Wednesday, March 21, 2018

A caterpillar is nothing like a butterfly but one develops from the other.









A caterpillar is nothing like a butterfly but one develops from the other. 

I sat in a circle of YMCA Hostel Residents. 
We talked about the potential in a caterpillar and shared our collective wisdom. 
It was late night. 
They had a free choice to join me. 
I had pushed an invitation under each bedroom door. 
A dozen out of 100 joined me.

We talked potential. 
An acorn is the soul of an oak tree. 
An acorn has the potential to become an oak tree. 
So we talked about the things which can stop that acorn 
from developing into its full potential. 
Crushed by a boot, 
No moisture, 
Damaged in the fall, 
Landing on concrete, 
Poor environment, 
Uprooted or  eaten in early life and more. 


And then the application to ourselves, 
The human soul and the potential to 
become a fully alive human person. 
What can hinder that development? 
"The glory of God is a person fully alive”. 
 
Everyone in that group, including me, 
shared the reality of their own 'damage’. 
During the development process in life, 
the emotions ran high as we shared 
and took ownership of real hurt 
and also the equipping for life that this sometimes gave. 

The purpose of the YMCA is NOT to provide:- 
beds, meals, gyms, fitness classes, 
child care, training, sporting opportunities and more. 
All these we do, and are leaders in the field, but 
these are the means to achieving our aims and purposes,
to provide developmental opportunities for all. 
 
Those acorns into oak trees, 
Those caterpillars into butterflies. 
We are about whole person development. 
That is what makes the YMCA distinctive. 
That is what we mean by putting Christian principles into practice. 

"An empty belly has no ears," 
African Proverb. 




BHP