Souls on Fire

Hi S-LC alumni, current workers, and visitors. My name is Robert Bogdanffy, currently an intern for the summer at the Service-Learning Center. I am currently a sophomore at Northwestern College in Orange City, IA and also an international student from Romania. Just over one year ago I graduated from a Romanian high-school in the small city of Petrosani. The story of how I ended up studying in the U.S. and working in the S-LC is relatively long, so I am only able to give you some succinct information about that and about the foundation I work with.

While in high-school learned about this foundation that works with youth and promotes civic engagement through Service-Learning and informal means of education. This foundation that I later ended up joining, which became the best thing that ever happened to me is called the New-Horizons Foundation [www.new-horizons.ro]. As a beneficiary of one of their programs called “Impact” I opened my eyes towards the need in my community. It is still surprising to me today to see how much this program helps youth and how little they know about the need around them. Many times we can recognize a country as materially needy, yet we do not often think of a country as lacking social capital or we do not make an effort to see why a certain need exists. The Communist era that lasted for roughly 45 years has left its mark on Romanian society not only in economic terms, but mostly through a deeper heritage within us. What the New-Horizons foundation is trying to do means counteracting this heritage, fighting against apathy, against the lack of trust-- in other words trying to build social capital. Sustainable international economic development is based on a climate of trust, and where that is lacking, nothing functions properly. Vaclav Havel once said “Without commonly shared and widely entrenched moral values and obligations, neither the law, nor the democratic government, nor even the market economy will function properly.” In the effort to educate people about this need in Romania, the foundation then began partnering with U.S. institutions among which were Northwestern College and Calvin College. A connection now exists that enabled me to study at Northwestern College as a full time international student. The summer position in The S-LC was made possible through Dr. Jeff Bouman’s support of the establishment in Romania.

Now let's get to the introduction of Charles Marsh’s book “The Beloved Community” entitled “Souls on Fire”. You may ask yourself, how does this really connect to what we’ve been working on in Romania, and all the similar efforts like ours through the world? Martin Luther King is quoted in the chapter as clearly defining the civil rights movement’s goal, “the end is the creation of the beloved community” when referring to the happenings in Montgomery. In the same way, reflecting upon our work in the world, we ask: What is our communal purpose? Why do we try to build social capital? Why do Service-Learning? Why do we struggle with these complex and most often philosophical ideas, trying to find more just societies in an unjust world; what is our end goal? There are many incomplete answers to those questions, such as peace or prosperity, yet none of these seem to capture the complete experience that believers in Christ are striving towards. We understand that we are called to live a righteous life, obtain salvation, love our neighbor, and what Martin Luther King does is capture this in one goal that has been reduced to one word: Shalom. Creating the beloved community is bringing Shalom to God’s earth. What higher purpose for the created matter, than for a sinful world to become a mirror of the glory of God? In order to have Shalom though, we need a number of preconditions that were enumerated above, conditions such as justice, morality, even happiness or good intentions. Acting as agents is no simple task. It is not limited to preaching the gospel; it many times also implies establishing these organizations and addressing need wherever it is on the globe and in any form it appears. The problems of the world are complex, the solutions are not always straight-forward, some of the questions are formidable, questions like “How do you teach morality?” or “How to reeducate something that has become popular culture?” Yet with all these challenges, we must stay firm, and “Souls on Fire” captures the essence of the fuel that keeps burning within us, of the divine gift that stays alive through grace and keeps us focused. For people who have opened their hearts with agape love, there is no outside motivation needed. This is the characteristic of this highest form of love. It transcends reason, question, intellect; it is simple, pure, joyful, harmonious and selfless love.

Charles Marsh ends his introduction urging us to accept this spiritual vision that animated the civil rights movement. I would go even further to say not only to accept it, but also spread it through your service and dedication as an example to the world. We have seen time and time again that this love and service is contagious, but does it have the potential to spread worldwide? I guess that is all up to you and me to answer! Will you rise up to the call?

All your thoughts/comments/ideas are welcome!