Fifteen Minutes of Fame

Jessica Buchanan. Does that name ring a bell? No? What if I said she is an American woman who was rescued by Navy SEALS from her Somalian captors not long ago? Does that sound familiar? I would bet you remember hearing that in the news even if you didn't recognize her name. So, why do I bring her up and what does Jessica Buchanan have to do with me?

I heard of her capture months ago from a young friend of ours who had gone to college with her. That college is my connection with her. She attended Valley Forge Christian College in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Many people had never heard of it until Jessica's rescue. That is the college my son attends. Not only that, my husband serves on the Board of Trustees for VFCC. These connections made me very interested in Jessica and her story, her "fifteen minutes of fame", if you will.

For a few days Jessica was international news. The AP and BBC and CNN and every other news source carried, not only the story of her capture and rescue, but the story of how she got to Somalia in the first place. This made Valley Forge Christian College international news as well since it was through her experience at VFCC that she "fell in love with Africa" and decided to go there as a missionary. So Jessica's "fifteen minutes of fame" also included VFCC. Dr. Don Meyer, President of the college, was interviewed on ABC, CNN and several other TV news outlets. He was quoted in an AP news bulletin which was quoted in USA Today and BBC news articles among any others. For a few days there were news trucks at the college. And then everything was back to normal.

So, in her few moments of fame,what did people say about Jessica ? What was said about VFCC? What would I want to be my legacy if I had the same opportunity for "fifteen minutes of fame"?

There were just enough details shared about Jessica to depict her as a passionate young woman, in love with Africa, who sold everything she had to serve Africa's people, first as a teacher and most recently as education director for a Danish relief organization. When Dr. Meyer spoke to the media he came across as the genuine, caring man I have met. The focus of his comments were on Jessica and the many prayers the VFCC community had prayed for her as one of their own.

What does all this media exposure mean for the future of VFCC? Will their enrollment increase? Will financial support of the college increase... or will the college quietly continue the work it has always done that produces many people like Jessica Buchanan?  What does it mean for Jessica? Will she write a book or will there be a movie made about her experience... or will she just go back to Africa and continue doing what she loved before all of this happened? What will people remember after all the dust finally settles?

If it were you or I in the spotlight, what would people be saying about us? Before all this happened no considered Jessica Buchanan or Valley Forge Christian College newsworthy. Actions by others brought them to attention. Who's to say that someone else's actions might not bring your or I into the public eye? Could my life bear the scrutiny? Would my character inspire others? Would my life speak the way that Jessica's has to many? And after it was all over... would I miss the attention or would I just go on the way I always have and try to make some kind of difference in my small sphere of influence?

Things to think about. What do you think?

Here are a few links to articles about Jessica Buchanan. If you missed them I hope they inspire you as they have inspired me.

Jessica Buchanan Sold Her Belongings to become a Missionary

Jessica Buchanan, Dedicated Teacher, Lover of Africa