“Embracing sacrificial Living by Purposeful Agents of Transformation” was the Theme of this Fellowship. Sacrifice is something given up for the sake of others. One can sacrifice leading a very comfortable life, example God may send you to remote areas of the world and you will have to live in a grass hut. This means we have to make important sacrifices for the Kingdom of God. It again means you should spend your time in the universe very well, and you must be spent by the work of humanity based on your purpose. When you are well spent by the world, people will one time ask, what contribution has he/she made during his time, not how many vehicles, degrees, houses, money has he/she left behind. The pointer here is sacrificial living should connect to any act that is selfless and legacy oriented.
One question that dominated the discussion session was: Is it worthy to live a sacrificial life?
Rwanda is today because many people (civilians and soldiers of Rwanda Patriotic Force) have sacrificed their own precious lives to end horrendous genocide against the Tutsi in 1994. Nelson Mandela the first black President in Post- Apartide rule had a chance to be released from the Robben Island Prison because he abandons the non-violent resistance against the White Minority rule which was oppressive, brutal and atrocious against the majority Black South Africans. Mandela was not afraid to remain for life in prison sentence: this means he sacrificed his life for the people of South Africa. He wanted only one thing to happen in his country: Freedom.
Sacrificial living for Purposeful Agents of Transformation among the youth today means a lot: it means coming out of comfort zone for the sake of the transformation of self and the bigger interest of the communities and the nation, it means using one’s life or sacrificing life meaningfully, It further means one should die when he/she is effectively spent while transforming his/her community, it means one’s death should not be because of addiction to drugs, alcohol, and sex, but when living a purposeful life, a life worth emulating by others. Studies say that the benefits of giving things away for the sake of others include Improved Life Satisfaction. This study provides ample evidence that people who give more to others – in both time and resources – experience greater satisfaction in life than people who do not.
There is something in this universe that justifies Martin Luther King, Jr saying “We must learn to live together or perish together as fools”. Purpose Rwanda Fellowship builds togetherness, unity and purposeful agents of transformation for youth/citizen participation in the socio-economic transformation to eradicate a single and dangerous enemy-poverty.
There is something in this universe that justifies Kwameh Nkrumah saying “As far as I am concerned, Am in the knowledge that death can never extinguish the torch which I have lit in Ghana and Africa. Long after I am dead and gone, the light will continue to burn and be borne a lot, giving light and guidance to all people”. The challenging question to the youth is, what do you want to be remembered for?
There is something in this universe that justifies Mohammad Ali saying “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth”. As a youth, what lesson can you learn from Ali?
