Grit and Determination
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
6 years ago
Recently, while I was looking out the front door of the 2nd Mile office here in the Dominican Republic, I noticed a small group of mischievous looking boys venturing in behind a big tree growing in the vacant lot across from the office. With much determination, they were throwing rocks up into the tree. They would encircle the tree, point at different branches and then one would throw a rock. It reminded me of my youth. A few of us were commenting about what the boys were doing. Jose, the husband of Mayra, our business manager, said they were probably hunting birds for something to eat.
Of course our first reaction was shock and horror that these boys didn’t have enough to eat and they were so hungry that they had to resort to killing and eating birds. But, as I thought more about this, I was encouraged that they were hunting for food. These boys were dealing with their problem. They were not waiting and hoping someone would come along and feed them. They hadn’t resorted to begging for money. They were attacking the problem and resolving the issue.
In the future, these boys will be the men who will hunt for employment or start businesses because they need to feed their families. I’m proud of them. Maybe I’ll buy them all slingshots if I see them again!
Rod Wildman
Founder and President of 2nd Mile Missions
