Starfish International
Advancing Humanity Through International Service-Learning, Multicultural Education, & Community-BuildingThe Starfish Story
(Original Story by: Loren Eisley)
One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?” The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.” “Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a difference!” After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said…,
“I made a difference for that one.”
It is in the same way that we aim to make a difference in the world by offering practical solutions to the religious, gender, racial, class, and cultural challenges that currently plague humanity. In our case, however, we aim to run back to the global village and call out to as many other villagers as possible to come help increase the number of people in whose lives we can make a difference.