Here’s one for the books
At RHEMA Consulting Solutions—we testify to the fact that when a kingdom-powered person emerges and introduces faith-driven principles into a secular-driven marketplace—everybody is empowered to WIN!!
A testimonial: while on a consulting assignment as career planner for the Durham Service Corps Education Project, for At-Risk” Young Adults; (low-incomed young adults, who had, had bouts with the law, sold drugs and were young inexperienced, unwed mothers and fathers). The Project location was on the campus of North Carolina Central University (NCCU) and underwritten/sponsored by Public & Private Ventures (PPV), out of Philadelphia. This project had an education (adult high school equivalency) and a job development/placement component.
I was hired to turn around this “failing project” or there would be no further funding for the next seasons project, in NC. I solicited the assistance of American Express, who, during my press conference, presented me with a $10,000 check to purchase materials need, (updated career resources/books/computers). I then focused on bringing insightful, practical, hands-on experiences, rather than focusing on the “theory” of working with marginalized communities and indeed focused on empowering these young, minority students, to finishing their education and to prepare for either college, the workplace/job, or as future entrepreneurs!
I assisted them in preparing a personal vision (a roadmap), then to develop a plan, (desired future), and lastly, helped them to navigate from that vision to their destination.
These students were from all ethnic groups, rough in attitude, and were from marginalized neighborhoods, with “failure to thrive” imprinted on their foreheads, by those in and around their communities; role models who had NO VISION themselves, so the pattern just perpetuated!!
Their first impression of me was one of hostility; and refused to respect me or any one else in authority, especially if they looked like them, and this was said to me…AND I QUOTE — “you are from Raleigh, that’s a white people city, not like Durham—and you are not like us and we don’t like you! You have been hanging with the white people over there in Raleigh too long, and have forgotten that you are stuck, just like us—nothing will change!” Boy that hurt too!
But it got me to thinking about the reasoning behind their particular perspective; enough to devise an alternate approach! They seemed to believe that, for anyone to have a plan for their life, or an expectation of any success—they considered that “white people’s stuff!” Wow! Strangely enough, and almost two decades later, I still find this perspective still exists in communities of color!
I continued in spite of this, with unwavering stamina, hope and promise of success in the process, which had helped me shift my own conditions as a young adult! With focus and determination and “keeping it real,” I gradually won them all over!! EVERY single one of them! (about 25 students) I respected their perspectives and became their mentor and role-model. They respected me for who I was, my confidence, and what I was trying to accomplish with them!!
My assignment was to groom them for the workplace, place them in jobs; and my own expectation “from them,” was that they must rise up and do the work needed to secure their “own” future! I adamantly refused to do their part of the work “for them,” which many other “at risk” projects had been doing (I did my research), in order to gain the numbers needed for further corporate and governmental funding of future projects.
After equipping and developing them for the workforce, I was required to find them job placements in local firms in and around RTP, in an era and time, in which at risk, minority, young adults, were frowned upon. I supported, and defended them in hiring offices, and training rooms, and in their personal lives and I begin to experience their young hearts change towards me, their future, as well as authority figures!
Results:
They all graduated the adult high school equivalency program (AHS diploma), taught by other members of our team.
They were all excited about their futures. (Vision)
They were all prepared and placed in either:
—enrollment in a college; they furthered their education:
—placement in employment: in a job field that they “actually were interested in and wanted!!”
Proverbs 29:18 says,
“Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained (perish).”
In other words, they will act according to their own judgement. They won’t focus, are unable to reach their goal, find it so very difficult to follow their dream. So they compromise! I've experienced this in my own young adult life – perhaps you have too! Without a vision, people lose the vitality that makes them feel alive.
This verse in Proverbs, emphasizes the extraordinary value of God's Word—without a vision, or long-term plan, people are doomed to wander aimlessly, without direction. When God's word becomes full of error and real truth is unavailable, when it is rejected, or is not “modeled before them victoriously”—people no longer have a standard greater than their own feelings and opinions; on the other hand, it says—blessed is the one who heeds true wisdom's instruction.
“Innocent hearts,” know real wisdom, and authentic love and care for them; because it will always “work!”
Check this out! This is just a sample of influencing young lives, with love and care…and absolutely hilarious!