Selfless Service is one of the Army’s Core Values, and this desire to make a difference in the lives of others sticks with Dogface Soldiers from their active-duty days through retirement. To this end, I’ve had a chance to support “missions” work within my local church but, like with most things, there are some nuances with helping others which must be addressed.
Someone may have the good idea of collecting and donating a bunch of shoes to some people in need. While this is a great idea with good intentions behind it, there was an instance in which this happened, and these donations put several shoe-sellers out of business in that country. Learning from this experience, a particular organization collects the supplies needed to make a type of shoe, collects the supplies from donations, and ships these supplies to their teammates working to employ locals in making the shoes and selling them through local sellers.
On another occasion, the head of the mission team heading to Brazil was approached at a coordination meeting by one of the team members. The previous meetings over the last six months had taken place online, so this was the first chance for all the team members to meet face-to-face. This excited team member approached the leader and shared his excitement about going on this trip. In fact, he proudly noted, he had spent the last few months learning Spanish. While this was quite admirable in spirit, the team leader did have to let him know that the people of Brazil speak Portuguese, not Spanish.
In both situations we see people with good ideas charging forward without thinking through the consequences or ensuring their energies and efforts are focused in the right direction. It is like the man who jumped in the car with his family and started speeding down the highway. He was weaving in and out of traffic lanes and passing people to the left and right. Unsure what was happening, his wife finally asked him where he was taking them. His simple response, “I don’t know, but we’re getting there fast!”
A key lesson for us all is to remember the adage of “look before you leap.” While we all want to help others, it is key for us to ensure what we’re planning to do: 1) Is it something that is needed; 2) Actually helps those we’re trying to assist; 3) Has taken the possible consequences into account; and 4) Has been well-planned. While these steps might not ensure success or guarantee there will be no “hiccups,” this level of prudence will greatly enhance the opportunity for successfully making a difference.
Let us all continue to serve and to help but do so with wise judgement.
CHDKB