Finding Healing Through Service

Hello, friends. I want to share a deeply meaningful experience with you, one that began on an expedition focused on human trafficking. This initiative primarily involved engineers and IT professionals offering their skill sets to the non-profits we worked with.

As a banker, I found myself among a sea of IT experts I'd never met before. In hindsight, I realized this expedition wasn't solely about volunteering; it was about the transformative power of God's healing through service. Throughout my life, I've grappled with the weight of shame, leading to a distorted perception of my body, sexuality, and money story. Banking held a seductive allure for me, allowing me to confront and understand my views of money, sex, and power. This career choice became a pivotal step in my healing process from shame, shedding light on how Western perspectives and taboos about these subjects impact our sense of morality, relationships, and mental health.

I propose that the healing power can manifest through acts of service, unveiling the true essence of philanthropy and the flow of love.

Witnessing the suffering and exploitation many endured was heart-wrenching during my time there. Yet, within that darkness, I discovered a glimmer of hope, love, and the ultimate story of redemption. I met incredibly resilient survivors who, despite enduring unimaginable pain, possessed the strength to rebuild their lives, dance, and find joy.

Their stories opened my eyes to the complex relationships I have with myself and where I have restricted the channels of love. Our attitudes toward earning, giving, losing, and receiving money are as good a measure for our giving and receiving of love as anything I know. The opposite is also true: stingy with love, stingy with money; generous with love, generous with money; circumspect with love, circumspect with money. In a general sense, we are either in flow or become stagnant.

For the longest time, my identity was tied to how much money, the title, and the “stuff” meant to me. The perceptions of these elements were deeply intertwined with my emotions and overall well-being, carrying a charge and weight of shame, judgment, and guilt, which felt heavy. Contrasting my perspective with the survivors' resilience was a profound revelation. It revealed my deepest values and purpose.

On this trip, I experienced the transformative power of service and realized that money merely amplifies our deepest values. Working alongside survivors to aid their recovery and rehabilitation gave me a sense of purpose that transcended my personal pain and guilt. It became clear that through selfless service, we can heal not only ourselves but also those we seek to help.

In these acts of service, I felt the presence of God's healing love. It served as a reminder that God's grace flows through us when we open our hearts to others. Being of service became a path to redemption, a way to alleviate the heavy burden of shame I had carried for so long, reshaping the meaning of my relationship with money and giving.

This expedition taught me that healing isn't a solitary journey; it's a collective effort. We heal as we help others heal, and together, we can overcome shame and guilt to find redemption and transformation. 🙏❤️

Genuine philanthropy extends beyond monetary donations; it involves active participation and understanding the needs and aspirations of those we aim to support.

Let's redefine our approach to philanthropy and acknowledge that being of service is a powerful way to create a lasting impact on the world. Let's strive to be empathetic, compassionate, and actively engaged in fostering positive change. 

Special Thanks to Shyam Kumar, Casey Allred, and Sandy Singh, and my expedition teammates 

Your dedication and spirit made our expedition an incredible journey. Thank you for your leadership, resilience, and camaraderie. Each of you brought something special, making this experience truly unforgettable. To the flow of love, we go.

Please check out the continued work of Shyam Kumar at https://www.lifesparkinternational.org

#HealingThroughService #EndHumanTrafficking #Transformation #Philanthropy #GodsLove