“a lack of something requisite, desirable, or useful,” “a
physiological or psychological requirement for the well-being of an
organism,” or “lack of the means of subsistence,” to name a
few. These definitions may seem
broad and general, but could be summarized in laymen’s terms as “a lack of
something that if added would bring a higher quality of life to an individual.” The world is full of these spoken
needs, some physical, some mental, some emotional, and some spiritual; however
today the need I will focus on is the need of education and example. These needs of more education and more
examples do not fit nicely into one category or another but have the ability to
encompass so many other basic needs of people around the world.
The best way to convey these needs
is through a few examples. In
Africa there are many, many people dying in relation to the AIDS
virus; I believe
this is due to a lack of education and examples within the community. Of course this is an issue that the
world is becoming more and more informed about as we raise money for the RED
campaign, and Oprah opens schools all over Africa. The awareness rising in America is great, and yes, we can
help, but I feel the education and awareness needs to be more focused within
the townships of South Africa and the villages of Botswana, in the midst of the
people suffering from this horrid disease. In South Africa my team all got tested for HIV and spent a
day learning more than any textbook had ever taught us. We were the first people all month to
receive back negative results. 
The
tests were free and the education necessary. In the grand scheme of things I feel that a focus on
educating the people on this disease along with providing a living example
within their community could in turn begin alleviating many of the other needs
in the area as a perk. Less AIDS
could lead to less orphans as people live a longer life and less poverty as
people can hold jobs longer, but not without clearly communicated education and
lives of examples.
Another example would be the
beautiful women all around the world stuck in a life of prostitution in which
they see no way out. Again, I feel
this is a problem that could use more education and examples. In Asia, there were many women working
in the bars, selling their bodies in order to provide for their families. I believe that an education of some
other types of occupations and ways to make money would provide a different and
better option for these women to continue providing for their families. If this theory then 
proved to be true,
it could lead in to a plethora of living examples of ex-prostitutes within the
community providing hope to those still stuck in this miserable occupation. (I am well aware that there are some
women trafficked in to this lifestyle, but in this example I am speaking of the
many who choose it because they feel there is no other way.) Once again, I believe that with this
education and with these examples other 
needs could be eliminated as a
by-product. Women would have other
ways to provide for their families and could then be more existent in the life
of their children and/or receive less STDs living a longer and fuller life.
in inner city America as only few truly grasp the concept of a better tomorrow
and keep from getting stuck in the cycle of their parents and grandparents
before. Before the race I worked
at an urban
Christian sports camp and have developed a love for the kids andyouth of inner city America.
However, the cycle of getting pregnant in their early teens and dropping
out of school is a heartbreaking tragedy and a cycle that I believe could be avoided
with a few examples and a different type of education. I’m sure there are many different ways
to focus in on this need, but my passion links it with sports. There are tons of talented athletes
that “get out of the ghetto” with sports, but the ones we mostly know and see
are males. I believe that the
athletic talent and ability amongst the females is just as incredible, but they
are the ones with the baby who had to drop out of school. I believe that if there were more
teachers who loved to teach and coaches who
loved to coach that could bringsome intentional attention into the lives of these girls the cycle could begin
to be broken more times than not. These precious teenage girls have no concept of a hope of a better
tomorrow therefore desiring and finding love and attention for today which
leads to this downward spiral.
Bring more intentional education and better life examples into these
communities and I believe a new standard could be created in the minds of the
people there.
the reference to Jesus Christ in these examples until now. I wanted to show how education and
examples alone could help, but now add Jesus Christ as the center of this
education and the center of the lives of these examples and I believe that’s
the deal maker! If the educator and the example is leading a kingdom life
full of the Holy Spirit, the education naturally turns into discipleship and
not only are numbers added to the kingdom, but dreams are inserted into those
being discipled and BIG things start happening! Love is authentic and without limits; leadership is not rare
but all around; unforgiveness is nonexistent and grace abounds; the
possibilities are endless.
how I fit in to this large equation, but I know the Lord has given me gifts of
teaching and a heart for the nations including our own. Teachers and coaches have had great
impact on my life as so much of my time was spent in a classroom and on a court
or field. I truly believe if more
kingdom dreaming Christians took advantage of these two roles, teaching and
coaching, around the world, we could see an alleviation of basic needs happen
and could really begin to dig in to the deeper and higher needs on ole Maslow’s
chart!
