Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Stone Kyambadde - true symbol of grace and forgiveness

I'm currently taking a course in Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. .... yes, I know I'm kinda behind, seeing as there is already an 8th habit! But nonetheless, it's quite inspiring all that is being shared in this course!

One story/experience that really caught me is about Stone Kyambadde - a promising soccer/football player who was already almost within the big leagues. His goal was to play in the European Cup ....or something like that ....when someone premeditatedly 'took out' one of his knees! With his ligament torn, there was no way Stone could continue to play with the big boys and so he retired and went home to Uganda.

Stephen Covey's DVD begins with a Caucasian who went to Uganda for his gap year but ended up staying to continue helping to improve people's lives after more than a decade of corruption and bad living. Timmins is his name (if I recall correctly), who apparently got the many unemployed and out of school youths there to start a soccer team.

After a short bit, the boys came with a Coach....who was no other than Stone Kyambadde. He still loved football and he wanted to be able to pass on the joy and the skills to the young'ins. Hearing him speak and hearing the voiceover about this humble man, I almost got tears in my eyes. There is no bitterness or anger in his for his 'attacker'. Apparently, Stone gave him his forgiveness and said, "You had to do, what you had to do". And now, he just enjoys a quiet life with his family......seems he is now heading a vocational school in Uganda just because he wants to make things better for the younger generations of his country.

In the DVD, Stone explains that someone has to help the young men see their potential, see their future for they will become fathers and husbands themselves and if they don't know how to conduct themselves in those roles, no change will evolve.

Stone Kyambadde is truly a 'Transition Man'! I salute him!