Moses and Me
While I was studying at AIM, we had a creative workshop/ session wherein we had to create a symbol out of our business to be able to understand it more. At first, I was confused... I mean, what could I use to symbolize my business??? Suddenly, I got an image of Moses, and from there- the ideas just seemed to flow....
I chose the biblical story of Moses to illustrate my business, the logic of it, as well as the key players and stakeholders.
Moses was an ordinary man when God called Him to deliver his people into the Promised Land. It was God’s special plan for Moses and was a “calling” which Moses could not turn his back on. Moses in fact, was a reluctant prophet. Yet it was because of his faithfulness in God and his leadership qualities that made him a unique person in the Old Testament. In the same way, I feel that I am a mere struggling entrepreneur (or at the very least the daughter of one) whose calling in this world is to serve. My line of business is microfinance, and I know that it carries a product that is far from unique. However, it is who I am and where I came from that makes me different from the many existing microfinance practitioners. It is in my delivery where I am different, as well as in my long term vision.
Going back to the story of Moses, we saw how God’s plan for him was to deliver the Israelites (who were then slaves in Egypt) into the Promised Land. In my case, I feel that the Israelites are my clients and beneficiaries (the entrepreneurial poor). My vision of transforming them into partners of economic development is practiced by my way of serving them, by giving them financial assistance, free training and development, as well as enterprise development support services.
In the case of Moses, he was called and advised by the “burning bush”. My “burning bushes” are my motivators and mentors. These are the people who continuously guide and mentor me, such as my dad, mom, training team, as well as professors at AIM.
The “Golden Calf” symbolizes those lenders who I consider competitors and plagues to my clients. In the story of Moses, the Israelites adhered to a golden calf and worshipped it falsely by paying homage. In my business, I see the personification of the golden calf in the informal lenders like the “turkos”, “bombays” and the like whose true intention of luring clients to their side is plainly for monetary profit at exorbitant rates. These are people who have no inclination toward serving the poor and aiding them in their plight at the lowest rungs of the economic ladder.
Since I am to make a “model” MicroFinance program, this “model” in Moses’ story is carved out on the stone tablets which contained the Ten Commandments. The model that I am expecting to come up with will contain its own “ten commandments” on how to conduct the specialized programs to be replicated in the other branches.
Moses was not alone in his journey. He had people like Aaron and later on Joshua aid him in his undertaking. The “Aarons” and “Joshuas” in my context are the businessmen who I am tapping to help me along the way. These are people who I aim to involve in my journey to that Promised Land.
In the biblical narrative, Moses was beset with more than enough challenges and hurdles. He was continuously chased by the Egyptians and was faced with the challenge of crossing the Red Sea. These represent the hurdles, trials and challenges which I know have yet to come my way. However, I know that my greatest hurdle and enemy would not simply be running along these lines. Such cuts deeper into the internal core of the very people I am determined to serve and empower. The greatest hurdle and enemy Moses encountered in his journey were the Israelites themselves. Many times along the way, the Israelites became disillusioned, lost hope and bitterly wanted to go back to Egypt and claim their lives as slaves once more. Our program was designed for the poor, so that in time, they may rise from their levels and become active participants in the economic development in Mindanao. However, a foreseen enemy lurks in the attitude of the very clients we are serving. Having gotten used to the poverty where they are situated, their mindset and attitude would be difficult to alter. The “Promised Land” is what our company may envision for them, but may not be what they envision and want for themselves at this point. Convincing them to make the journey (or the “exodus”) with us will be a challenge, albeit a very fruitful and fulfilling one.
This “Promised Land” is where I want my clients and partners to be in five years, as the realization of my banner objective. Moses was never able to reach the Promised Land. I believe that the same fate awaits my company in that sense. Unlike Moses, we will be able to catch a glimpse and initially set foot there. However, like Moses, I know that our company can never really fully entrench ourselves in that situation because we will always have to keep looking for potential Israelites and Aarons to take to the Promised Land. It would be our “service” to shuttle them back and forth and help these two groups of people develop a bond and connection along the way.
In the Promised Land, “manna” fell down from the heavens, in the same way that much wealth awaits the stakeholders (clients, businesses and our company) in my business at our arrival at our very own Promised Land. More than worldly wealth is the wealth knowing that we have found fulfillment as people with set goals and ambitions of their own. For the poor, they will be empowered and inspired to continue uplifting their status in society. For the businessmen, they will realize the true fulfillment of their business in their undertaking of their corporate social responsibility. Finally, for me and our company, we will have found self-actualization and fulfillment in the knowledge that we have completed our journey, and served well. Moreover is the knowledge that there are so many “Israelites”, “Aarons” and “Joshuas” out there, as our journey begins and ends over and over again.
This model makes strategic planning a clearer undertaking for me and my company. For instance, now, I have to find a way of packaging myself and my product to make it more attractive and enticing to our clients and altering their current mindsets and values. At present, I need to identify what exactly the Red Sea is in my business and like Moses, how do I “part” that Red Sea? Also, it is helpful for me to identify the “Aarons” and the “Joshuas” of my business, and be wary of those whose inclinations are entirely different from the vision, mission and objectives of the program. Most importantly, I know that I will have to look closely into myself and our company and strive to be like Moses in all that he was, in all that he did and in all that he was born to be.
-o-o-o-
I chose the biblical story of Moses to illustrate my business, the logic of it, as well as the key players and stakeholders.
Moses was an ordinary man when God called Him to deliver his people into the Promised Land. It was God’s special plan for Moses and was a “calling” which Moses could not turn his back on. Moses in fact, was a reluctant prophet. Yet it was because of his faithfulness in God and his leadership qualities that made him a unique person in the Old Testament. In the same way, I feel that I am a mere struggling entrepreneur (or at the very least the daughter of one) whose calling in this world is to serve. My line of business is microfinance, and I know that it carries a product that is far from unique. However, it is who I am and where I came from that makes me different from the many existing microfinance practitioners. It is in my delivery where I am different, as well as in my long term vision.
Going back to the story of Moses, we saw how God’s plan for him was to deliver the Israelites (who were then slaves in Egypt) into the Promised Land. In my case, I feel that the Israelites are my clients and beneficiaries (the entrepreneurial poor). My vision of transforming them into partners of economic development is practiced by my way of serving them, by giving them financial assistance, free training and development, as well as enterprise development support services.
In the case of Moses, he was called and advised by the “burning bush”. My “burning bushes” are my motivators and mentors. These are the people who continuously guide and mentor me, such as my dad, mom, training team, as well as professors at AIM.
The “Golden Calf” symbolizes those lenders who I consider competitors and plagues to my clients. In the story of Moses, the Israelites adhered to a golden calf and worshipped it falsely by paying homage. In my business, I see the personification of the golden calf in the informal lenders like the “turkos”, “bombays” and the like whose true intention of luring clients to their side is plainly for monetary profit at exorbitant rates. These are people who have no inclination toward serving the poor and aiding them in their plight at the lowest rungs of the economic ladder.
Since I am to make a “model” MicroFinance program, this “model” in Moses’ story is carved out on the stone tablets which contained the Ten Commandments. The model that I am expecting to come up with will contain its own “ten commandments” on how to conduct the specialized programs to be replicated in the other branches.
Moses was not alone in his journey. He had people like Aaron and later on Joshua aid him in his undertaking. The “Aarons” and “Joshuas” in my context are the businessmen who I am tapping to help me along the way. These are people who I aim to involve in my journey to that Promised Land.
In the biblical narrative, Moses was beset with more than enough challenges and hurdles. He was continuously chased by the Egyptians and was faced with the challenge of crossing the Red Sea. These represent the hurdles, trials and challenges which I know have yet to come my way. However, I know that my greatest hurdle and enemy would not simply be running along these lines. Such cuts deeper into the internal core of the very people I am determined to serve and empower. The greatest hurdle and enemy Moses encountered in his journey were the Israelites themselves. Many times along the way, the Israelites became disillusioned, lost hope and bitterly wanted to go back to Egypt and claim their lives as slaves once more. Our program was designed for the poor, so that in time, they may rise from their levels and become active participants in the economic development in Mindanao. However, a foreseen enemy lurks in the attitude of the very clients we are serving. Having gotten used to the poverty where they are situated, their mindset and attitude would be difficult to alter. The “Promised Land” is what our company may envision for them, but may not be what they envision and want for themselves at this point. Convincing them to make the journey (or the “exodus”) with us will be a challenge, albeit a very fruitful and fulfilling one.
This “Promised Land” is where I want my clients and partners to be in five years, as the realization of my banner objective. Moses was never able to reach the Promised Land. I believe that the same fate awaits my company in that sense. Unlike Moses, we will be able to catch a glimpse and initially set foot there. However, like Moses, I know that our company can never really fully entrench ourselves in that situation because we will always have to keep looking for potential Israelites and Aarons to take to the Promised Land. It would be our “service” to shuttle them back and forth and help these two groups of people develop a bond and connection along the way.
In the Promised Land, “manna” fell down from the heavens, in the same way that much wealth awaits the stakeholders (clients, businesses and our company) in my business at our arrival at our very own Promised Land. More than worldly wealth is the wealth knowing that we have found fulfillment as people with set goals and ambitions of their own. For the poor, they will be empowered and inspired to continue uplifting their status in society. For the businessmen, they will realize the true fulfillment of their business in their undertaking of their corporate social responsibility. Finally, for me and our company, we will have found self-actualization and fulfillment in the knowledge that we have completed our journey, and served well. Moreover is the knowledge that there are so many “Israelites”, “Aarons” and “Joshuas” out there, as our journey begins and ends over and over again.
This model makes strategic planning a clearer undertaking for me and my company. For instance, now, I have to find a way of packaging myself and my product to make it more attractive and enticing to our clients and altering their current mindsets and values. At present, I need to identify what exactly the Red Sea is in my business and like Moses, how do I “part” that Red Sea? Also, it is helpful for me to identify the “Aarons” and the “Joshuas” of my business, and be wary of those whose inclinations are entirely different from the vision, mission and objectives of the program. Most importantly, I know that I will have to look closely into myself and our company and strive to be like Moses in all that he was, in all that he did and in all that he was born to be.
posted by kath | 12:06 PM
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