George Price died last week. This probably means little to you, but in Belize it is major news. George Price was commonly known as the Father of the Nation in Belize. He was 92-years old and passed just two days before the 30th anniversary of Belize’s independence.
For years George Price diligently worked for independence and was one of the nationalist pioneers that set a new course for a post-colonial world. Sometimes controversial, often criticized, he persevered through it all with a burning passion to see his country free of colonial rule. In 1981, he was successful when Belize attained full independence.
Price was elected the first Prime Minister of the country and held that position several times over many years. He was the visionary and voice of Belize as he confronted both the mighty British Empire and the feisty Guatemalans. Nobody worked harder, made more sacrifices, or was more respected in Belize. America has George Washington, South Africa has Nelson Mandela, and Belize has George Price.
So where did George Price attain that passion? What drove such a man to pursue independence against such odds? He never fired a shot or planned an act of violence, but he somehow mustered the energy, vision and internal strength to do great things amidst great poverty. How? And why?
Answers to what drives a person are always difficult to find. There is usually more than one motivation and they all stem from a collective life experience. But as we look at George Price and consider his life, one thing stands out as a major difference between him and his contemporaries.
That difference is education.
In an age when few Belizeans went to school, George Price had parents that made him go. At a time when few schools were well equipped, George Price was fortunate to attend a solid religious school that poured time, vision, resources and most of all character into the future leader.
This made him stand out from the rest of his peers. He considered ministry for a time, but was soon drawn to the world of politics because he felt he could make a difference “for the least of these.” Indeed he did, and hundreds of thousands will pay their respects to him as a result. Even the PathLight sponsorship students lined up on the road as the funeral procession drove by their school yesterday.
These sponsorship students were born into a country that George Price helped shape. As they pay their respects, some of them will be contemplating what a privilege they have to be in an educational system that can prepare them to be a future leader. They might not be the next George Price, but they can be men and women who shape their country and make it better for a future generation.
George Price attended school because somebody, somewhere, helped fund his education. He never forgot his humble beginnings, and that shaped how he viewed the world. At PathLight, we aim to instill the same kind of respect and thankfulness in our sponsorship students.
So all of this got me wondering … how cool would it be to someday look at a future leader and say, “I helped make that happen….I funded their education…I gave them the resources to grow and become a leader…and today, tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of people are benefitting from my gift.”
Wouldn’t that be great? Wouldn’t that be an incredible feeling?
Naturally, it won’t happen for all of the PathLight sponsorship students. But it’s bound to happen to some. In the midst of all those goofy teenagers doing their best to grow into adults is a leader or two who is going to change the world. They may not look like it now, but that energy, passion and vision is lying dormant in their hearts. All it takes is for somebody to believe in them and make a gift to change their lives.
Is that somebody you? Would you consider helping a student the way that George Price was helped?
If so, consider making a gift to the sponsorship program. There are various ways to do so and you can learn more here.
I’ll end this letter with this thought: I hope you take the time to give thanks for George Price and his incredible life. The world needs more people like him, so let’s pray together that those future leaders are being nurtured properly.
George Price