What difference can I make? What difference can you make? Well, I guess that all begins with what and why you are trying to make a difference in. For me I am constantly thinking of what I can do for the Middle East and trying to make a difference sure seems impossible. Sometimes it is so incredibly frustrating that I think why do I even think I can do anything. But then I had my first day of class in Political Science of the Middle East class with Professor Donna Lee Bowen. She started off in her dignified way that she does, probably 5' 2'' in mid 50's and striking confidence, saying,
"Today in the Middle East there is great turmoil all over the place. And after 9/11 I thought what can I do to help my students and the people of the Middle East? I realized there was nothing I could do more than pray. So I'd like to start class with prayer and do the thing I know that works."
It hit right then that I may be just one individual but I pray for that peace. Professor Bowen prayed for our enemies, our loved ones, for understanding of each other, for peace, for protection, and for our service men and women. The next class session, she asked me to pray and then asked me to make sure I included the servicemen and women in the Middle East and their families.
Here is a extremely well educated woman in the politics of the Middle East and she says the only thing she can really do to help solve the problems in the Middle East is through prayer struck me hard. She spoke of peace being possible over there. She spoke of the great calamities that can be overcome and I took from that class period that I have forgotten the possibility through faith and prayer.
I had a dream the other night I was Lawrence of Arabia, a British soldier that helped gained unity with the Arab tribes to help form tribes. He did a great work to help the current problems at the time. But I don't know if I will ever be in situation to help them like he did. So why not pray when you want to make a difference in this world?
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