Everybody can be great, because
everybody can serve. You don’t have
to have a college degree to serve.
You don’t have to make your subject
and your verb agree to serve. You
don’t have to know about Plato and
Aristotle to serve. You don’t have to
know Einstein’s theory of relativity
to serve. You don’t have to know the
second theory of thermodynamics
in physics to serve. You only need a
heart full of grace, a soul generated
by love.
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“The Drum Major Instinct”
Ebenezer Baptist Church
Atlanta, Georgia
February 4, 1968
Our work is encouraging all people to find a place to serve. We used to ask kids, “what do you want to be when you grow up”? What if that questioned changed to, “what problem do you want to solve”? Shifting our kids and youth’s focus from themselves to serving others can make a radical and needed shift in our culture and across our world. We host retreats centered around serving others to help inspire youth to develop a lifestyle of service and give to others.
I have the privilege and honor of founding and directing a non-profit faith based organization called Alabama Rural Ministry (ARM). ARM serves with two rural Alabama communities engaged in eliminating substandard housing. Most of the work is through volunteers many of which are youth and young adults. Youth are partnered with families needing home repair assistance and set goals to leave these homes warm, safe, dry and beautiful. After the work, youth engage in conversations and process their experience in light of the struggles and limitations families on fixed incomes face as well as seeing the assets families also possess. Youth are encouraged to continue serving in their local communities.