|
May
24, 2005
 Today
was spent with several leaders within the South African
Council of Churches (SACC). The SACC is the facilitating
body for a wide fellowship of churches committed to
expressing together—through proclamation and
programs—the united witness of the church in
South Africa. It consists of 26 member churches that
work collectively and whose mission is to address
problems that affect African churches, and come up
with solutions to those problems.
Because
I come from a very strong religious and spiritual
foundation, I found myself very eager to hear what
certain church leaders had to say. I was interested
in hearing how the religious community put their principles
and doctrines into play when apartheid was prevalent
in the country.
Four
different leaders talked to us: Eddie Makue, SACC
deputy general secretary; Dr. Molefi Tsele, SACC president;
the Rev. Moss Ntlha, the general secretary of the
Evangelical Alliance of South Africa; and Desmond
Lesejane, who oversees Ecumenical Service for Socio-Economic
Transformation.
After
sharing their personal experiences and struggles with
us, I realized that there was much to be learned.
For one, I discovered that I am impregnated with something
special to give others. My job is to recognize the
special gift that God has conceived within me and
give birth to it.
During
Rev. Ntlha’s speech, I heard something that
struck me. He said that if Jesus Christ, the most
powerful and authoritative person in the world, could
wash someone’s feet, we could most certainly
serve others. I guess what jumped out at me the most
was that the passion I have to serve others was reinforced.
My pastor, Kevin E. Donalson Sr.—a Morehouse
Man—always tells me that when a person has a
true passion to serve, personal satisfaction and gratification
are never required.
My
job as an ethical leader in today’s society
is to discover, develop and then deploy ways to help
others—the same thing Desmond Lesajane said
to us. Once I recognize and accept that it is not
about me, and acknowledge what I can do for others,
I will become, in the words of Dr. Walker E. Fluker,
executive director of the Leadership Center, “an
ambassador of goodwill to my community, nation and
the world.”
Arthur
Woodard '05, from Lake Charles, Louisiana, graduated
two weeks ago from Morehouse College with a bachelor's
degree in computer science.
|
