At the turn of the century, my understanding of poverty, suffering, and the darkness present in so much of our world shifted from abstract information and statistics to lived reality, suddenly and unmistakably. Within moments of stepping foot in India for the first time, I knew that nothing would ever be the same. What I encountered there came into my life like a wrecking ball, dismantling my comfortable, and frankly myopic, sense of peace and well-being. I could no longer pretend that all was well in the world, and once I saw that, I could no longer be well in my own personal world either.

A week later, the empathy, pain, confusion, and even anger I was carrying boarded the plane home with me, returning to a life of comfort about which I had done plenty of complaining. What followed was a difficult attempt to regain my equilibrium, until I came to realize that equilibrium was not the goal. Far from it. Over time, it became clear that I had been living a life that needed to be wrecked, and then—slowly and intentionally—rebuilt.

That first day in India, December 14, 2000, marks the genesis of what would eventually become Solstice, though I had no idea of it at the time. My eyes were opened to a world so broken, so dark, so painful, and so filled with need that it felt overwhelming. Nothing was the same. I didn’t know what to do. I knew I wasn’t capable of changing the world, but I was absolutely certain
that I had to do something.

Along the way, I encountered a phrase attributed to Francis of Assisi:

“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the Impossible.”

I began by doing what felt necessary: joining up with a few friends to care for about fifty
orphans I had encountered in India. Then more friends joined. Resources followed. We were doing what was possible. Over time, vision clarified. The scope of the work expanded. Local leaders were encouraged to grow and stretch. Eventually, though Francis might have had a more generous definition of “suddenly,” we were caring for the elderly, launching medical clinics that would later become a hospital, and more, witnessing profound impact across an entire
community. What once felt impossible had become reality.


Today, the word impossible no longer has a place in my vocabulary when it comes to addressing suffering and igniting human flourishing. As the Solstice vision states, I imagine a world where no one is left in the shadows; where generosity ignites hope, strengthens courageous leaders, and transforms marginalized communities on every continent. I have seen this happen. I know it is possible.


After decades of participating in founding and leading nonprofit efforts addressing poverty, homelessness, healthcare, education, the needs of the elderly, and more, both locally and globally, I now have a clear vision for the remainder of my life. At seventy years old, I have no interest in slowing down or disengaging from the opportunity to ignite meaningful change in our world. I am convinced this is possible when the pillars of Solstice are firmly in place.

It’s not complicated: generosity fueled by deep empathy, connected to organizations
addressing human suffering and led by visionary, strategic, healthy, and innovative leaders, results in outcomes that once seemed impossible.


Over the years, I’ve had the joy of working alongside many others who share this passion. I’ve learned that people are motivated by many different things. For me, it is a conviction that there is a God defined by both love and justice. For others, their motivation comes from different places.
No matter. Solstice is committed to working with anyone, of any faith, who shares a common purpose of seeing human suffering transformed into human flourishing.

One final thought. I wasn’t sure whether to disclose a very specific goal I have in my heart. It felt bold, perhaps even foolish, to put it in black and white. But when I shared it with a few trusted friends, each responded with passion: “If this is in your heart, you need to say it. Let’s aim for something worthy of our time and our lives.”


 

So here it is:

What kind of change could be ignited if $100 million were raised through Solstice over the next ten years?

Let’s find out, together.

I invite you to join me.

- Craig Mayes