Landmark Education News has received a report from architect Chris Turley, whose participation in Landmark Education’s programs inspired him to become deeply involved in a project to build a university in the Angolan city of Kuito. This report, which thanks people from Landmark Education who supported and inspired him, discusses his two week trip to Angola, from which he recently returned.
Our project is to create a University in Angola, in the central highlands in a city called Kuito.
Our trip purpose was to recognize support from a local church, get data, create a documentary to inspire others (we had a professional film crew with us), and, more importantly to interview students and key players and to assure them that the university would be done. The comment we heard again and again from high school aged kids, kids who have no families of their own, was that the university would change not only their lives but was to change the lives of yet unborn Angolans. So unselfish and generous – another indication that these are as a whole a most remarkable people. My project was to create World Peace and I was reaffirmed again and again that this is the right project. You helped me on the road and so many of the thanks go to you.
During our trip I spoke several times for our group of about twenty and the LES courses I took, Being Extraordinary and SELP, really helped me speak with clarity and impact – to tell them why I was there and what I intended to accomplish. Through my speaking and through others on our team we recruited many, many local volunteers. In addition I was able to speak with some members of our team and help them get clarity on the impact they had on the community there, to stop and understand their success.
All of this is shared with you. Thank you so much for your coaching and thank you from all the people you helped. To give you a sense of the impact, we were at the celebration for the church I mentioned. It is their 125 anniversary so there was a large gathering. When they introduced the VIPs our group got the a very large applause and, more than any other, when they introduced the architect – there was a roar from the 22,000 people gathered. I recognized that they did not know who I am or what I do – they recognized that having an architect on the team means something is really going to happen. You helped put me on stage and to reaffirm their faith in the future. We were treated like rock stars, signing autographs and having pictures taken but all the while I realized it was not about me but the role I filled – and that you and my family and my friends and many others put me in front of that camera. To all of you – I say thank you again.
