Thursday, April 16, 2015

The Power of Hope – Search for Significance Part II

“Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your future.” Robert H. Schuller

I recently visited a village that has continually inspired me during my time here in Cambodia. You may remember I wrote about it the first time discussing my Search for Significance.

During that visit the primary school principal and community invited our group to work with them planting flowers and trees to landscape where Samaritan’s Purse is working with the community to construct a new primary school for Bos Thom village. 

I was very touched by the experience because what I saw was Cambodians and foreigners, young and old, working side by side. It was a beautiful partnership where everyone was investing in one goal: a better future for the children of the village.
Principal Min showing students how to plant flowers

During the visit I was especially touched when I watched the principal. He was working harder than anyone! What a picture of servant leadership! Then I noticed something else that was really special. He was going from student to student helping them plant their flower or tree and then gently teaching them how to do it correctly. Although I couldn’t understand all of his words I could see and hear the care in his voice and touch. When I saw him working so diligently with the students I realized in the simplest of tasks of planting flowers he was trying to instill hope for the future in the children.

Later I was talking with Sophea Ngath, the program manager from Samaritan’s Purse. She told me the first time she asked the village leaders about their hopes and dreams for the future they were very reluctant. They replied they were afraid to dream. They were afraid their dreams and hopes for the children were too big and that they would fail to accomplish them. But after Sophea's encouragement they said no matter how difficult the situation in the village they would begin to discuss their hopes for the future and begin to develop a plan. Sophea helped them with developing their plan and the community began working towards their dream.

Little did they know, Samaritan’s Purse was working to help them see those dreams become a reality. In January Samaritan’s Purse started working with the community to construct a new primary school building. The primary school building is only part of the communities dream and they are working diligently on the rest of the plan!

On a repeat visit Sophea said the village leaders told her how excited they were. When they started dreaming and planning they expected it would take a very long time to even get started. But once they started putting action to their hopes and dreams, they've been shocked at how partnering together, we've all seen in a few months what they thought would take 5 to 10 years to happen!
A young boy sitting in front of the new primary school
under construction where he'll be a student soon.

Reflecting on my observations of Principal Min and his imparting of vision and hope to the children and community, even in the smallest act of planting flowers and trees. And, reflecting on the experience of the village leaders, I realize hope is a powerful component of a significant life. It’s not just that we should have hope for ourselves and our own future, but that we should encourage and envision others with hope.

The work I am involved with requires project management, logical frameworks and strategic planning. Those are all great road maps. But, the fuel that drives the car down the road, or even the fuel that drives the explorer who drew the map in the first place is, a hope and a dream. Without hope we’ll either fail to develop a worthwhile plan that changes things, fail to inspire others, or even worse we’ll never even try to make things better.

“What gives me the most hope every day is God's grace; knowing that his grace is going to give me the strength for whatever I face, knowing that nothing is a surprise to God.” Rick Warren

I now ask myself “How am I inspiring hope in the lives of others in what I am doing today? Especially, Hope in Christ! How can I help them plan and act in moving forward to see those hopes and dreams fulfilled?


"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13