Peacebuilding with Heart

There’s something you should know about me: I do not like change. It can feel hard, uncomfortable, and unsettling—and yet, I’ve been working at an organization for 12 years that has evolved and pivoted countless times. Here’s how I ended up at Preemptive Love – a place that changes often in order to say “yes” to the world we know is possible.

Immediately after delivering him, he was rushed to another hospital because our local provider didn’t have what was needed to care for him.

In 2002, my youngest son, Whit, was born with a heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallot. Immediately after delivering him, he was rushed to another hospital because our local provider didn’t have what was needed to care for him. The doctors there told us what was wrong. “His condition will require multiple surgeries,” they said, “but he can live a normal and healthy life.” He’s had three surgeries since then, and though each one was challenging, the doctors were right: Whit lives a normal life. 

When I first heard about Preemptive Love, which got its start connecting children in Iraq with life-saving heart surgeries, I was hooked. These children had the very same condition as my son. The only difference? They didn’t have access to the resources my family did. I wanted to be a part of supporting these families, so I jumped in—first as a donor, then as a volunteer, and eventually as a staff member.

When our teams had trained local doctors to perform these surgeries and our presence was no longer needed, we had a decision to make as an organization. We could stay with what was, or we could accept an invitation into the new, into what was needed now. Intellectually, I knew this was the right decision, but emotionally, it was hard. I had been so connected to our original work, and I wasn’t eager to see it change. But I trusted our team, and as the need for larger scale relief work in Iraq became clearer, I knew changing and adapting was the only option.

We’ve experienced numerous changes since then. We’ve expanded our work into new countries. We’ve adapted programs to meet evolving needs. We’ve brought on new leadership to guide us into the next chapter of peacebuilding. And truthfully? Each of these changes has been hard for me. And I’m guessing they’ve been hard for some of you too.

These children had the very same condition as my son. The only difference? They didn’t have access to the resources my family did.

Here’s one thing that hasn’t changed about Preemptive Love: our vision for a more beautiful world. When we provide food to asylum seekers on the move, when we connect families in war-torn villages with medical care, when we support refugees to start their own businesses, when we create spaces for diverse people to build relationships across aisles, we are saying “yes” to a world where everyone belongs, everyone succeeds, and everyone has what they need to thrive. We are saying “yes” to peacebuilding. 

 …When we connect families in war-torn villages with medical care…we are saying “yes” to a world where everyone …has what they need to thrive.

With each new iteration, with each change, I’ve had to grieve the loss of what was. And each time, it’s allowed me to renew my commitment to this work and the people we serve. It’s allowed me to celebrate what can be. I want to ask you to do the same. 

I don’t think I’ll ever like change, but the kind of change our collective impact makes in our friends’ lives? I’ll keep saying “yes” to that forever. And I hope you will too.

Join Leigh in saying “yes”

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