Friday, June 27, 2008

Couple of quotes...

Thought I'd post a couple of quotes and see if I could provoke some thoughtful responses or at least get you thinking.

The first is one I only recently encountered and it has made me think a lot about our relationship with clients, kids, our community, donors... and also my own motives for service:

“If you are coming to help me, you are wasting your time. If you are coming because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us struggle together.”
- Aboriginal Activist Group, Queensland, 1970's

The second one is a long-time favorite of mine that I first heard from John Perkins, a favorite author, speaker, CCDA guru, and one-time houseguest of mine on South Christian Street.

"Go to the people
Live among them
Learn from them
Love them
Start with what they know
Build on what they have:
But of the best leaders
When their task is done
The people will remark 'We have done it ourselves.'"
-Lao Tsu (various attributions, sometimes simply referred to as a Chinese proverb)

Pondering these quotes, I wonder... does my role and work here at Teen Haven and WSRM reflect what is expressed in these quotes? Should they?

-Jack Crowley, Teen Haven Director

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