Once there was a dog. This dog found, on its own, some food. This was the dog’s way of being helpful—by being the one to go searching for sustenance. Some other dogs, who lived in the same compound as the first dog, smelled the food, and came over to where that first dog and the food were. Then, they all started eating the food, sharing with each other. None of the dogs fought with each other over any part of the food; instead, they all ate together peacefully. End.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we all learned and applied the lessons found in Adam’s story? In real life, we have kleptocratic governments keeping the fruits of the land in tightly-guarded fruit bowls accessible only to themselves. In real life, we have countries in which there is little sharing of resources, and in which the government does little to help all those in its charge. In some of these countries, peace is a luxury item that many cannot afford to buy, sometimes simply because they are members of the wrong population, as determined by the government.
Adam, an iACT friend from Darfur visiting us in refugee camp Goz Amer, eastern Chad, told his story as a way to illustrate the values of “peace,” “helping,” and “sharing.” These same values make up the Little Ripples “Pillars,” and are the principles that Little Ripples teachers encourage and cultivate in their students. It’s incredibly exciting to know that the children of Little Ripples will be growing up to be future community members, leaders, educators, tinkers, and thinkers, and all with a solid foundation of positivity constructed in their early years of childhood. Though perhaps not until far off in the future (or maybe not), Little Ripples students will one day change their world—which is also our world—to be more peaceful, with more helping and sharing all around. I am confident of this.