IF WE ALL CHECK OUT, WHO DRIVES CHANGE?

As we kick off preparations for the 16th Walk for Sudan, I can't help but contemplate the power of belief in your own ability to impact the world.

All of us read/watch the news and see things every day that we consider "unacceptable" but aside from having some feelings about it or possibly posting on Facebook, we don't do a whole lot.  It is easy to feel like you can't do anything about "it" so why bother indulging your outrage?

This has been an ongoing conversation in our office as well.  The daily news cycles are overwhelmingly negative.  There is little we can do, so shouldn't we just limit our exposure to the negative input?  I think many of us have leaned this way during the pandemic due to emotional burnout.

But if we all check out, who drives change?  How does change happen?  How does the world become a better place?

In all the chaos, I think many of us have lost our belief in our own efficacy.   According to Google, efficacy is the ability to produce a desired or intended result.

We have stopped believing we can make a difference and change the world, even in a small way.  We have actually stopped trying and to some extent stopped even seeing what is going on in the world.

My advice to those who have opted out of the news cycle (and to myself) is to pick something, one thing that matters to you, and attempt to make a change in that one specific area.

The Walk for Sudan was founded by Martha Riley 16 years ago.  It was started to raise money for the Nuba Water Project that she co-founded with her husband.  The  Nuba Water Project raises money for water projects and other charitable work in the war-torn region of the Nuba mountains in Sudan.

Why in the world did this petite blonde teacher in Denver, Colorado choose to dedicate decades of her life to impacting humans on the other side of the world?  Because she met a man who shared his story of his people left behind and Martha believed she could make at least a small difference. 

She might not be able to fix all the problems in the world.  She might not be able to affect whether the Sudanese government would stop bombing their own people in the Nuba Mountains.  She might not be able to change the deep corruption in Sudan, but she believed she could make a difference.

She believed in her own efficacy.

Over the years the Nuba Water Project, using funds primarily raised via the Walk for Sudan, has rehabilitated countless bore-hole wells in tiny villages and shared water purification systems and hygiene education. 

When war broke out, they could not consistently execute water projects, so they pivoted and supported local students so that they could continue in their education.  Many of whom were orphans due to the genocidal war.  After years of supporting students at all levels, they now have doctors and engineers returning home to reinvest in their communities. 

And now as things have calmed a bit, the Nuba Water Project has resumed well repairs and is embarking on a larger-scale project with the help of Rotary International.

Martha did this.  If you ask her, she would demure and point to all of the volunteers over the years.  She would point to the middle school students who helped raise the funds or the brave souls who traveled to the Nuba Mountains.  But the truth is, Martha did this. 

For more than 16 years, Martha has dedicated much of her life to this cause.  She has been the torch bearer.  She has rallied all the resources at her disposal to impact these people across the globe who will never know who she is.  She has remained focused despite all the challenges and distractions in the world.

Martha isn't some rich and powerful mogul.  She is a retired middle school teacher.  She isn't funded by any of those moguls either, she is literally funded by empowered middle school students raising money for people they will never meet.

She is the living embodiment of EFFICACY.  One of the key messages to the students who participate in the Walk for Sudan is that they can positively impact the world through their own care and efficacy.

I have been involved in the Walk for Sudan since its second year, so 15 years now.  Colleen, my Practice Manager, and I have been watching Martha's quiet leadership in awe for all of these years. 

If I were to summarize the lessons we have learned from Martha over the years they would be as follows:

• FOCUS on something that matters to you.
• BELIEVE that you can make a difference.
• MOBILIZE the resources at your disposal, however big or small.
• LEAVE the other battles for other people.

I think we feel disempowered because we see ALL the things that are wrong with the world, from our perspective.  And because we can't do anything about ALL those things, we put our heads in the sand and do nothing.   We understandable opt out of the fight for a better world.

In my humble opinion, we all need to be a little more like Martha.  We need to FOCUS on what matters most to us.  BELIEVE we can make a difference.  MOBILIZE our resources and LEAVE the other battles to other people. 

We can't change EVERYTHING, but maybe, if we believe in our own efficacy, we can change SOMETHING for the better.

I hope this serves you,

-Lucila

Click HERE to learn more about the Walk for Sudan and follow the Walk for Sudan Facebook Page for the amazing pictures, inspiring stories, and updates as we prepare for the walk.

If you would like to support Martha and the Walk for Sudan here is how you can help:

1. WALK - Sign up via Team LOTUS to participate in person or virtually.
2. VOLUNTEER - Email us if you are local and would like to be on our volunteer team.
3. SUPPORT - Colleen organizes the silent auction and is collecting restaurant gift certificates from the Denver area.
4. DONATE - Donate via the Team LOTUS and I will match it up to a total of $1k.

Let us know if you have any questions or would like to participate in any way!  [email protected]