I have someone who I would like you to meet!
Trip Start
Aug 27, 2010
1
10
14
Trip End
Dec 13, 2010
Cape Town South Africa, Western Cape, South Africa
Saturday, October 2, 2010
I want to introduce you all to someone. Though personally I have never spoken to him, I have seen enough and been around this person long enough to tell you how inspiring he is. I have never encountered an individual with so much wisdom, optimism, encouragement, humor, laughter, love and joy. If you haven't already guessed, I am talking about Arch (aka Desmond Tutu). For some reason, God has handpicked 600 students to share the voyage of a lifetime with this world leader for four months. If any of you are not aware of how Arch has helped the world, please look him up or read one of his books, trust me, you will be doing yourself a favor. I am guilty myself of not fully being aware of his influence before the notion of Semester At Sea came into my life. Arch is the retired Archbishop of Cape Town, head of many types of council, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, a husband, father, friend and most importantly a follower of God. I’ve always thought that to be a leader in the world and change it, it takes a certain person to fill those shoes, but the more I interact around and with Arch, I find how inaccurate that thought is. Arch is a spectacular individual and his love, values, joy and presence stand out in a crowd, but there is nothing about his being that has created those distinctions. The defining factor that makes Arch stand out is he is one individual who when God said, follow me, followed. His whole life is surrendered to Jesus Christ. There is simply no other explanation to explain how he has such radiating joy, compassion, laughter and love for humanity. It is through his glowing actions, and obedience and love for God that he was and still is able to change the world, get a country through apartheid, and influence both young and old. When it comes down to his core, Arch is no different than you and I. He is not some "super human" that God has placed in the world to bring it back to Shalom, simply, he is someone who lets God live through him. If I haven’t already made my point obvious, what I am saying is that we can all be “Desmond Tutu’s”. Yes God has a specific plan for each individual he created, but when we give God complete control of our hearts, minds and lives, he can use you and I just as powerfully as he has used Arch. Maybe it won’t come in the form of becoming a world leader or a Nobel Peace Prize winner, maybe it will be taking a couple minuets out of your day to sit and show love to someone by listening to them etc. The ways that God can use each one of us is countless, but when these actions and feelings are done through God, there can only be one outcome. That outcome is bringing a piece of heaven to someone’s life and putting a smile of Gods face. This message is as much aimed towards me as it is to you. I am not pointing any fingers, placing any judgment or asking anyone to completely change their lives. My only goal in writing this is to share my experience of how the mere presence of someone who gave up his own life to let God live through him can change the people around him (whether that be the world or the person you are sitting next to right now). I hope this all made at least a little sense to you; I just had to share what was filling my mind, heart and life with such joy. Thank you for listening and reading!
I miss you all, I cannot wait until the day when I shall see you all again!! There will be more blogs coming soonish because South Africa arrives TOMORROW!!
Leah
Comments
All the things you attributed to 'Arch' is what I see in you...wisdom, optimism, encouragement, humor, laughter, love and joy! Add to that 'sense of adventure' and 'sparkle' and that's you! I've been telling people who ask about you and your trip that you are the perfect one to maximize every opportunity and benefit from every experience on this trip. I'm so pleased you are loving every minute of it because then we get to experience it that way through you!