“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve…You only need a heart full of grace…A soul generated by love.” – Martin Luther King, Jr
Speaking of those who serve, I was asked to accompanied sister Sharon Eubank, Director for the LDS Charities and she was telling me how a few years ago she was able to attend a conference that highlighted ordinary people who had done some extraordinary things with their lives.
For example there was a 16 year old girl who lived through seeing entire village massacred in Africa at the age of 10 years old, who now spreads a message of hope to survivors. Then there was a 40 year old woman in Africa that stood up to a terrible dictator and who brought thousands of African women together in Africa to help her take a stand against these tyrant leaders who were mistreating their people. She and this group of women literally surrounded the courthouse and locked arms together and refused to let the men leave that building until they negotiated a peace agreement with one another. They risked their lives to do the right thing.
Another story was the story of a young girl who wanted to help the people whose homes were destroyed in the hurricanes so at the age of 14 she started a charity which has gone on to raise tens of millions of dollars in the last three years. Here she is at the age of 17 with a charity that has involvement of over 4 million kids from all over the planet. Another was the story of a 15 year old girl that was sold into prostitution and slavery by a family member where she was abused for 5 years before she finally escaped. She is working with authorities to help them to track down the mafia group that headed up the prostitution ring that controlled her and because of that when this young lady came to the stage to talk to the audience they had to cover her face to keep her identity a secret from the bad people still after her.
She told me that hearing all of these stories at this conference all she could do is sit there and think “What have I done in my life compared to these amazing ladies???” It made her really stop and ask if she shouldn’t be doing more. Certainly, it made me also think if these women could do such courageous things in the world then I had no excuse for not doing everything I can do to contribute to the world as well. Seriously, no excuse or bad circumstance that any one of us have in our life comes anywhere close to the horrible circumstances that some of these women had going on in their lives when they stood tall to do amazing things.
Today we went to an interfaith conference and again some very remarkable women spoke about their meager conditions and how they are trying so hard to change that. It really humbled me significantly and it put everything in perspective in my life. It helped me realize that every one of us has a duty to stand tall and be courageous and do something really impactful and good with our lives.
We have a responsibility to do something to help others in this world. Maybe we won’t be called on to put our lives in danger but there is something that every one of us can do, even if it’s small. It may be as small as touching people around you with small acts of service, or it may be by getting involved in politics, or taking a stand on issues politically, or helping out with a charity. There are unlimited things we can find to do to help the world be a better place. We just have to decide to care enough to do those.
Never underestimate the power of what one person can do. Sharon Eubank is an amazing example of someone who is constantly thinking about doing good. She is also the First Counselor in the General Relief Society. She told me that she sits in the same office Aunt Silvia used to have when she also serve as the first counselor in the Relief Society 10 years ago. I came a changed woman after these meetings and with added understanding about the world we live in. Hopefully I can find way of getting involved in my community before my time is up.
Con amor,
Vero
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