Wk 2, Post 1.The Art of Possibility 4-6 "We did it THAT way in our old group"

I was struck with various things in each of the chapters,  as I read them,  The Chapter, Being A Contribution, struck me in one small sentence, but in a big way.  It was in the Dinner Table Game, where it is talking about each person, in the game of contribution,  He had this remark to make:
                 When I began playing this, I found there was no better orchestra than the one I play in now,
                                         no better person to be with than the one I'm with. 
     I take teens on mission trips in the summers (usually, this summer is the exception due to our classes!).  We have some teens who raise support and do this for 2-6 summers.  It is hard work, but very rewarding.  Some kids get to our training we have for 2 weeks, before we leave the USA.  During that time, we have classes in blocklaying, digging, hammering, tying wire, etc.
     They also have classes on washing clothes and us in a bucket, etc. and we introduce several NOT WANTED characters.  People like Love Sick Lil, Dirty Donnie.  BUT our worst NOT WANTED character is always Last Year Larry who always begins sentences saying, "Well, Last year, we did this....., or Last year, we sang these songs...., Last year, we built the orphanage this way....., Last year our leaders let us go buy candy every day, etc.".
       People who always look back at the other group they learned to love, can't ever find time to learn to love the new group, the new leaders, the new country, the new customs, etc.
      If Last year Larry would instead, come to Teen Missions with the contribution idea, he would come saying, " Last year my South Africa team was wonderful and I loved it.  But that was Last year, and now, I'm on the Peru team.  There is no better team than my Peru team.  No better leaders than my Peru leaders, No better team mates than the Peru team mates."
     What a fresh beginning.  Of course last years team to South Africa was great.  You worked hard to build a school for a village and you helped the AIDS orphans with a house for the 2 helpers to work with the 500 orphans in the 2.5 miles circle. Last year Larry, you can say, " I was on the best 2009 team ever".
     But NOW, you are here and should say, "I'm here on the Best Peru team ever!  I'm on the best 2010 team ever.  We are going to do a great job.  we have the best leaders, the best team, the best work ethics, the best children to play with, the best trinkets to buy.  We will even take the best pictures and have the best stories to tell.  Why?  Because this is NOW AND WE HAVE THE BEST TEAM.
        That one sentence was such a revelation to me.  Our kids need to see it more as Contribution. according to The Art of Possibility.

Zander, The Art of Possibility, Penguin Books, Pages 57-58.
Bland, Director. Teen Missions International, Inc. http://www.teenmissions.org
Teen Missions Icon from their web site. 




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