Is it more important to be interesting or interested?

Principal Sharyn VonCannon and I took a quick break from carrying cement blocks to hang-out with the children on the hill overlooking the jobsite.

In 2011, I had the incredible opportunity to be a part of a life-changing experience. I was selected to join other educators in literally building a school where no school existed. I thought about all of the positive encounters and outcomes I had witnessed during my career between teachers and students in the building that brought them together. As I considered what helping to build the building that would house opportunity and hope for children and for their community, I began to realize what this project would really mean to them. What I did not know is what this project would really mean for me.

The first evening after arriving in the Dominican Republic, the group shared a great meal and met for evening reflection. The group consisted of school principals and superintendents as well as volunteers from Lifetouch, the corporate sponsor of the Memory Mission.

As this was the group’s first time together, quite a bit of time was spent getting to know one another. We were encouraged to spend time developing relationships with the Dominican workers on the work project as well as community members who might be nearby, and were reminded that while the work was important, the relationships were much more important. It was important to show that we cared.

During the orientation, a team member posed the question, “Is it more important to be interested or interesting?” What a great question. As I reflect on it, I think isn’t it more important to be interested in other people than it is to be interesting to other people? If we were all genuinely interested in others, what would the world look and feel like?

Following the orientation we boarded buses to head to the job site. The task for the week was to build the block walls of the school, tile floors and possibly paint. They hoped to have the school ready so that in two weeks children would be learning there. It seemed like such a daunting task – build a place that will offer hope to schoolchildren and their families – it could not be done if the power of hope was not put into action. At the job site, the engineer assigned everyone to their first tasks. I was placed on a mason team, charged with building the block walls in the last classroom. We were taught how to level the block, use the mud, tie rebar and alternate the seams.

At the end of the day, we knew that we would sleep well that night. Dinner was followed by evening reflection time. Group members shared how great it was to be in Constanza and they shared their concerns that they do the best job possible for the children. Our team members were awesome – dedicated and passionate, and it showed. Clearly, as interesting as they were, they were more interested in those for whom they labored.

In the end, the building was built and added onto by the teams that followed ours. A school now exists and children are learning. They are walking into a building and finding opportunity and hope waiting their for them. The building has made a difference in their lives. It has also made a difference in my life as I have witnessed the power of applied hope and continue to focus on being more interested in other people than on being interesting to them.