Wow…I had promised to share about some of my experiences in Sichuan after given time to ‘process’ everything. I had no clue it would take me so long to ‘make sense’ of the whole experience and be able to write about it coherently. Rather than writing from the “big picture” perspective, I thought what may be helpful is for me to capture some of the small episodes that happened during the trip. I have often found that the most significant lessons are learned in the seemingly most insignificant moments…
It was our final day with the students in Sichuan. As scheduled, we would perform twice during the day to different groups of students, and in the evening there will be a final show in front of about 700 students and guests. After the first concert of the day, 2 students came up to me with a request. Since they were graduating, they really wanted to express their gratitude to their teachers and they asked if we can perform a song on their behalf that same night in the evening program. Right away two flags went up in my mind: First, the rundown for the evening program has been locked down and I knew it was a tight schedule. Second, for the song to have meaning, it really should come from the students rather than from us. I had wanted to politely say no, but something within me prompted: “Give this a chance, don’t shoot it down…”
So I gave the students 2 challenges: First, I wanted them to check with the producer of the evening final concert to see if they can be slotted into the rundown. Second, I told them that I don’t want to sing it. Rather, if they got permission from the producer, I want them to gather their entire class to perform the song, and I gave them a deadline of 2 hours to pull it off. As I watched the two of them ran off, I really didn’t think they could get past our producer or they could get the graduating class together in a couple of hours.
To my surprise, that afternoon they came back to look for me after our second concert. With smiles on their faces, they said, “We are good to go!” One problem, none of them play any instruments. The only record they have of the song is in one of their cell phones. Again, something within me prompted: “Help them out.” So I asked to listen to it. He held up the phone to my ear. It was a Mandarin song called “Wishing You Peace.” I have never heard it before, but I quickly put together a simple accompliment on the guitar and told them, “OK! I play, you guys sing!” They were so excited as they ran off to tell their classmates…I wished I had my camera to capture their faces 
I then found our pianist and told him what we are going to do. Poor guy, he didn’t even have a chance to hear the song once. All I said to him was, “Ok, I have heard it once….just follow along….D Major.” He said, “O…..Okay.”
I then found our pianist and told him what we are going to do. Poor guy, he didn’t even have a chance to hear the song once. All I said to him was, “Ok, I have heard it once….just follow along….D Major.” He said, “O…..Okay.”When I saw them on stage performing during the evening program and dedicating the song to their teachers, I was so glad we allowed it to happen. It was only then that I saw how important it was for them to give something back. The earthquake had taken away so much from them. It took away their homes, their parents, their friends and their health. In the year following, when they lived in substandard conditions in temporary shelters, it continued to strip away their dignity as humans. As I played guitar and looked into their eyes during the performance, I saw a pride and dignity restored. Not from what they “received” from us, but because they could choose to “give” of themselves again. Again, I was reminded of that simple truth: Our lives, our personhood, are measured not by how much we receive, but by how much we give.
It occured to me, upon reflection that if we truly believe “it is more blessed to give than to receive”, this should have profound implications on everything from how we help others as individuals to global foreign aid policies: If we truly want to be a blessing, perhaps our ultimate goal should not simply be giving to others, but rather, giving to them AND enabling them to in turn, give.
Perhaps this has implications on all forms of giving as well? For instance, will this shape the way we do counselling? Rather than looking at counselling as helping individuals with their own issues as an end, may be the ultimate goal should be restoring that individual so he/she can in turn help others?
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