One of the most frequent questions partners and donors of Real LIFE ask is in regards to the concept of payback. “Are the scholars required to somehow give back to the foundation and community for the help they’ve received?” This is a very interesting idea since a payback requirement supports the sustainability of the program as well as automatically makes scholars useful members of society.

Dr. Joey and I looked into this idea and studied existing methods of giving back. And, while we have to say that existing payback models work wonderfully for many organizations, we realized that Real LIFE would have to take a completely different approach to involving our LIFE Scholars in the foundation and community.

Willing Scholars
One of the things that amazed Doc and I was how our graduated scholars, without any obligation from the LIFE Scholarships Program, would willingly give to their families, churches, and even fellow scholars from their new incomes. This attitude of generosity was further impressed on us at our last graduation banquet where one scholar after the other expressed their dream to someday send others to school and help people as much as Real LIFE has helped them. Again let me say that we did not place any obligation on them. Their desire to be generous was sincere. They were speaking from their hearts.

We realized that our payback program did not lie in a policy, mechanism, or system. We had to reach their hearts. We had to find a way to transfer our values of compassion, generosity, and love for the youth, family, and community.

This is really where the mentoring component of the LIFE Scholarships Program comes in. All LIFE Scholars are partnered with a mentor who not only instructs our scholars with different LIFE Lessons of Leadership, Integrity, Faith, and Excellence, but also imparts the values behind this. This is a healthy mix of instruction that teaches the knowledge and skill required to transcend the current situations, and impartation that changes the heart and transfers values that make them want to succeed and help others with their success.

Teach Them. Show Them.
Chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians talks about the many gifts God gives us and the many roles there are to play within a body, in this case a church, but the principle can apply to any organization or community. But I’d like to draw your attention to the last sentence of the chapter:

And now I will show you the most excellent way.

He then goes on to the very famous Chapter 13 that talks about love and describes what it is and what it is not. The apostle Paul realized, that after teaching (instructing) people about their gifts, skills, and roles in society, he had to “show” (impartation) them the heart behind it all, which is love.

Real LIFE, with mentoring partners, Every Nation Leadership Institute, Every Nation Ministries, and Victory Christian Fellowship, does it’s best to instill a heart that wants to give back while equipping LIFE Scholars to increase their capabilities to serve. This is our payback program, and so far this has worked for us.

When the need seems to be big. It’s very encouraging to see the blessing LIFE Scholarships has been for the many students it has supported. Despite the growth, sometimes the stories of poverty can be overwhelming. Sometimes the need just seems too large to meet. It’s easy to accept the circumstance as a part of the way things are.

Here are some things we need to recognize to help us keep plodding even when we are facing circumstantial giants:

1. Recognize the immensity of the need - when we have an appreciation of the full scope of the need we are able to determine how to defeat it.

2. Recognize you have to act - don’t wait for the need to shrink to a handy bite-sized problem. Needs don’t shrink on their own, on the contrary, they grow naturally. We need to realize that unless someone does something nothing will change, and even more importantly, realize we are that someone.

3. Recognize that you need others - as I like to say during talks and meetings with partners “It is both arrogant and foolish for any organization to think they can fill the needs of the world by themself.” Instead find your strength, and link up with others who have complimentary strengths.

I recently attended a business conference hosted by the Asian Institute of Management, and one of the speakers said something, I believe, we can learn from. He said, “Pessimists may be better at predicting the future, but it is the optimists that shape the future.” If we allow ourselves to be pessimistic and apathetic we will no doubt be accurate in predicting a discouraging future. I’d rather be part of those that shape what’s ahead.

When the need seems too big, recognize its scope. Recognize that you are a part of the solution. And finally, recognize that you need partners in order to succeed.