I went to Wal-mart today to pick up a few things. There's a Subway in the back, and I hadn't had lunch yet, so I went back there to get me some eats. There was only one guy working - a black guy, who clearly had facial features from another country. He confirmed this by asking me what kind of cheese I wanted with the thickest African-based French accent I've heard in a while (such a beautiful sound). I asked him where he was from, he said "west 'Ofreeca' ", with a bit of hesitancy. My exclamation brightened his face a bit, and we just started talking while he was making stuff.

His name is Tiane (TIA-nee), and he moved here a while ago to go to school. He's gotten his accounting degree and is going back to school, once he gets the money.

When I asked him why he came to America, he explained that there is just more opportunity here, and that by working at Subway part time, he makes 3 times more than the monthly wages of a farmer who works 14hr days in his village. He said the last job he had before he moved here was in an orphanage down the road from his house. I told him that that's what I want to GO do;move to Africa and live in an orphanage. When I said this, his face lit up, and he said "YOU? you want to go, and stay?", and a huge smile burst onto his face. He said "Many American don't know how good it is to be in this country. Some people act like it is nothing. But it is so much."

How true this is.

I didn't get a chance to ask him about his family (which I fully plan to go back and do) or a hundred other questions bouncing around in my head, because he had other customers, but he wished me a good day, as did I to him, and I left.

Tiane is just one more example of how different every person's walk is. He left where I want to be, and came to the very town in which I've lived, and would like to leave (most of the time :]).

And who knows if my conversation with him inspired or encouraged him, but I know it encouraged me. No matter that he came from there to here (he still traveled the same distance as my aspirations would take me, just in the opposite direction), he is achieving his dreams.

And he started on the wages of an orphanage worker in a poverty-stricken village. How amazing.

Never think you can't do something.

Never think you don't have enough.

And never keep your story to yourself. You may just touch and inspire someone with it.

Be thankful for the opportunity around you.

And if your calling takes you away from where you are, embrace that.

And know that what you're striving for is possible.

Take heart in the midst of your challenges today.

I found this post earlier on Gabi's Blog.


And it was (yes, you guessed it :]) an inspiration.

Enjoy.

And visit her blog and see how she's changing the world.

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Don’t go to Africa, by Joan Smith

by Gabi

[this made me smile deeply and so I thought I’d share it as it contains important pieces of the culture and heart of my home-land.]

So don’t go to Africa…

- if you’ve already determined that people are poor because they are lazy.

- if you aren’t moved to do something when you see abject poverty, people who are sick and have no health care providers at all, schools with no resources, school-aged children too far from public education and too poor for private education.

- if you can’t tolerate no schedule, standing around waiting, daily detours for cell phones, food for others, banking and people who have so little asking for more than you have to give.

- if you’re not flexible with your time, your thinking, your attitudes and your prejudices.

- if you can’t see beyond the poverty and lack or resources and see the love, caring, compassion and humanity in life here.

- if your wardrobe can’t tolerate red clay stuck to your shoes and clay dust clinging to everything else.

- if you don’t want to be awakened by a rooster at 3:30 and 4:15 and 6:05.

- if you can’t accept heartfelt gratitude for the smallest gesture of help.

- if you can’t say no.

I am growing.

At least, I hope I am.

Walt Disney said, "keep moving forward."

Good advice.

There is a Chinese Proverb that says,
"Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.”

More good advice.

And, if I may add to that, I heard someone say recently that, if you're not growing, you're dying.

How true.

I'm guilty of looking at people with discrete degradation sometimes, because they're not doing things the same way I am.

They're not loving the way I would.

They're not experiencing God the way I have/am.

But I'm being brought into a place where I realize everyone's walk is different. I guess I knew that before, but now I'm being humbled by it. And it has brought about a compassion for those who's walk is different. ...Which is everyone, I suppose. It's all a part of the preparation of the life we've been appointed to live, and they're all unique. I'm beginning to love that so much.


Another thing I've been learning is, I can't do this walk alone. No one can. And by my looking on someone else with misunderstanding, and thus, a bit of criticism, I'm eliminating the element which I need to do this walk right.

Community.

Companionship.

Relationship.


I used to not like it when people inspired me.

I know. I'm a mess.

Because, when people were inspiring me, it means they had preceded me in something. Thought of it before me. I wasn't as advanced in my walk.

That scared me.

But where would we be without inspiration? Without those who set an example of how to

love.

dream.

act.

make a difference.

hope.

stand firm.

persevere.

endure.

Jesus said "I only do what I see my Father do. I only say what I hear Him say."

But it also says in Proverbs, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

The word "sharpen" here comes from the Hebrew word "Latash", which is also used in a verse in Genesis to describe, in one translation, an "instructor", or if you will, in another translation, "a forger of tools".

"to forge" means "to form with heat and hammering".


Sometimes being "sharpened" is crappy.

Heat and hammering.

But instructing at the same.

Learning.


Yes, you're being preceded by someone.

But you are proceeding someone as well.

You are the successor to the former.

Learn from them. From each other.

Walt Disney also said,

“All of the top achievers I know are life-long learners... Looking for new skills, insights, and ideas. If they're not learning, they're not growing... not moving toward excellence.”

Grow.

Be inspired.


Inspire others.