3 Points to Ponder
- People of impact care deeply about causes. But, not every cause has our name on it. Are there causes you are giving energy towards that aren’t yours?
- Bridges are an amazing invention as they safely and effectively connect two previously unconnected areas. We are all bridges, connecting what is and what could be for ourselves and others. But, those bridges will need repair at some point. How are your structural pieces right now?
- People abuse bridges. They are overlooked, unappreciated, and overused. Who has been a bridge in your life that needs to be recognized today? Take the time to thank them for allowing you to go where you are now.
2 Quotes to Share
“Never forget where we came from and always praise the bridges that carried us over.” -Fannie Lou Hamer
“I will not tell you how long or short the way will be; only that it lies across a river. But do not fear that, for I am the great Bridge Builder.” – Aslan, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, C.S. Lewis
1 Story of Impact
Just down the road from our Sylvain, Haiti campus, there is an Indiana-Jones-style-swing bridge to cross from one side of the river to the other. When it opened, it revolutionized travel in this area, as people could safely go back and forth across the river. The only problem is that people continue to push the weight that crosses the bridge. It was designed for pedestrians, but soon, motorcycles started to cross. Those motorcycles with a single rider morphed into motos carrying 45-gallon barrels of water, sugar syrup, huge bags of rice, and multiple riders at the same time. The boards supporting the bridge started to break, with less-than-ideal repairs happening. We (Many Hands) now are working to get the bridge fixed as it is a critical crossing for us to continue to serve in hard-to-reach places.
As People of Impact, we are designed much like this bridge. We connect people from where they are now to where they want to go. We provide a path for people to go in a new direction and safely cross over trouble. At the same time, it is easy for us to take on too many challenges or challenges that don’t have our name on it. And because the weight is too much, our structural boards start to crack and no one can cross anymore. We can no longer reach the important and passionate areas we care deeply about. How is your bridge? And more importantly, are the right people or causes crossing your bridge? Or, is unnecessary wearing and cracking happening because you are letting the wrong things cross? Now in Haiti, we are working to repair the bridge, and it is going to be expensive. The better way is to only let cross the bridge what it was designed to carry in the first place.
