Stacy from Haiti. |
My Love is hearing children singing songs of freedom. My Love is watching a former child soldier holding a pencil, and writing a story; their manifesto of peace. MyLove is seeing children sitting in a vibrant colorfully painted classroom with their bright smiles inviting you into their new world of possible. Poverty doesn't exist in school. It's as if it is removed the moment the children put on their identical pristine uniforms, masking any proof of poverty. It's here where I see the vision of the End of Extreme poverty. Where poverty is not seen and even though I know a child might be hungry at home, they are being fed at school. Wearing uniforms of Knowledge, these children are ready for the battles ahead. They are being prepared and empowered to solve the problems of their land. Schools are not just a location for learning, but a storehouse for FREEDOM giving. And these children, I believe and have seen are the answer to ending poverty.
By allowing children in vulnerable situations the availability of school we are strengthening them, and giving them access to education and the ability to solve problems with logic, with justice, and with heart. Nelson Mandela states "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world". So really, if we want to change the world we need to give more education opportunities to those without.
Whether on war-torn soils of Uganda or the broken roads from an earthquake in Haiti, the brokenness becomes our cause, our invitation to bring freedom. Freedom by education.
We can be FREEDOM givers. We can provide education to children in poverty and in doing so are the ones, taking our key, placing it into the deadbolt and breaking chains off of these children forever. We can Break the Chains of Injustice, with the excess we have and empower families out of poverty with our generosity.
This is MyLove, her name is MyLove.
Her beauty is probably just as mesmerizing to you as it was to me. Once I heard her name, I realized her mother must have named her that for a reason. "She is MyLove." It made think, are the children OUR Loves? Do we see these children as our own? Can we see these children as our own? Can we view a fatherless child, a beggar, a widow as Our Love? Someone who we can take ownership of loving and providing for. Maybe it starts by seeing them as Ours, that we start to care more. That they are a part of Our Family, and Our Home, Our Story. This is MyLove and she has inspired me that we all have a love, but it is in sharing that love, and it changing into Our Love, when history is made. Even typing this, I want to change the way I take ownership of fighting for the oppressed, and I want us -- you and me and the oppressed -- to join together so Our Story, can change the global story for the vulnerable.
I went to Haiti this October, thinking I had some of the answers. I don't. But I have conviction and hope and Love to make a difference. I will always live a life of learning. I won't stop operating from a place of love and possibility. Because I know through Love all things are possible.
Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. - Proverbs 8:34 ( Jacmel, Haiti) |
I want to live my life unlocking and inspiring others to unlock as many doors as possible, to provide gateways to health, faith, restoration and reconciliation in vulnerable areas to children.
Once the door is unlocked and swinging wide, the other side of the door shows a pathway to peace, leading up to a little red school house on a hill, and the bell is ringing loudly, justice is ringing loudly and inviting the kids to come, and sit with the Schoolmaster who shares with them their story of Freedom.
Let's be FREEDOM givers.
Let's be CHAIN breakers.
Let's be LOVE bearers.
// Devon