Lamiel Phiri:
World Server in Zimbabwe

Lamiel Phiri had just returned from participating in the Center for Purposeful Living’s Transformation Through Service program when he began volunteering in his local church and school in Zimbabwe (2003). He helped a school to raise funds to improve its building, and contributed to the efforts of two small congregations to expand their membership and renovate their church buildings.

In October 2006, Lamiel returned to the Center for Purposeful Living (CPL) for four weeks of intensive training in video and audio production. On the last day of his visit, CPL’s teaching faculty and board of directors presented him with—much to his surprise—CPL’s highest level of recognition for its graduates: Level 3, World Server: One who is recognized as handling his/her own life so that all personal obligations are fully met, and is demonstrating the capacity to initiate or join any service work, in particular group-service, with the right motive, without disruption and through the demonstration of self-less service, which potentially helps raise that work to a higher level.

Throughout his years of involvement with HSA/CPL, Lamiel has consistently exemplified putting spiritual theory into practice. His focus has been on raising the standards of living of vulnerable people by helping them find solutions from within and taking a group approach to solving their challenges in life. “There is no human problem that cannot be solved by intelligence and love” is one of his guiding principles. The Foundation for Purposeful Living is honored to support Lamiel by granting him a laptop computer and additional video production equipment in support of his service work in Zimbabwe. Both training and equipment will further Lamiel’s capacity to reach out, spread the message among the literate and the not-so-literate, and to provide the opportunity for other individuals and organizations to support these projects from outside the country through Web sites.

Lamiel has since returned to Zimbabwe, supplied with school books granted by the non-profit organization Trees for Life, along with the financial assistance required to ship the books. Tears of joy were in the eyes of the teachers and the parents as Lamiel went through the process of sorting out the books for distribution among their children. Lamiel sees the need and goes actively about filling it. Here is a quote from him that reflects the sense of responsibility he embodies: You never know how far your choices in life can impact those children in the universe who live a life of uncertainty—a life where the rights to quality education remain a pipe dream deeply embedded in poverty, HIV/AIDS, and a lack of resources. A life you can transform by making a small gift of a textbook. Education is a right to every child of the universe: Let’s help make that right a reality. See a video regarding some of Lamiel’s work.