X > ?

It is a weird sensation to arrive at your first job post college and begin to work feeling like you know absolutely nothing at all. Feeling like you do not even know what you have done with the past 21 years of your life. What is even more strange is when you are sitting at your first grant writing meeting and you realize. Wow, I'm not just making this up, I might actually know what the heck I am talking about. Awesome! I guess it is good to know that the thousands of dollars spent on college wasnt a complete waste. I'm sure my parents are happy about that too! The icing on the cake for me though is the fact that at no time during said grant writing meeting was I asked to explain Osmosis or calculate the value of X or Y. Take that Bio 112!

The first thing you learn about non-profit organization is that it is absolutely essential to have a concrete mission statement and committed board of directors. Although, I am quickly realizing that most of the non-profits I know of are too busy putting out the daily fires in their communities to worry about their mission statement or board of directors. Thats where I come in. I will now be spending a great majority of my time doing the work that other people find ridiculously boring. I will be gathering statistics, creating databases and making it possible for the Deaf Shalom Zone to apply for grants. I will also be researching and writing those grants. This is exactly what I feel called to do. I feel as though it is in line with systemic change. If the organization is to survive it will need to be... well... organized.

How wonderful is it that the Deaf Shalom Zone has been blessed with so many people who want to put out the daily fires. Hopefully the gifts that I bring of organization (my parents are giggling because this is probably the only time I have ever and will ever be referred to as organized) will be helpful for this already thriving organization. Peace.