The Hero's Journey

In Joseph Campbell’s analysis of mythology, he has identified a common theme running through almost all epic stories of heroism, from ancient myths to Beowulf, The Odyssey and even Star Wars.

Campbell describes how the hero is called to action in some seemingly small way. At first the hero and those around her  resist. Those at home want and need the hero to stay and fight the battles of home. But the hero departs for an unknown land full of uncertainties.

The hero goes through great trials and tribulations, almost giving up, almost being beaten. But with the help of mentors, the hero overcomes adversity and gains great strength and wisdom. With this help, she does battle with the foes, whatever they might be, in the foreign land.

The hero's accomplishments in the foreign land are only part of her story. At a given point, it becomes obvious that it is time to return home. The hero’s departure from the foreign land is also often resisted, and their welcome home is often not a grand one. But they do return to their home land. The troubles they had left behind have almost broken their homeland. But the hero’s gift of the wisdom and strength developed during her journey mark a turning point, a new beginning.

But heroes are not just in stories. They walk amongst us. I have met such a hero, and her name is Agaynasharon. She is the bravest and noblest woman I have ever met.

In this picture, she is 20 years old. She told me her story in flawless and beautifully accented English. But just 3 years prior, she had never spoken or even heard a word of English.

You see, Agaynasharon grew up in a remote part of Uganda. Uganda is remote enough, but she was in the remotest part imaginable.

Agaynasharon spoke 5 African languages.

She had never seen a white person, except in books.

She had never traveled more than a few miles from her home village.

In Uganda today, the life expectancy of a woman is 53 years. In her part of Uganda, it is even less.




But when she was 16, Agaynasharon heard her call to adventure in the form of a poster that a teacher had put up at her school.

This poster spoke of a school halfway around the world. An agriculture school.

The problems of famine are great in Uganda, and Agaynasharon saw this school as an opportunity to learn how to fight famine.

She wasn’t deterred by the fact that classes were taught in Spanish from English textbooks. She wasn’t deterred by her family and community, who wanted her to stay and work on the farm.

She applied for a scholarship and was accepted.

So at the age of 17, this young woman who had never ridden in a car or a train or most of all an airplane, left her village by oxcart and made her way hundreds of miles to Kumpala to board a plane with her one duffel bag of belongings.

And she came to Costa Rica to study at Earth University.

For 3 weeks, she told me, she cried non-stop. She was so lost and bewildered.

But there was another student from Uganda, and all of the other students were gracious and friendly.

Somehow, I can’t imagine how, she learned Spanish and she learned English, both in order to be able to learn advanced agriscience.

When I met her, she was in her third year of five. She has never been back to Uganda in that time – as a scholarship student, she has no way of paying for a return visit. They don’t have phones or Internet in remote villages in Uganda. It takes weeks for a letter to make it back and forth.

And yet this young woman positively glowed with power and spirit.

Earth University is a remarkable place.

It’s equatorial, so the days are always 12 hours long, 6 to 6.

Earth students rise at 5 and work in the fields from 6 to noon. They return for lunch and then work in the classroom from 1 to 6.

It is one of those places on earth that humble you, that fill you with wonder at the strength of the human spirit. Students from all over the world, from the poorest and most famine ravaged countries come to Earth University, most of them on scholarship or sponsored by their governments. They are all heroes, being supported by the necessary mentors at Earth.

Their mission is to construct a prosperous and just society. I have nothing to add to that – it is the noblest mission imaginable.

I asked Agaynasharon how she could be so brave. How could she leave her homeland and her family, fly in a plane, learn new languages in order to learn new skills. How she fought for this difficult path against the wishes of her family and her community.

She told me that Uganda and all of Africa suffers from terrible  drought and famine. She told me she has learned so much from her mentors at Earth University and when she returns to Uganda, she will give the gift of that wisdom to her homeland.

She told me something else. Something so terrible that to this day I am unable to say it out loud without breaking down into sobs. So the best I can do is let you read – here is what she told me.

 

Well, I think you must agree that Agaynasharon’s story is the story of a true hero.

She heard the call to adventure, overcame every obstacle, met every challenge with courage. The school is giving her the help that all heroes need and she is developing great wisdom

It’s exciting to have met her before her last step – the return home. I have no doubt that she will do great battle with the foe of famine there.



Consider supporting Earth University. It is a remarkable place – a place where heroes are made.