At Undivided Life, we believe that one of the primary mechanisms for intentional culture building is to create shared experiences. Each of these events is completely unique, and they are designed to bring about specific emotions, connections, challenges, or triumphs.

In the last five months, we started adding new team members and realized it was time to bring our own teaching back in-house by hosting our first shared experience for the Undivided Life team.  And then life happened, and I didn’t make time to curate an experience worthy of this hallmark moment. I resigned myself to the idea that we would do some typical hangout and still have a good time outside of the office together.

But then, just days before our scheduled event, two of our team members sent an email that set us on a new course. Not only had they been inspired to suggest an incredible event, but they had also arranged the logistics so that we just needed to show up. 

Our team had contacted Anand Bheemarasetti, founder of Project Finding Calcutta, a nonprofit that connects groups and individuals with the opportunity to perform corporal works of mercy.

The corporal works of mercy include:

• Feeding the hungry.
• Giving drink to the thirsty.
• Giving alms to the poor
• Visiting prisoners.
• Burying the dead.
• Sheltering the homeless.
• And visiting the sick.

For our act of mercy, we joined a small group for a time of reflection on the University of Dallas campus and then carpooled over to a local nursing home. We then split into groups and entered rooms two-by-two, meeting and engaging the residents in various discussions.

We focused on a few basic principles during our visit. First, we made an invitation to dialogue and respected the wishes of the person we were encountering. Then, we learned their names and maintained good eye contact throughout our time together. We allowed the conversation to go wherever the resident saw fit, and we also shared our own personal stories and thoughts.

Human dignity was at the core of the entire event, and it served as a great reminder that work is a blessing, and our business should be a blessing as well.

Serving together also brought our team closer together with one another and with new friends who joined us for the day. And just like the shared experiences we create with and for others, our team will not forget the people we met and the memories we created during our visit to the nursing home.

If you and your team are interested in curating meaningful shared experiences, we would love to help.  Contact us to learn more and discover what’s possible.

“Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice’” (Matthew 9:13).