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The Miracle Mile of Marble April 9, 2007

Posted by revolutionaryintraining in Africa, Hope, Poverty.
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Like every other day, it was intensely hot and I was feeling rather faint due to the fact that I hardly sweat. This is not a good condition to have if you are trekking through Africa as I was in the spring of 2001, and it was made worse by the cumbersome long skirt and sleeved t-shirt I was required to wear as an illustration of “proper” Christian femininity. Nonetheless, I sucked it up (water included) and set up the hill to see what all this talk of “The Great Basilica” was about. As I reached the crest of the hill my breath was taken away – not from dehydration or asthma – but the astounding beauty of the Basilique de Notre Dame de la Paix, the world’s largest basilica (Christian church). 

Here in Yamoussoukro, the capital of Côte d’Ivoire, amidst a great sea of poverty, is a structure so opulent, magnificent, and extravagant that I was convinced I had been magically transported to another land. The guards at the gate seemed to think so, too, because they insisted that when one set foot on the property they were actually in Rome, Italy and thus required a passport… which I had, of course, recently lost. I wasn’t about to miss this opportunity of a lifetime so, after shooting down thoughts of revealing a little of the leg hidden under my skirt, I retained my reputation to the students I was leading by utilizing my flattering french skills and charming smile to gain entrance to the kingdom. 

In all my travels throughout Europe, overdosing on the endless cathedrals which loom on every corner, I have never seen anything as astounding as this basilica. Standing inside the church, starring up at the lavish fixtures and ornate stained glass windows and then climbing up to the outdoor observatory, I was confronted by the severly impovrished city which lay below and all around this beautiful monstrosity. The contrast was painfully evident and I felt torn between the sacredness of the building and the injustice of the suffering people who would have greatly benefited from the $300 million it took to create this church, all so the Pope would visit for a day. 

However, I admit my own visit that day found me standing on the platform at the front of the church (where the Pope would speak), surrounded by the courtyard’s tall, magestic columns and the shining, mile long marble driveway stretched out in front of me, giving an inspirational speech, complete with grand gestures and a booming voice, to the invisible spectators crowded around. The following Sunday my vision was realized as this marble driveway was filled to overflowing with locals gathered to hear the message of hope realized in the Pentecost. From my view, this time outside the gates, I could see the faces of people filled with joy. People who had walked here from homes without running water, electricity or enough food to feed their families. They had left behind their poverty, and were standing on the richness of their faith with unwavering hope. To many their hope was unrealistic and even blind, but that day I saw the miracle hope could bring… and it was clear that all the marble in the world couldn’t buy it.

Revolutionary Ready! April 5, 2007

Posted by revolutionaryintraining in Africa, Passion, Stories.
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I’ve always known that I wanted to use my life to change the world for the better and have long struggled to find that place where my passions and skills would come together in my dream job. Lately I realized that if I was ever going to be a revolutionary I needed to get very clear about my dreams and make sure that my actions were aligned with my purpose. Using The Path: Creating Your Mission Statement for Work and for Life by Laurie Beth Jones, I discovered that my mission is to inspire, empower and encourage people to live passionate and fulfilling lives of service.

Any great mission also needs a powerful vision statement of what it wants to accomplish. My vision is to change the world by being a catalyst for personal and social transformation. As I’m particularly passionate about using television to transform lives through the telling of personal stories, I thought immediately of a certain media mogul and knew this was the direction for my dreams. So I’m setting forward with a resolvedly positive attitude, divine inspiration and some creative ideas knowing that a way will be made even when I can’t see exactly how.

Looking back know I see that my passion to change lives around the world started as a young girl watching the African Children’s Choir perform at our church. I was mesmerized by the kids’ stories of loss and suffering and yet how hopeful and full of joy they were. I would spend hours singing along to their tapes despite the fact that I hadn’t a clue what I was saying! As an adult I’ve had the opportunity to travel widely throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and North America meeting many people and hearing their different stories. I’ve seen first hand how narratives have the power to cross boundaries of race, religion and culture and I’m excited to *finally* pursue my dreams with courage, focus and relentless enthusiasm. This is one revolutionary who is ready to jump out of the boat and risk it all for the sake of a dream.