Success

Wealth. Power. Happiness. Family. Friends. Partners. Luck. Hard Work. Dedication. Goals. What exactly determines success in the 21st Century and what is the definition of success? Is it achieving a set goal? Making millions off a successful product or service? Is it going to college and living a great life with a family? Ultimately success is defined by each individual. However, if you are aiming to have a successful life that is defined by how you change the environment around you--as an entrepreneur is concerned--how do you achieve that level of success that is noticed by society and be rewarded for it? For many who achieve success in the business world a string of many actions precipitated full fledged success. For instance, Bill Gates credits the fact that he was able to have access to a computer, in which most citizens did not, as a means for his future success. Imagine if Bill Gates never came into contact with a computer--what would the world look like? Some people are able to truly change society as we know it.

If you look at other success stories in the entrepreneur world, success comes from a myriad of opportunities, luck, perseverance, dedication, and resources. I believe that everyone has a success vision within them, but most will never be tapped. They will never have the opportunities they need, the resources, the support, or the luck. Today success is so narrowly defined and cultivated, that for many if you live outside of mainstream society and do not have the connections or education to progress and push your ideas, you may never be heard or seen. But just because you feel left out of the process and unable to push through to the front, success can be achieved in practically all areas overtime.

Simply start with a vision and truly think about how that vision can become real and truly positively impact society. Read articles, books, magazines, and other success stories that correlate with your vision. Then you must begin to write out those thoughts and ideas--mapping out the pros and cons, mission, vision, overall strategy for success, and any other details that come to mind. And most importantly talk to close friends and relatives that can provide encouragement and advice--the worse thing you can do is keep your vision bottled up. You may end up meeting someone who can move you further down the path to success. It is also vital that you believe in your vision--because people know when you truly believe in your passion and are more willing to join your cause. Lastly, take risks and do not give up. Nothing was ever started and completed without some form of risk taken--whether you need to take out loans to start a venture or work an extra 10 hours a week--whatever those risks are, ensure that they move you along in your quest for success and stay committed.

Success truly is what you make of it and how far you are willing to go. Through your success, I hope you find the most ultimate goal of all: Happiness.

Peace,

JM

"It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something."
--President Franklin D. Roosevelt

"I have learned, that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."
--Henry David Thoreau

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly."
--Robert F. Kennedy

Change Not Charity

I found this description of what true progressive social change is and I loved it! It bases the idea of social change on the act of not just helping one person, but fixing the underlying problems that plague whole communities--such as poverty, education reform, joblessness, drugs, etc. In order to truly create lasting and sustainable social change, we must be willing to fight for it--changing laws, partnering with other like-minded groups, and educating the populace on the issues at hand. Social change is also based on working with the communities in which the change is being fought for.

It is very important to listen to the needs of the community in which the social change is needed. Social change is truly a hands-on, in the trenches type of system and requires a long-term sustained effort. Charities play a vital role in our society--however too often they are not helping to solve the underlying and systemic problems in which poor, urban and rural communities are facing. People are not just looking for handouts, they are looking for a new rejuvenated American society.

I am hoping to have an organization in place within the next couple of months aimed at bringing together young college graduates to create projects aimed at social change in local urban and rural communities by working with local and state government agencies, community groups, citizens, other non-profits, and businesses. I believe that change must start from the bottom up and it is up to our generation to make that change happen.

Peace & Love,

JM

ARTICLE: http://www.fundforsouth.org/social_change.htm

What is progressive social change?

While traditional charities generally respond to the symptoms of entrenched social problems, the Funding Exchange network supports those who identify underlying causes and working to change these conditions. This is a core value of progressive social change as reflected in the phrase, "Change, not Charity" ™. Social change organizing:

• Builds community-based responses, not solutions that affect just a few individuals and leave the underlying social problems intact.

• Changes attitudes, behaviors, laws, policies and institutions to better reflect the values of inclusion, fairness, diversity and opportunity.

• Insists on accountability and responsiveness among institutions, including the government, large corporations, universities and other entities whose policies and actions profoundly affect the living conditions of individuals and communities, whether locally, nationally, or internationally.

• Expands the meaning and practice of "democracy" by involving those closest to social problems in determining their solutions.

Because progressive social change involves making significant changes on a systemic level, conflict with those who hold power is often inevitable. The power that social change organizations bring to the table is their ability to organize, to educate and to mobilize.

Progressive social change is a profoundly democratic undertaking. At its best, people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, abilities and ages join together in developing and implementing creative solutions to social problems. Organizing amplifies the voices of those whose interests are too often overlooked.

Money alone does not bring about change; nor do individuals. But when people band together and form organizations to focus their collective power, social change can happen. When a large number of organizations work together toward a common goal, that's a movement. Movements make change.

On the surface, social change movements appear to be spontaneous bursts of energy, a sweep of people, outraged and energized, rising forth to demand some form of change. But in truth, social change movements flow from careful organizing, massive public education, sustained agitation, and, at times, inspired collaboration across the divides of race, gender and class. These movements are driven by human energy, intelligence, courage -- as well as money.

The following may help give a more concrete understanding of social change:

SOCIAL CHANGE- n.1.) The structural transformation of political,
social and economic systems and institutions
to create a more equitable and just society.

2. Proponents target the underlying causes of critical social problems, such as homelessness, discrimination and poverty.

3. While a variety of organizing and advocacy methods are utilized, social change organizations are characterized by activism, cooperation, persistence, and dedication of their members. (Example: An association of people with developmental disabilities working collectively to address issues of discrimination by empowering its members to advocate for themselves and collectively challenging service providers, government agencies and other institutions to ensure equal access and rights for ALL developmentally disabled people.)

Opposite: Status quo; charity; business as usual;
temporary solutions

Changing Education For Good

President Obama has made education reform a top tier issue in his administration. He pledges to focus on creating higher standards for teachers, ensuring every child gets early childhood education, and giving every qualified high school graduate an opportunity to attend college just to name a few. However, the President cannot do this on his own. We as citizens must forcefully speak out on behalf of our children and our school systems. Every year more than one million students drop out of high school--which leaves a tremendous gap in our nation's ability to create a socially sustainable environment for the future. Here are five ways you can get involved now to make an immediate impact in a child's life and to help put education reform in the forefront of national politics:

1. Speak Out
Write to your local newspaper or college paper on the importance of ensuring every child gets a first-rate education. In the long run, an educated child is better not just for his or her own good, but for America's overall economy and development.

2. Mentor a Child
Children of all ages look up to those older than them--especially if you can relate to their hopes, fears, and dreams. Visit a local school nearby and volunteer a couple of hours a week or a day to spend time helping a child with his or her homework and mentoring them. Not only will they gain a new perspective in life, but so will you.

3. Contact Your Local & National Representatives
Send an e-mail to your local, state, and national leaders pressuring them to fight for public education and to ensure it stays on the map. Leaders respond to their constituents if they receive a high volume of letters and messages on a specific topic. Tell them how you feel about education, how important it is to ensure public schools are fully funded and strong, and how they can make a difference in ensuring education reform occurs.

4. Create Your Own Program
If you feel very passionate about education reform, start your own program or club aimed at incorporating all of these tools into one. Hold campus or school fundraisers to help low-income schools get the books, supplies, and technologies children need to succeed in the 21st Century.

5. Commit to National Service
There are so many national service programs aimed at reforming America's inner city and rural schools from City Year to Teach for America to Teaching Fellows. Find out which program works for you and make a difference. The more young people we can have dedicated to education reform,the better our nations long-term prognosis will be.

We can all make a difference and truly fight for those who have no voice--children. Stand up for education reform and help spread the word that education reform is vital for a strong and lasting American society.

Men Must Want To Be Great

As a member of a Fraternity in my collegiate years, Sigma Phi Epsilon, and a Brother for life, I feel empowered to think about the meaning of my time in Sig Ep and how it has created a foundation for who I am today. The history of Sig Ep is broad--founded in 1901 at Richmond College in Virginia by 12 young, idealistic, amazing young men--they dared to be different. Sigma Phi Epsilon was founded on the belief that men must want to be great--and that through this greatness they must abide by a set of founding principles that still hold true today--Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love. Virtue--standing for honesty and truth in all walks of life, Diligence--always striving for greatness through hard work and perseverance, and Brotherly Love--the act of loving oneself first in order to truly love another.

I now know that being in Sigma Phi Epsilon while in college was truly an uplifting and spiritual experience. I learned that life is precious, that each day is a challenge that must be met, and that as a brother I owe to my nation and earth a persistent goal to create positive social change, so we leave this place we call home better off for the next generation. Always striving to learn, build, create, serve, help, grow, and most importantly love. C.A. Jenkens, one of the founding brothers of the Fraternity once wrote "the name of Sigma Phi Epsilon was born in the philosophy of love--the only foundation on which the world can have peace. This is the principle on which our Fraternity was founded."

Jenkens wrote that his founding of the Fraternity came about while sleeping at his desk one evening when he fell asleep and began to dream. He dreamed of an earth filled with death, hate, destruction, and unhappiness, in which he saw "ten hundred thousand monuments to the newly dead soldiers of the earth". He asked the Recording Angel why was this happening and what did it mean. The Angel responded "Men have failed to understand the simple teachings of the Prince of the Earth". Jenkens awoke from his dream wondering exactly what this meant to him and his future. As he slept for the night he dreamed again--this time he saw a world filled with happiness, children walking to school, people singing, churches filled with people, and "the nations of the earth were at peace, every nation with its brother nation."

Lastly, he asked the Angel what brought this change on the earth--and "the Angel of God" pointed Jenkens to a passage of Scripture: Matthew 22:37-40. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."--Thus creating the core foundation of Sigma Phi Epsilon-Love. If we all truly cared for another and loved one another like true Brothers, peace would be the resulting effect. Through love we gain understanding, power, trust, and the ability to live a life based on the care and concern of the least of us. So when someone ask me why I joined a Fraternity I can tell them it wasn't about me, it was about you and everyone else. I am here to serve, to make the world a better place through the betterment of myself and my fellow man. All of our lives should be a beacon of hope, idealism, and prosperity for the rest of the world to replenish from. We shall be the leaders of today, tomorrow, and forever. But, we must always stay true to our ideals and values--because through these core values we will be better men for it and will truly change the world.

HFF
JM
So As You Think, So You Will Be.--Think Great, Be Great.

"I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past."-Thomas Jefferson

This Fraternity will be different; it will be based on the love of God and the principle of peace through brotherhood...its purpose shall be to intensify and perpetuate friendship and promote happiness among its members, to encourage literature and education, and to create such sentiments, mold such opinions, and perform such deeds as shall conduce to the building of a noble and pure manhood.

-Sig Ep Charter, October 20, 1902

Model Outline (PowerPoint Notes)

Social-Community Sustainability Model for Education Reform
Joshua A. Murphy

Young people who are engaged in their communities, who see the link between a solid education and a solid job--that believe that their home is a sacred place, that their lives are more important than drugs, gangs, or violence--these and much more are all vital in our quest to change and inspire a new generation of individuals.

Objectives in the Social-Community Model for Education Reform

(1) Education reform is linked directly with community and social reform.

Objective #2
Empowering inner city communities to become caretakers and reformists of their own lives and neighborhoods will positively impact our nation for generations to come.

Objective #3
Increasing personal development and life skills within our communities and schools is a method to empower lasting social change.

Objective #4
Challenging all people to take positive risks and become independent entrepreneurs and leaders is a positive step for our society.

Objective #5
Failure to believe that all people are of self-worth and of vital importance to the future success of America and the international community will only lead to increased social welfare and dependency, lack of innovation, a stagnant economy, and decreased independence on ones own natural gifts, ideals, and hopes.

Why are these objectives important?
(1) They could provide a powerful tool in our quest to truly change and empower American society.

(2) They provide a comprehensive plan to tackle not just community and social ills within our urban communities, but the reformation of our education system.

(3) They unite all people to the belief that each and every person has self-worth and contribute to American and global economic and social well-being.

How can we accomplish these objectives and what does this model look like?

We must focus on these vital areas that determine the success or failure of communities and the people that live within them.

(1) Home
(2) Business/Economic Development
(3) School
(4) Government

Model

• HOME

1. Steady Income

In order for a family to succeed, they need a steady flow of income. This ensures their ability to save for their child's education, to be active participants in an economic system, and provide for the community as a whole.

1. High School graduates at the least

The more education a family has the better off they will be. Education determines social & community status, financial stability/well-being, and the ability to grow and change with the new and difficult times we are facing. a family to succeed, they need a steady flow of income. This ensures their ability to save for their child's education, to be active participants in an economic system, and provide for the community as a whole.

1. Two loving and involved parents

Family setting is instrumental in the success of a child and a community. Parents that are involved, loving, and care about their child and the social well-being of others around them is a deciding factor in the outcome of a successful social change model.

• BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
  

1. Intertwined in the community (sponsoring school & neighborhood events)

It is vital that business and community groups stay active and involved in the happenings of the community through sponsoring community events, bringing new jobs and development, and providing worth while activities and ventures for citizens.

1. Varied/Thriving

The more varied types of businesses and economic development within a community the better. A mix of banks, doctors, stores, community centers, churches, and mixed developments the better.

1. Accessible Transportation

Communities of all sorts, especially rural, need a thriving transportation system for its citizens. This allows for all people to be active participants in the economic development of a community.

• SCHOOLS

1. Engaging and Challenging:

Students deserve schools that have a varied and strong curriculum that is challenging, engaging, and diverse. Increased courses in individual career skills and opportunities are key to college and real-world success.

1. Connected with families and community:

Schools must not only be connected with its students and staff, but also families and the community as a whole. Schools should be a thriving example of the wholeness of our society—breeding idealistic, intelligent, and driven individuals who feel a need to stay connected to their community.

1. Teacher and administrative development

Teachers and school administrators must consistently be on the forefront of educational development, teaching strategies, and leadership development to ensure education reform is continuous and ever-lasting.

• GOVERNMENT

1. Low Taxes

People and Communities thrive when they are based on individual needs and economic prosperity. By ensuring small businesses and families are able to diversify their spending, saving, and investments, communities as a whole will thrive.

1. Business & Community Development

Government must be a partner in the development of new businesses and community needs by providing small business loans, planning, and assistance to new ventures and ensuring fair and stable economic rules and policies.

1. Limited social safety nets would be necessary to ensure success in times of economic instability:

Once a community is thriving and continuously growing and expanding, this will reduce the need for social welfare—and increase individual economic development and prosperity. Government should therefore switch to safety net mode—ensuring that families are able to have a relatively safe lifestyle and defend against economic instability in times of crisis.

Three important outcomes from this model

1. Improved social & economic output
When individuals have the tools and capabilities to empower their own economic well-being, they are then able to share this with others in their communities—creating a lasting social and economical growth pattern.

2. Lower crime rates
Due to decreased dependence on illegal activities to survive—this will lead to decreased crime, lessen repeat incarcerations, and provide for a more stable community in the short and long-term.

3. Higher graduation rates among students
Young people who grow up in a more stable, economically and socially sound community are more likely to graduate high school and to attend college. This would then create a legacy of economic, social, and educational success.

• Conclusion

We cannot continue to disregard the importance of social and economic change in our mission to reform our schools and our communities--economic and health inequality just to name a few. These objectives are all intricately linked--they feed off of one another for good or for worse.
Investing in strong and independent communities will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come and provide a new model for education reform connected to the social and economic well-being of our society as a whole.

Social-Community Sustainability Model for Education Reform

Social-Community Sustainability Model for Education Reform

Home:

• Two loving & involved Parents
• Steady Income
• High School graduates at the least

Business/economic development:

• Intertwined in the community (sponsoring school & neighborhood events)
  
• Varied/Thriving
• Banks and Doctors
• Accessible Transportation (especially in rural communities)

School:

• Engaging & challenging
• Connected with families and the community
• Teacher and administration development

Government:

• Low Taxes
• Business & community development
• Limited social safety nets would be necessary to ensure success in times of economic instability
  

Through this model we have three important outcomes:

1. Improved social & economic output
2. Lower crime rates
3. Higher graduation rates among students

All of these are important parts of the community that are intertwined and feed off of one another and are vital to bring about true and lasting independent social and community change.

Questions to ask:

What would a successful home look like in a community and how would it relate to a child succeeding in school?

How should business interact with the community and what sort of businesses would be vital?

When you think of a great school, how does it look and feel--not just for the student, but for parents and the community as a whole?

If the community is thriving and the schools are succeeding, what should governments role look like and how should it interact with the community and people as a whole?

If all of these pieces are working together successfully--Home, Business, School, and government what should the final outcome look like for that community and the people within it?

A New Model for Social and Educational Reform

Americas investment in its public education system is the vital issue of our generation. The reforms we take part in today will dictate whether or not we create a generation of learners, dreamers, thinkers, creators, inventors, and builders for tomorrow. We cannot continue to argue whether or not school vouchers are better than 100% public school education or if charter schools can fully prepare our young people for the real world or if private schools are the only savior for a "real" education. Simply put, we must ensure every child is receiving a first-rate education everywhere regardless of race, belief, or social/economical upbrining. I suppose the big question then becomes what is a first rate education? Lets start with the basics: (1) Parents who mentor and ensure their child is attending class and respecting his or her teacher, (2) Students who come prepared and willing to learn every single day and expect a challenge, and (3) Teachers and school administrators who are fully prepared, excited, and qualified to teach our next generation of Americans.

There are many examples of school systems that fail to accomplish any of those goals and there are also many who greatly match and exceed them--and those are the schools we should be studying and looking at as a model for school reform and social change. We also cannot continue to endlessly throw money at schools that are simply failing our young people. There must be an end to excuses, poor results, mismanagement of resources, and failed expectations. If we expect our young people to want to learn, to be excited and able to do so, we must first offer them a product that is worthwhile and prepares them for not only the challenges of today, but for the hopes and dreams of the future. I truly believe that the future prosperity of our nation depends on the fate of our urban and rural school districts and communities alike. We must begin to truly understand these communities--meeting with parents, students, teachers, administrators, experts, and so forth, to forge ahead in a new model for education reform that directly links with a new model for social change and economic prosperity.

Young people who are engaged in their communities, who see the link between a solid education and a solid job--that believe that their home is a sacred place, that their lives are more important than drugs, gangs, or violence--these and much more are all vital in our quest to change and inspire a new generation of individuals. It won't happen over night or in a couple of years--but through the sharing of ideas and knowledge I believe we can overcome these great challenges. Through the building and linking of young people and parents with not just their school, but their surrounding environment I believe we can bring about real change. Having families create and run their own businesses, helping to build their own homes and schools, making them directly responsible for their own failure or success--and guiding them with the necessary tools for strong financial planning, educational growth, life skills, and so forth--I believe would be a new and interesting model for a better society for many living in poverty without hope or purpose.

We cannot simply depend on schools to do all of these things and still be able to fully educate our young people. There must be a partnership that brings together many ideas, community and business groups, and families. The investment would not only benefit those who join it, but also our society as a whole through the lessening of social welfare, the rise in prison rates, violence, drug use and instead would create a generation of independent, self-motivated, dream driven idealists who would create a new American legacy. When we are able to show young people who have been denied success all their life, who have been told they cannot go over the mountain, and who simply see life as a dead-end, we are able to expand on the idea that we are all in this together and that with every success story comes proof that given a challenge, a chance, and the right education--anything is possible.

We cannot continue to disregard the importance of social and economic change in our mission to reform our schools and our communities--economic and health inequality just to name a few. These ventures and goals are all intricately linked--they feed off of one another for good or for worse. So just close your eyes for a minute and imagine a community that wholeheartedly embraces their culture, their dreams and goals, their schools and leaders, and that feed off success rather than failure, hope instead of hopelessness, prosperity over depression, and the belief that each and every one of us can control our own futures and in turn open up new doors for a better and more enriching life. We can do this and we must or we are putting aside a whole generation of young people into the pits of failure and demise that will affect this country and this world for centuries to come. I challenge our leaders and each of us to stand up for a new model of education and community reform that embraces these ideas and beliefs:

(1) Education reform is linked directly with community and social reform,
(2) Empowering inner city communities to become caretakers and reformists of their own lives and neighborhoods will positively impact our nation for generations to come,
(3) Increasing personal development and life skills within our communities and schools is a method to empower lasting social change,
(4) Challenging all people to take positive risks and become independent entrepreneurs and leaders is a positive step for our society, and
(5) Failure to believe that all people are of self-worth and of vital importance to the future success of America and the international community will only lead to increased social welfare and dependency, lack of innovation, a stagnant economy, and decreased independence on ones own natural gifts, ideals, and hopes.

I know this is a broad thesis on the link between social change and education reform, but I believe we must begin to think much broader in how we can inspire and empower a lost generation of young people. We have watched for decades as our society has left millions of people behind without any regard to human dignity or support. The idea that there is this American dream for every family that wants it is not plausible in the 21st century. We now live in a melting pot of different ideas, beliefs, cultures, hopes, dreams, and crisis. Teaching our children with the same methods of our parents generation is not working. Building more prisons, rather than solving the underlying problems of crime and drug use is not working. Investing in short term solutions, even with our long term prognosis looking mediocre at best is not working. We must begin to simply not just think outside of the box, but tear it down. With over one million students dropping out every year from high school, rising crime and drug rates, increased financial instability, rising health care costs and lack of coverage, changing industries wiping out whole communities, and international competition for American jobs and college entrance slots--I am not sure there will be any American dream in 10 years if we do not start seeing the link between all of the things I wrote about earlier in this post.

Let us not fear the future, but lets see it as a rising challenge to be solved by new minds and new ideas, but also let us not fear the idea that our lives are linked by the success and failure of the least of us.

JM

"We are social creatures, our behaviors are shaped and constrained by social norms and expectations. Negotiating change is best pursued at the level of groups and communities. Social support is particularly vital in breaking habits, and in devising new social norms and more sustainable patterns of consumption. Government can play a vital role in nurturing and supporting community based social change."
---Professor Tim Jackson, University of Surrey

"Unless we involve people in the definition of their problems and the choice of solutions, we will produce a thin governing system that produces public services that patch over problems rather than going to their heart."
--Gerry Stoker, Chair of the New Local Government Network (NLGN) think-tank and Professor of Political Science at Manchester University.

"“No real social change has ever been brought about without a revolution - Revolution is but thought carried into action”
--Emma Goldman

“In embracing change, entrepreneurs ensure social and economic stability”
--George Gilder

"“Education is not to reform students or amuse them or to make them expert technicians. It is to unsettle their minds, widen their horizons, inflame their intellects, teach them to think straight, if possible.”
--Robert Hutchins

"The strongest bond of human sympathy outside the family relation should be one uniting working people of all nations and tongues and kindreds."
--Abraham Lincoln

"One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade."
--Chinese Proverb

Finding Yourself, By Giving of Yourself

In church this morning I heard a really awesome message from my pastor--and it was really a point of motivation and inspiration. I'm sure if any of you have read the Bible or your own religious book of scripture even once or heard anything about Jesus, the idea & power of sacrifice and truly submitting ones self to a higher calling is of utmost prudence. However, for some reason it really stuck to me this morning and I can't stop thinking about it. For many Christians lent is a time to give up something in preparation for Easter and the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ. Instead of simply giving up something, why not choose to do something. It is very important that we recognize there are many bad habits we should be working to give up every single day, but there are those habits in which many of us should be choosing to follow and accomplish everyday, mainly the act of service and giving to those who need us.

I think many times we forget about the trials and tribulations occurring to those who cannot lift themselves up, who have no hope or promise, or reason to live. And that should be the calling of many of us, to rise to that challenge and give of ourselves in a hope that those who are impoverished, are starving, who live without shelter or education, will gain a new life through our service to them and for them. In times of economic strife and hardship, it is easy to fully be concerned with our own vices, as we should partially, but lets not forget how we can really change the world. I applaud those who take up such admirable professions such as nursing, medicine, counseling, teaching, non-profit and faith-based community organizations, national and international service organizations, and so forth. These people are truly the back bone of our civilization and help to provide hope and promise to millions of people world wide. It is through them that we can still believe that the world is a better place, then many of us are led to believe.

So to those who are finishing up high school and college or even those who are older feel the need to make a difference, I ask you to challenge yourself-to truly think anew about how you can really change the world. Will you take a year off before grad school and visit a far away land to teach a young child English or help to build a clean water supply for an impoverished people? Will you join a national non-profit and work with low-income families so that they too can see the promise of America and what she has to offer to those who believe? We are all so young and yes life is short--but know that every second of your life has a purpose and it is up to you fulfill your true calling--whatever that may be. Take some time to evaluate who you are, who you want to become, what is your purpose and how you can be a truly positive and monumental impact in the lives of others in need. I promise that through this service and sacrifice you will come to know YOU more so than you ever have before.

JM


"Hungry not only for bread - but hungry for love. Naked not only for clothing - but naked for human dignity and respect. Homeless not only for want of a room of bricks - but homeless because of rejection."
--Mother Theresa
“The Roots of Violence: Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Knowledge without character, Commerce without morality, Science without humanity, Worship without sacrifice, Politics without principles”
--Ghandi

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

-Jesus (Matthew 6:19-21)