Blogging from Bolivia
Monday, November 30, 2009
By: Michael Nyenhuis

Potential and Dreams

Here is a great philosophy of life: "Focus on the potential and dreams of people, not on the negatives."



I wish everyone viewed me that way. And I wish I had the strength to view everyone I know in that light.



I heard that statement today from Rena, a MAP Bolivia staff member who works in our "Learning from the Differences" project. The project supports MAP's health promoters in their work with people with disabilities in their villages. A poor village is a terrible place to
have a significant disability. There are few resources and services to support people with disabilities - until the MAP health promoters come along. They aren't in the pity business. They are in the business of engaging people with disabilities in life, based on the dreams and
desires they themselves express.



The statement about potential and dreams came during the regular Monday staff meeting of the MAP Bolivia team. They gather in a crowded room to sing Christian choruses accompanied by guitar. After each song they stop to give staff members time to express how the words of the songs reflect some aspect of their work together. We only made it through two songs
today. There was a lot of reflection!



Tao, who works in the clinic, said this: "Every night I pray for the same people I saw at the clinic during the day." That is an act of love and commitment.



Veronica, who works with girls and young women who have been sexually abused, said: "We are the first beneficiaries of our projects because we have been changed in how we see families, life and justice."



You can see this is an extraordinary team thinking big thoughts and doing even bigger acts of compassionate service. I praise God for what they teach me.