and Loving one another. If we let our heart Love with all that it can than all good things will flow from it.
If we find that Love that we were designed for we become like the Light of the World, like a city on a hill that can not be hidden. Where if you have it, if you have that Love like a fiery passion, people will search for it through you, theyll see the Love you have and desire it and yearn for it. And thats how you change the world, one small step at a time. You Love people.
It took me awhile to finally discover what drives someone to help others fervently, passionately, and unrelenting. I always thought it was like an addiction. There is admittedly a certain rush when serving others but that seems selfish, doesn't it? It seems we shouldn't serve out of selfish reasons or out of the feelings gained, we should serve humanity out of Love and only Love. We are either serving out of Love, or we are serving out some psychological attraction toward it, and we can't do both. If we fail to let Love guide us than it is us missing out, and it is us that can be led astray. Think of the greatest advocates and leaders of all time; they were all driven by Love. Think of the worst and most brutal leaders, they were all driven by hate. The most influential people of all time were driven by love or driven by hate and it is impossible to serve two masters.
The greatest leaders of all time only served one master which is Love in the highest sense of the word. Pursuing Love and everything it means to Love can only force someone to serve. Love thy neighbor is practically the most simplistic value taken from the bible, yet why is it the most challenging. Its because this world would be absolutely free of sin if we Loved like we were designed. Every commandment, every golden rule and every platinum rule is based on the principle of Love and Loving one another. If we let our heart Love with all that it can than all good things will flow from it.
If we find that Love that we were designed for we become like the Light of the World, like a city on a hill that can not be hidden. Where if you have it, if you have that Love like a fiery passion, people will search for it through you, theyll see the Love you have and desire it and yearn for it. And thats how you change the world, one small step at a time. You Love people.
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