Another Perspective for our Project

Yes, again, I must say, we are a diverse group and see our work in a number of insightful and complimentary ways. Following is the perspective of my fellow KEP member, Debra Marovitch, on our project.

I’m not one to try to save the world. Don’t get me wrong, I think that the world needs people who are dead-set and passionate about saving it (and it IS in dire need of salvation). Furthermore, I believe that it is essential to support idealists! They have such a burden to bear, and need encouragement just like the rest of us. The world needs idealists and their goals so desperately. I realize that I may be labeled as an idealist because of my association with and love of these amazing people, but I’m not. I have no reason to expect that the overall state of evil will change from the way that it’s always been. On the other hand, this is not to say that I am fatalistic—far from it! The world is NOT static, and positive change can, and does, happen all the time—usually in slow, incremental ways. I see the problems that are before me and focus on them in order to not become overwhelmed and depressed at the great things I wish I could do and can’t. If I could sacrifice everything so that all the children in the world would have food, education, health, and the opportunity to grow up in freedom and achieve all their potential, I would gladly do it. But I can’t. I can, however, feed the need that is in front of me at the time, whatever it may be, and pray that it becomes something worthwhile.

I see this project as feeding a present need that is in front of me. No, I don’t think it’s a small project– quite the opposite. I think that it has a great potential to become a very big one. I believe strongly that we allow the media to tell us what to think, and even which topics to think about. We really have no idea what is going on in another part of the world aside from second-, third-, fourth-, (ad infinitum) hand accounts that are filtered down to us. Based on this hearsay, we are asked to make judgments that affect ourselves and those people we have only heard about from talking heads. The tragedy is not that bias exists, but that all too often we don’t even recognize or admit it. It is vital for us (“in this day and age of globalization” sounds so trite) to be aware and informed of what is going on, and to realize that what we are learning is only one tiny puzzle piece. To even begin to see the whole, we need put them together one at a time. But how can individuals do that unless they are made aware of the necessity?

That is why I believe this project is worthwhile—not because it’s going to save the world (and if it does, I personally believe that a power much bigger than ourselves will have had the influence that we cannot), but because it will make a difference. That’s what I, personally, AM out to do. Both in this project and in life, I can only have an impact on those I come into contact with. I have to leave the rest to faith (if you don’t believe in faith, then perhaps fate, chance, destiny, etc.) Making a difference IS something that is possible, and the little difference that you and I can make may (or may not) change the world some day, but at least we will have made a difference in OUR world.

(Debra is a Global Studies Major at La Sierra and serves as our Advertising/PR director. Her organizational skills have proved exemplary and reliable in our most difficult times.)