2004 – From Awareness To Activism?

2004 – From Awareness To Activism?
P. Scott Cummins © 2004 The Urbane R

The overnight flight from London to Entebbe had been long and many passengers awake the greater portion of it. Onboard were mostly well-dressed people, mainly African, bearing the stoic manner of experienced business travelers. Scattered in small groups were several young people, European it seemed, already dressed for work outdoors under the equatorial sun. After the second (or was it third?) movie, as the flight neared its end, people could stand it no more – and began to mill around the cabin. I struck up a conversation with an affable septuagenarian, Norwegian as it turned out – a man with many prior trips to Africa. He spoke in admiration for a group of his fellow citizens seated nearby, in the early twenties – on their way to teach landmine removal in Southern Sudan – funded by the Lutheran World Federation and their national government. I asked him what it felt like, on a flight injecting him back into his work dealing with intense poverty and overwhelming disease issues, to face the “cultural imperialism” of Hollywood movies. His response made it clear he was no iconoclast: “I quite enjoyed it, actually – particularly the last one with Albert Finney.” He was unabashed in his appreciation of the United States, which had donated over $150 million for direct assistance in Southern Sudan over the last two years, and had made commitment for over $180 million more going forward for the next biennium. “Ten years ago this month, horrible genocide broke out in Rwanda” he said. Adding “the despair had turned to anger, anger to blame, blame to hatred, and hatred to unimaginable killing. There was no ‘hope’ in 1994, in the way of direct involvement by Europe or America. Today the Darfur region in Southern Sudan is on the cusp, things can break either way.” He than added that the Norwegian government had donated almost $75 million (U.S.) for this purpose, while other nations of his country’s general economic size were donating in the range of one tenth that sum or less – so in many ways he said, Norwegians felt a sense of partnership with America.

Reflecting back on that conversation at the close of this year, I cannot help but appreciate the sense of community here which has brought Magnolia neighbors together to assist our Terry McGill and Sister Schools with empowering work in Uganda over the last eighteen years. And the beacon of hope and opportunity which Uganda, in turn, provides to its neighbors like Sudan because of its progress and healing in the wake of genocide there a quarter century ago. Neighbor working with neighbor to assist, endow and encourage. Here at home, and around the world.

In a community like Magnolia we have much to be thankful for, and a lot of people to thank. 2004, no doubt, marks a year with the largest outpouring of community-minded giving in many a decade. Ambitious and beneficial projects in the arts, recreation and environment were brought to fruition this year – and not even an African-style tropical downpour on day one of our wonderful Community Festival this summer could dampen enthusiasm for the sharing and growth in those programs as people connected at the booths there. As well, in the going-on two decades that I have lived here, direct community service projects by youth service organizations such as Camp Fire and Scouts have been growing continuously, with 2004 a banner year.

My sense is that this spirit of outreach is based not only on an “attitude of gratitude” - but crucially as well on leadership by sustained example from many community heroes among us. Take the example which eclipses all others: the post World War II era of construction that created our community – and not only its homes, but houses of worship. That era took commitment and sacrifice – families deciding not only to take on home mortgages, but to join with their neighbors and add the stress of financial responsibility for debt related to church facilities – construction often done by families themselves after work and on weekends. We are the beneficiaries of that spirit to this day – because of them we can gather to foster human services, community consensus, artistic expression and yes, even spiritual growth. There is great substance behind the affection with which we refer to our neighbors from The Greatest Generation.

Catch that spirit; it will benefit your life and family in ways unimagined until you are empowered. There are many opportunities for you in our community. Find something that touches your heart. Make a commitment. And dive in. There are many organizations with gifted leaders – true workhorses – that know how to tap your unique talents. You will be respected and appreciated. In many, if not most cases, the hard work of start up and organization has been done. Experience the true meaning of the holidays this year – the Community Center with its wall full of flyers and brochures to give you ideas, is just one of many doors open to you right here in Magnolia.

My holiday wish for you and all you hold dear is to take the opportunity to feel that which was once at the heart of this time of year – and by doing so find a way to make it part of what you hold precious about life itself – and to keep on experiencing this throughout 2005 and beyond. If you do that, Magnolia will be a far better place, as will Sudan, Uganda, and our entire world.