Among many great people who embody such values, our mentor continues to live out these values today, unchanging for the past 70 years. He has many stories to share, having endured extreme poverty and hunger growing up, surviving the Vietnam War, overcoming harsh discrimination and injustice a great part of his life, and yet maintaining the same loving disposition towards others and creation through it all. Today, he is an accomplished writer, poet, artist, teacher and mentor. His mentality of taking action motivates our sense of purpose and one of his stories (see below) is what got us started…
“At that time, I was staying near a valley that reeked terribly because of the trash that was dumped into the river flowing through it. I remember it was my birthday, and I decided to do something about it. But it wasn’t easy doing it alone.
So I told God: “If I clean by myself, it would take my entire lifetime to clean. So please have all nations of the world clean together, so that we can all live in a clean environment.” I remember that conversation well because God replied me readily. After I had painstakingly cleared the trash from the river, God sent a heavy downpour and washed the valley clean with a river that was now flowing with vitality. I was so thankful and hopeful. Because I took action, my situation changed.”