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 What is the SGE?
Leadership Now’s Summer Global Experience (SGE) is a program that seeks to expand and deepen students’ learning from the Leadership Academy. Building upon the theological discussion, community building, and spiritual practices of the Leadership Academy, the SGE invites students to think about and explore what faith means in a global context. Through encountering Christianity and other faith traditions in different cultural settings, students reflect upon their understanding of themselves, their faith communities, and their culture. Only students who have been through a Leadership Academy may apply for an SGE.
Why does Leadership Now offer the SGE?
Leadership Now believes that traveling as a community abroad allows students to gain a perspective of themselves, their faith, and their own cultures by learning from people of different cultures and contexts. This same kind of learning would not be available if they were to stay on the seminary campus or travel to a retreat center. In this sense, an SGE is a pilgrimage where students are invited on a journey to encounter God in new and different ways. These ways challenge students to move beyond their comfort zones of culture and customs. SGEs travel to places like India, South Africa, and Mexico, so students and staff can be taught something we cannot teach ourselves. Staff and students go as guests. For this reason, the SGE is not a “mission trip.” Leadership Now believes the ministry of the SGE simply one of presence where we humbly learn from the people we meet and the experiences we have.
I recently spent a week in a small rural village called Sega, in Ghana, West Africa. My purpose was to establish a partnership with the local school where my organization, Intercordia Canada, hopes to place student volunteers. One day I met with about 50 parents, some of who would be asked to host our students for three months this summer. Mister Godwin, the head of the school, introduced me and asked me to say a few words about Intercordia. When I was done, Mister Godwin asked if any parents had questions. A small, older gentleman stood up, his back hunched, his skin wrinkled by the hot sun, and he asked in Dambe, "What are your first impressions of our community?" Mister Godwin translated as I described my time in Sega. I told them about my first morning and how the children had immediately taken my hand and led me through the village. As we passed people on the road, they recognized right away that I was new in town and most nodded or said "You are welcome!" Some enthusiastically took my face in their hands and said something in Dambe and then repeated "You are welcome! You are welcome!" I looked at the man standing there amongst the other parents and told him that if a stranger came to my neighbourhood, with different coloured skin, who dressed differently, no one would offer a greeting. In fact people might look at that person with suspicion and turn away. The old man looked at me with concerned eyes and said, "But, that is no way to treat a stranger". I humbly agreed with him. Then he said with conviction, "Then you must send your students, so that we can help to develop your community".
Author CLARA FRASCHETTI lives in Newmarket, Ontario with her husband, Tim, 4 preschool children and 2 cats. She is a member of the L'Arche Daybreak community where she facilitates youth retreats and works part-time for Intercordia Canada as a Campus Representative. |
