For The Explorer

There is no greater honor than service. There is no greater reward than service. And today, as all of you know, there is no greater need.

By the end of the day, 6,000 people will die because of their inability to attain water, 21,000 of hunger, and 37,000 of lack of access to health care. In short, the world today cannot meet the basic needs of people.

Last Summer, I had the opportunity to work with some of the poorest people in the world. I volunteered at orphanages and hospitals in Morogoro, Tanzania. After a particularly disheartening day at the hospital, I joined a soccer match with about 15 orphaned young boys, who were playing barefoot, with torn sandals, or, if they were lucky, with tattered sneakers. During the game, one of the barefoot younger boys, became upset because his feet hurt and he couldn’t kick hard enough. One of the older boys noticed this and took off his tattered left sneaker, handed it to the boy and said “nakupenda”—the Swahili term for “I love you.” Later, one of my peers asked the older boy why he had given his shoe to the younger boy. His response was,“ I kick with my right foot, so I do not need my left shoe.”

In this, two lessons of service are revealed. The first one is service comes from love- love that is given freely to someone. The second lesson is that we all have something to give. So, I urge all of you to give of yourself in this time of great need and as a result, you will experience the greatest honor and reward.