Always under construction

February 16, 2008 at 7:37 am danpearson Leave a comment

All of India seems to be under construction these days. The city streets are lined with blue tarps screening off building sites. Half-destroyed buildings with gaping holes make the commute to work seem like a trip through a war zone. These buildings are being torn down to make room for a wider road and a new metro service. Driving between cities, you must shift back and forth from one side of the highway to the other to accommodate the frequent road construction. And everywhere, everywhere there are piles of sand and gravel and bricks waiting to be molded into new buildings.

The construction frenzy here is fueled by the rapid economic growth India has experienced. Many of the poor are yet to benefit from India’s economic boom, especially the rural poor. But the construction zones everywhere are testimony that things are changing here.

At CFCA we talk about how CFCA should be always under construction. The talk of continuous construction reminds me of when I first came to CFCA. One of the things that drew me to CFCA during the job interview process was the way the people in the organization projected both excitement and humility. They seemed to recognize that they were a part of something special, but they were humble enough to believe this thing could get much, much better.

Being in India reminds one of what life in a construction zone is like. It is loud. It is messy. And at times it can be very inconvenient. But life in a construction zone also reminds you that the world is changing. And if you find the courage to join in the construction yourself, you may discover a growing sense of hope.

It may not look like much now, but what will stand here tomorrow will be better than what stands here today.