Discovery in Time of Crisis
A Failure of Nerve challenged me in my thinking this week. I had to reconsider the way in which I thought about leadership roles. In considering the early explorers to the Americas, Christopher Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci, and Giovanni Verrazano, Friedman reminds us that they did not have any of the advantages our astronaut explorers have today. [1] In fact, they were not even sure most of the time exactly where they were while they were out at sea! [2] The author details five characteristics of leadership that these men possessed in their day that for the most part we are lacking in our society. In my role as a missionary / teacher on the Choctaw Indian Reservation in Mississippi, it is my desire to be this type of bold leader.
The first of these is to go outside the emotional climate of the day. [3] I mentioned in a previous post that we had a student commit suicide. Since that post we have had another student hang herself in the school bathroom. Her funeral was today. A motivational speaker / evangelist was called to the school to speak this afternoon. Thirty-eight students responded that they were contemplating suicide right now. We are a school of only 240 children. The numbers are devastating. Our emotional climate right now is one of distress. It is difficult to lift myself out of it to lead.
The second characteristic is a willingness to be vulnerable. [4] The students shared today times in their lives when they have been abused. They opened up about self-harm. There was a lot of crying. I cried too and they saw it. And that was alright. They need to know I am human too.
The third characteristic is persistence in the face of resistance or rejection. [5] There are some students that do not know how to deal with the grief that is going on right now in our community. They make a joke out of it. They tease others that are being sent to behavior health for counseling. Those children are few in number, and are bullies. They need to be dealt with individually and persistently.
The fourth characteristic is stamina in the face of sabotage. [6] It would be easy to give up right now, or call in sick because I am not able to deal with the emotional baggage of it all. Some days it might even be easier to find another job somewhere. However, that is not what I am called to do. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am to keep at it day in and day out for the sake of the children.
Finally, the fifth characteristic is being headstrong and even ruthless at times. [7] I don’t know about ruthless, but I can say that I am headstrong about helping the kids and serving the community I am in. There is no greater joy than to see them return years later to visit me as young adults. I have been with the Reservation now for twenty-one years and am teaching the children of children. That alone is rewarding.
Just as Vespuci, Verazanno, and Columbus discovered new worlds in their journeys, I am discovering in my role as a leader on the Reservation that so many of these children are crying out for help without even uttering a word. I need to fill the gap.
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About the Author
Tonette Kellett
Missionary, teacher, Bible student, traveler ... Having lived in Kenya and Korea, I now live in Mississippi and work with the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.6 responses to “Discovery in Time of Crisis”
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Wow Tonnette! There is a lot happening in your community and school I cannot begin to even imagine what all you are going through along with your students.
What does the school allow you to do as a teacher to continue support?
I am really proud of you for all you are doing! Please let us know how we can support you in this journey.
Alanna,
Thank you for your response. The school is very open to allowing the staff to show our support for the students almost any way we choose. I am even able to stop and pray with students at school or share Scripture with them.
Right now, our community churches are trying to decide on a joint effort to help the youth. We have a few ideas that might help, but we are not solid on them yet. We want an action plan that will really be helpful, and do not want to just slap together any response.
Our biggest need right now is for prayer support… for the children, the staff, the churches, and the community itself. Thank you so much for caring!
Tonnette, what a heavy thing to be navigating as a community. As I consider Friedman and his call to lead from outside of the emotional climate, maybe I don’t understand it properly, but it seems Jesus’s words stand as a counter. “blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”. I hope that even as you consider how to lead, you’ll allow yourself to mourn and I pray that as you and your community mourn that the supernatural comfort of God would surround and fill you all.
Thank you Caleb for your kindness and your reminder to mourn also.
Tonette,
I can think of no one better qualified to be with the children right now than you. You are amazing.
One of my devotionals this week dealt with Jesus telling the disciples as they were grieving over the idea of Him leaving that He would send the Comforter. One of the key lessons in the passage in John 16:4-7 is that Jesus is concerned about us when we grieve. Secondly, the Holy Spirit is here to provide comfort and I’m a witness to the comforting presence of God. Lean in and He will carry you and the children through this. I know you know this but sometimes we need to be reminded and hear it again.
As others have said – let me know what I can do.
Audrey,
Thank you for the reminder of our Lord as Comforter, particularly in times such as these. I would simply ask that you cover each of us in prayer through these difficult days please. Thank you!