Servant Leadership Lived Out

Our ministry in Bangladesh is blessed by excellent managers who are contributing to the lives of marginalized children.

Piyush is one of those managers making a difference in the local community with his intelligence, talent, creativity and, most importantly, his heart for God and children.

Piyush had a difficult childhood. His father abandoned his mother just before Piyush was born.

His mother remarried and his stepfather didn’t appreciate Piyush. This little boy never had the opportunity to stay with his mother, as his stepdad didn’t want that. During holidays from school, he visited his aunt’s house rather than his mom’s.

God filled this boy’s need for love through his mom’s sister and her husband. Both of them loved Piyush a lot and cared about him.

Piyush was involved in a non-Compassion sponsorship program at the church hostel where he stayed. He had a sponsor from Denmark who wrote letters to him. Little Piyush was overwhelmed by his sponsor’s love.

God was preparing this boy’s heart for the bigger picture.

Several years later, when Piyush became a manager of a Compassion child development center, he committed to contributing to the lives of ignored and neglected children. He spread love among the children, love he’d been given from his aunt, uncle and sponsor.

Piyush is familiar with rejection, so he takes good care of every child at the center.

As the head of the development center, he is required to be a visionary leader who controls the present for a better future. He can’t afford to let his decisions be influenced only by emotion, because he knows one mistake can create disadvantage for children.

“I understand the heart of the ministry. When I make any decision, I try to imagine the impact of that decision on the children.”

As a manager, Piyush creates activity plans for the children throughout the year. He breaks down activities into spiritual, physical, social and educational needs, and prepares lists of new initiatives. Planning is not the end of his responsibilities, however, as he also works with his staff to execute those plans throughout the year.

Piyush maintains a comfortable relationship with his colleagues. He inspires them by involving them in decision-making processes. His staff have the liberty to make comments and suggestions on any decision.

Piyush runs the Baramchal Child Development Center with wonderful team effort. Children are always first priority.

At this center, children from two different tribes participate. One group is from the Bagani tribe and another is from the Khasia tribe.

Piyush is from the Khasia group, but his heart is communal. For him, children are more important than their castes, customs and skin color. Piyush treats every child equally, with love, dignity and proper respect. He spends time with the young ones and has fun with them.

He is also very popular among the teenagers. Children age 15 and older like him because of his friendly behavior.

“I often spend time with adolescent boys and girls at the development center. I inspire them to be attentive in their studies. I truly believe that they are our future leaders, so it is my duty to give them time that they could be energized.”

Piyush participates in different games with the children. He volunteers as game teacher. Children love to see their center manager participate with them in games of football and cricket. Piyush is always with the children on the game field.

He wants them to know that they have access to him for any difficulties, issues or questions.

As Piyush speaks both the Khasia and Bengali languages, it is easy for him to be friends with both the Bagani and Khasia children.

When he can break from his regular office work, he serves lunch to the children. Children enjoy his presence in the dining hall. His servant leadership has made him the children’s choice.

He often visits children’s homes and meets their parents. His presence in the homes has big impact, because the community is aware of his commitment and dedication. He prays for the families and spends casual time with them.

At the same time, he tries to find out major difficulties in the community that could affect children.

Piyush is successful in creating an environment where children from two different tribal groups can learn, grow and have fun together.

“In this center, children of Khasia family and children from Bagani family come together. They are making friends among them. During learning sessions, activity time or game period, the children do everything together.

“Here, we have great communal harmony. We never allow any kind of discrimination, rejection or attitude that may hurt any child’s emotion.

“I learn a lot from the children. They love and forgive easily. Children are happy with the smallest things, and their satisfaction doesn’t depend on the earthly materials but on the amount of love they receive.

“I have a lot of joy when I work with the children. The dedication and commitment of the sponsors also touch my heart. I thank all of them for their continuous love. Their dedication gives me strength to run the extra mile.”

Piyush is one of many caring managers carrying the torch in the darkness of deprivation and extreme poverty. His dedication, creativity and gratefulness to God are assets for our ministry. The children love Piyush and his influence on them is winning many little hearts.