Please let me make something beautiful...a thing that reminds us there's good in the world. - Ben Rector
In the gathering area of the Rising Village shop yesterday, 10 sponsors gathered to "meet" their sponsored student. It was a technological miracle that we were able to FaceTime with 10 students in Ghana, but the real miracle was the connection that happened between people who live across the ocean from one another. Yes, the differences are all there: age, ethnicity, culture, socioeconomics, language. And yet, in that space, walls came down as sponsors spoke directly into the lives of their student. They expressed care, hope, and love for these children. They laughed with them, talked about school subjects, favorite colors and family. Many of these sponsors will never travel to Ghana to meet their student, but they are building relationships through letters, gatherings, FaceTime and prayers.
Does this really make a difference? In a world where there seems to be more division than unity, more confusion than clarity, we were all there for one purpose: to make the world just a little bit better for 10 students - and for us. We are changed when we reach our hearts and hands to build bridges. Even in those seemingly small acts, we are creating a better world one small step at a time. And it is those small steps that matter. More than ever, we believe that everything that happens within our organization and within the walls of our little shop on Route 66 in Tulsa can create beauty and make the world a little better. We reject fear and embrace hope.
Our prayer is simple: Please let us make something beautiful each day. We want to be a part of what is good in this world.
If you want to join us in this journey, please drop by our shop to learn more. If you are outside of Tulsa, send us an email (lisa@risingvillage.org) or pick up the phone and call us (918.605.9792). We'd love to give you the opportunity to make something beautiful!