|
|
|
|
International Institute For Global Leadership Issue #81 * September 2008 www.global-leadership.com Asheville, NC. USA
Guest Editorial
God Bless Stress
Following the challenge that I recently received from reading the evocative and transformative book, True Prosperity, my life has dramatically changed. Stress has been and is a major cause of illness and deaths in the lives of many people. Whenever anyone is disgruntled, the first words to come out of his lips are: I am stressed.
Probably you are asking, why bless stress? But, wait a minute, what is stress? Does stress really exist? Obviously, one may be quick to point out some factors like the pressure to meet deadlines, the fear of losing clients, the boss who is always keeping you on your toes, the game that you lost and whatnot, as some of the things that cause stress.
I’ve also been of the same attitude for so long, seeing stress in every challenge and adversity. However, this book has completely changed my perspective and I no longer see stress as people have learned to define it. If there is no challenge/opponent/stress to overcome, there can never be fulfillment. Without an opponent, there is no challenge, no purpose, no fun and there is no opportunity to gain that sense of fulfillment which comes with overcoming obstacles.
Suppose you suddenly developed some super powers so that anything you wanted to do, you could do without any difficulties or preparation; What if you ended up winning every contest you are involved in and utterly annihilating your fellow contestants that they no longer saw any need to compete with you; what would your life be like? Would you have the feeling of exuberance that comes from triumph?
Honestly, everything would be boring; there never could be anticipation and excitement because you would already know the outcome even before things begins. Furthermore, innovation would definitely dissipate. Without stress, we reach the natural limits of complacence; we hit the wall that keeps us from moving to the next level. Far from being an annoyance and something to avoid, stress and fear are our wisest advisers.
In the past there were many things that perpetually depress me while I tried to avoid stress by all means to no avail. Then I realized that I’ve been making a mistake by trying to run away from stress. Now instead of feeling infuriated when encountering opposition, I look at it passively knowing that it’s an opportunity for growth, fulfillment and purpose to prevail. Even the negative feelings of resentment that I used to hold over my competitors and adversaries have been decimated and I have learned to employ nonviolence communication while dealing with them because, the truth is, I need them! Life is more interesting and challenging because of the opponent, therefore why should I wish to eliminate him?
Now I have learned to welcome stress with love. Conversely, it occurs to me, there is no stress; we are the ones who create it. There are only opportunities to learn from our circumstances. But but too often fight the stressing person or situations rather than seeing them in a different way and blessing them for the challenges that present to us.
Whichever name we decide to call these opportunities, the fact remains that we need them for fulfillment in our lives. That’s why I am saying God Bless Stress!
New Students
We are very pleased to welcome two new students during the month of August, one from The Central African Republic and one from Nigeria.
Boby Olivier Claude (France/ Central African Republic) My name is Mr. Olivier Claude BOBY, born on April 14, 1982 in Bangui (Central African Republic). I hold a BADGE (Assessment of Aptitude Delivered by Universities) in associative management, Journalist - reporter with the cultural magazine “KILIMANDJARO”, Writer and President of the Council of Governorship of the NGO “Fondation Jeunes Horizon". My community engagement enabled me to understand that is to each individual to model the world which he wants by his engagement. If one wants a world of peace, he has to start working now as peacemaker.
Aminata TRAORE said that if one does not form part of the solutions one belongs to the problems; it is in this logic that I harness myself to contribute to the improvement of the living condition of Africans by my actions and my engagement, not only to propose solutions but to be also a solution for a reliable world.
Impassioned for writing and literature since my childhood, I wrote a book entitled France my " Eldorado" published by the publisher " Le Manuscrit", I also read works of CORNEILLE, MOLIERE, MAUPASSANT, Victor HUGO, Sembène OUSMANE, and of HAMADOU HAMPATE BÂ and AMINATA TRAORE in which I draw my inspiration. In addition to my passion for the literature, I also engaged very early in the community movements what enabled me to take part in several conferences, meetings and to seminars as participant or speaker.
Rev. Louis Iheanyichukwu Obiakor (Nigeria) I am Rev. Louis Iheanyichukwu Obiakor, a Nigerian of Igbo heritage. I am married with five children: a 23 years old girl and four boys, 21, 18, 11 and 7 years respectively. I hold a diploma in Mass Communication from the Institute of Journalism and Television, London, U.K. I am a member of the Practitioners Circle of the International Emissaries Attunement Guild with its international headquarters in Loveland CO, USA. Through the Emissaries, I had a series of spiritual leadership trainings which assisted me to begin to lift up my eyes to whatever extent.
I started from my youth to be hungry and thirst after spiritual life and this hunger and thirst became a spur that led me to identifying with three different Christian organizations at different times prior to meeting the Emissaries. Out of curiosity, I was drawn to the teaching of a group which teaching to me conveyed very much the practical aspect of spirituality and it is devoid of dos and donts. I was also privileged to attend further spiritual trainings in England and Wales under the auspices of this group. I coordinated the activities of the group in Nigeria from 1977 until Dec. 2006.
Through my various spiritual trainings which caused me to briefly live in Ghana, England, four states in USA and Wales. I was a member of the Anthony Wade International Consultancy Register in London having taken a Wade Business Course. Perhaps its’ necessary to indicate here that I have worked most of my life as an administrator and this accorded me with the opportunity to relate and interact with many different people.
I have an incredible interest in reading, writing and traveling. I have traveled the major cities in Nigeria and overseas. I have read a number of spiritual books including BEING WHERE YOU ARE, ON EAGLES WING, all by Bishop Martin Exeter, Emmanuel Velikovsky – WORLDS IN COLLISON, Losbang Rampa’s, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, YOUR ERRONEOUS ZONES. I was a brief time student of Yoga. The Christian bible is more or less my daily companion as Minister of the WORD.
What Our Students Are Saying
Cesar Salvater, Jr. (Brazil)
What Our Students Are Reading
Educating For Human Greatness By Lynn Stoddard Lynn Stoddard is a veteran of teaching and parenting. While shepherding his own large flock of twelve children through the public schools of Utah, he was employed for 36 years as an elementary teacher and principal. He now writes and lectures on the urgent need to design a new system of public education based on ancient wisdom and modern research. In this wise and perceptive book, he surveys the current state of public education in America and concludes that things have gone terribly wrong. His solution is to have parents and educators start by realizing that standardization in education is neither possible or effective. Only then can they focus on creating schools that truly educate for human greatness. To create such schools Stoddard proposes that parents, teachers, administrators and school board members keep six cardinal principles constantly in mind: * Value Positive Human Diversity and Cherish Every Student's Uniqueness * Draw Out and Develop Each Child's Latent Talents * Respect the Autonomy of the Individual by Restoring Freedom and Responsibility * Invite Inquiry, Curiosity, and Hunger for Knowledge in the Classroom * Support Professionalism as Teachers Live by these Principles * Parents and Teachers Unite to Help Children Grow in Human Greatness
Educating for Human Greatness deserves an honored place on the reading list of every parent who really cares about the future of their children, every teacher and administrator who puts students first in their professional lives, and every school board member who wants schools to be places where student development is a reality, not just a slogan.
What Our Students Are Doing
Refugee Education Sponsorship Program
Many of our students are involved in various forms of service in the local communities. In this issue we feature the work of Francis Abayomi, one of our 2nd level students from Nigeria.
Here in Nigeria, once a student has finished college, he is require to perform a year of volunteer national service. I was recently assigned to work with “R.E.S.P.E.C.T” (Refugee Education Sponsorship Program) as the coordinator. Respect Nigeria is a part of ‘Respect International’ (see web link below) and this is the first RESPECT program in Nigeria.
RESPECT Nigeria, a Non-Governmental Organization, is committed to exposing refugee students living in Nigeria to the outside world via the exchange of letters and other projects. We see the world as a global village of empowered refugee and North American students without social and technological divides. We work to instill the values of respect, integrity, compassion, accountability, commitment, innovation, diversity, creativity, andhonesty in our students. We emphasize the importance of people connecting, sharing ideas, having fun, working together - to learn self-expression, diverse perspectives, and cross-cultural understanding.
Some of our activities include helping to break the isolation that refugees often feel by connecting them with pen pals in the UK, Canada and the USA. And of course to educate those in the developed world – first hand – about the life of a refugee. We have also been receiving contributions of books for distribution to the refugees. Recently we received a large box of books from the Malibu, Ca. public library.
The camp we have been working in most recently has 3,000 residents, most of whom are from Liberia, Seirra Leone, Cote d' voire, Chad, Niger, Somalia & Sudan
As a student with IILG for the past four years, I have found my studies to be very valuable in helping refugees deal with their plight.
(You may contact Francis at francisabayomi@yahoo.com)
http:\\www.respectrefugees.org/aff_nigeria.shtml
Student Projects IIGL Students are actively working to transform, not only their own lives, but their communities, nations and the world. In an effort to support their endeavors, we encouraged active students with a special interest in service to submit project proposals designed to improve their communities. Although we do not have the resources to fund these projects directly, we are able to give them exposure through our newsletter so that potential funders may learn about them. We are also happy to work with funders in helping to match resources and needs so that funding is prudently directed to projects developed by IIGL students who have proven their reliability, integrity, dedication and who we believe will provide excellent accountability in terms of expenditures and results.
Young Women’s Education – Rural Togo, West Africa The project for the education of young women was developed by Davui Kosi Sepenou from Lome, Togo. Davui has been an IIGL student for three years and is currently working on Level four studies. He is founder of the ‘Association pour la Promotion de la Justice sociale’ (APJS) – The Society For The Promotion Of Social Justice. APJS has found that illiteracy and the lack of education for young women in rural Togo is one of the primary reasons for explotation & discrimination. Too often parents still believe that the only role a young woman can play is to marry, take care of her husband and raise children, and that education is therefore not necessary.
This project is not about building schools. It is about working in rural areas to educate parents and families about the importance of educating young women so that the families become solid support systems – rather than obstacles – to young women who want to go to school. The project goals include
This is designed as a three year project at a cost of $50,000 per year, or approximately $125 per student for a primary and secondary education.
For more questions, more information or contact details for Davui, contact Michael at lightweave@aol.com
What Our Donors Are Saying Anneliese B. Weiss, teacher (USA/FL) I have long looked for a meaningful way to contribute to society. Becoming a teacher at age 50 was a beginning. My vision, however, goes beyond the local confines. I hope with all my heart for a global community of people living in peace. This is possible by empowering future leaders all over the world. IIGL is promoting just that. I am proud to be part of this global movement."
Thanks! We extend a special thanks to the following 32 individuals and/or organizations from six countries who contributed to IIGL during July. Their ongoing support makes this work possible.
Deb Silver (Israel) Gillian Kean (UK) Edmee DiPauli (UK) Julian Murphy (UK) Lale Eterm (Turkey) Rinia Stambolinova (Bulgaria) Rashmi Singh (Philippines)
Lily Ann (USA/NC) Deb Rosen (USA/WI) Judith Royer (USA/SD) Margie Tice (USA/NC) Janis Thayer (USA/NC) Corine Wilson (USA/FL) Hope Gorman (USA/MN) Naomi Stauber (USA/CA) Lynne Murguia (USA/AZ) Jesse Syverson (USA/WA) Randa El Sharif (USA/WI) Anneliese Weiss (USA/FL) Julie Loosbrock (USA/WI) Anderson Hewitt (USA/GA) Rommy Banaszczyk (USA/AZ) Michael Lightweaver (USA/NC) Wanda Gail Campbell (USA/AL) Janae & Barry Weinhold (USA/NC)
Make A Difference In The World! You can make a lasting difference now by investing in the future of young heart-centered leaders throughout the world who will soon be making critical decisions that will determine the future of humanity and the planet. How? By becoming an active partner in this work with your financial contribution. We are supported by people like you; people who believe that it's more important to light a candle, however small, than to curse the darkness. We welcome contributions in any amount, however small, because this isn't just about money. It's also about energy and connection.
Checks on US banks, payable to the International Institute For Global Leadership, can be mailed to PO Box 18909, Asheville, NC. 28814. Contributions may also be made by credit card. Contributions are tax deductible under the 501(c)3 tax codes of the United States Internal Revenue Service. http://www.global-leadership.com/action.htm
Student Progress We had 19 students from 12 countries complete a total of 30 books in August. These students were from Cote d’Ivoire, Chile, Eithopia, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, USA, Venezuela, Zimbabwe
English Division
Bereket Alemayehu (Ethiopia)
Linquist Asiebela (Kenya)
Kekeje Efeturi. (Nigeria)
Mark Mazadu (Nigeria)
Sunday Abidemi Obarinu (Nigeria)
Solomon Nwokoro
Obiako Louis I (Nigeria)
Michael Lightweaver (USA)
Tendai Chakupa (Zimbabwe)
French Division
André Bihibindi (Senegal) * Le Pouvoir de l’Intention * Les Présents de Eykis
Moussa Mounkeila (Niger) * La Sagesse Africaine * Plus de Charisme dans votre vie
Gwladys Moro (Cote d’Ivoire) * Réfléchir Vite et Bien
Patricia Koffi (Cote d’Ivoire) * Attitude d’un Gagnant * 101 Principes de base
Maye Niaré (Mali) * Jonathan Livingstone le Goéland
François Nanou (Cote d’Ivoire) * Les Sept Lois Spirituelles du Succès * de Charisme dans votre vie * Les Dix Secrets du succès …
Spanish Division
Carolina Guillen (Peru) * How to Reach Your Goals
Christian Villón (Peru) * Think Well. Feel Well
Isabel Saa (Chile) * Develop the Leader Inside you
Maria Elena Borroto (Venezuela) * Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Graduates The following students completed one level of study during July
Linquist Asiebela Kenya Completed Level Six
Michael Lightweaver USA Completed Level Two
Statistical Report New Enrollments 6 enrolled in August 46 enrolled in 2008
Book Assessments 30 in August 266 in 2008
Books Shipped 41 in August 437 in 2008
Cost of books $754.36 in August $7,945.63 in 2008
Newsletter Archive: Click Here to view archived issues of the Global Leadership News |
|
|
|
|
