Vision... I have touted myself as one who has vision. After all it is "me" who leads GIBTK right? Lol!!!
I have learned a visionary sees beyond what others see. They look beyond the present and look to the future helping to lead and guide others to the "land beyond"
I sit in my room typing but chuckling to myself. Shaking my head as I think of yesterdays events.
It was great landing in Danang. It is where the majority of our programs are based. The kids came and greeted us and as always a joy to see and receive their love. Our first day was spent visiting several of our homes.
At the Father's House a past resident of our College program stopped by to say thank you. She had been a student at our home, graduated, got job, married and had a baby (in that order, Yeah God). I looked and saw the "fruit" of our work. A transformed life. She told me she saw me walking towards Father's house and had to stop and say thank you!
We took the kids of Hai Chau out to dinner for pizza and ribs. It was there that I sat with Diep and Thao. Both had grown up in Hai Chau and were now living at Lighthouse awaiting the results of their college entrance exams. I was reminded that only a couple years ago Diep would cry because she was unable to speak English to me. Today she was speaking to me directly! Waiting to enter into college. Some exciting fruit.
Trang her sister and several other of the older kids sat near me. I looked with relief and satisfaction over the fruit that our works has produced. My son, Tommy who had been sitting at the other side of the table came over to where Kristina and I were sitting.
I said to them; imagine if there was no GIBTK. Sure there would have been a Hai Chau orphanage. But would these kids be speaking English, would they have braces, would they be like they are today? I felt contentment... A good thing right? Unless you're supposed to be the leader. A man of vision.
My son brought this reality to me as he said, "Dad, wait till the next group, the younger generation grows up. " Tommy must have seen the perplexed look on my face. Because he tilted his head and said "they will be different right?"
It dawned on me, that I was not looking at the youngest. The kids yes those of the present but not really of the next generations.
This morning it dawned on me that my vision was to short. It was reveling at the glories of our past works. This honestly brings me to tears. I know many of you are saying it is good to see what has been done already. And yes your right. It is good to see the fruits of your work today. But for me it is important for me to lift my head to see beyond today's work and struggles and have vision for the future!
YEAH God we will be transforming a nation and changing a culture! We will build kids, to turn into leaders who will transform generations
We stepped out in faith (and oh yes necessity) and made an agreement for a new office. The lease on our current office will be up in a couple months, and the landlord wants it back. Our new place is BIG. It is 4 floors! Formerly a Japanese company now empty. It is big and has plenty of room to grow for the future. There is room for more desks for staff. Which will be needed for our next generation of growth.
Our new office also has a floor, which we are planning to set up as rooms for long- term volunteers. As Friend and board member Bruce Binkley coined recently; "GIBTK has come to a place where we can help others to discover their purpose." A place where others can come and use their gifts, talents and possibly discover their hearts desire or maybe even find a place in our organization as a long-term volunteer.
Know of anyone looking to have place to explore his or her gifting? Send them our way
><((((º> BBlessed
www.gibtk.org
Robert Kalatschan
Giving It Back To Kids
