One of our students, Rachel Fox, served as an intern this summer in Rwanda. A friend shared a summary of Rachel’s experiences with me. Of the many poignant stories that she related, this one caught my attention:
I remember an instance that was especially eye-opening for me when my boss and I showed up unannounced to have a meeting with a hotel manager. When we entered, the place reminded me of a Western hotel. After waiting a while to have a meeting with the manager and having a hurried few minutes of conversation with her, my boss and I left. I felt that we had a fruitful meeting because we accomplished the goal of our visit, but as we were walking out, my boss whispered to me, “I hate coming to this place because they never have time for people.” While I was pleased with the efficiency of our meeting, my boss was frustrated at the rushed nature of our time there.
On this first day of classes for the new academic year, I hope that we will remember a lesson from Rachel’s new friend in Rwanda: may we always have time for people.
The world is better because Samford helps students to learn from people around the globe.