ARTICLE – JOURNEY TO AMERICA SERIES. (4/4) : RADICAL GENEROSITY

Radical Generosity, Entrepreneurship, and the Echoes of a Missionary Culture

My journey through America has been more than a geographic crossing. As I observed American daily life, I was struck by three pillars that uphold much of what I saw: quality of life, a culture of entrepreneurship, and financial education. But there’s something deeper that permeates all of this: a radical generosity that seems to echo an old missionary culture, as if the entire country were, in some way, on a mission.

On this journey, I visited the state of Texas — the Lone Star State. Texas is, in itself, a global economic powerhouse. If it were an independent country, it would rank among the eight largest economies in the world, with a GDP surpassing that of entire nations. Within this giant, Houston stands out as a vibrant metropolis where innovation, infrastructure, and ambition intertwine. Houston is home to NASA’s operations center, the ultimate symbol of American scientific boldness, and also one of the world’s leading hubs of the oil industry — Texas accounts for a significant share of U.S. oil production, solidifying its strategic position in the energy sector.

But Houston doesn’t live solely off the glorious past of space exploration or the brute force of oil. The city also hosts major tech companies like Tesla, which are driving a new era of development. Autonomous vehicles are already circulating the streets, integrated into transportation systems like Uber and taxis, revealing a daily life where artificial intelligence and urban mobility converge.

Houston’s urban landscape is marked by towering skyscrapers, wide and well-structured highways, and a road network that fluidly connects various points of the metropolitan region. The city breathes grandeur in every aspect — including faith. The so-called megachurches, with monumental structures and cutting-edge audiovisual equipment, rival television studios, leaving any regional Brazilian broadcaster envious of their technical capacity and sophistication.

Houston, Austin, and other Texan cities form an urban and economic mosaic that reflects the strength of the United States as a nation, but also reveal the entrepreneurial and visionary spirit that defines Texas as a singular territory — where the future has already arrived in some respects, yet still carries echoes of an America rooted in a rural gospel.

Entrepreneurship as an Expression of Purpose

In the United States, entrepreneurship is not just a professional alternative — it’s almost a philosophy of life. To be an entrepreneur means taking responsibility for one’s own story, identifying problems, and proposing solutions, often with courage and creativity. The entrepreneur is not just a business creator, but a transformation agent. This culture values calculated risk, innovation, and above all, the freedom to try.

What impresses me is how entrepreneurship is tied to the idea of purpose. Many entrepreneurs I met weren’t just seeking profit — they were trying to solve real issues, improve lives, leave a legacy. It’s as if the act of entrepreneurship were also a form of service. And this reminds me of John Wesley’s quote, which clearly summarizes this vision:

“Earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can.”

This phrase is not just financial advice — it’s a life ethic. Earn with diligence, save with wisdom, and give with generosity. Wesley reminds us that prosperity is not an end in itself, but a means to bless others.

Financial Education as a Tool for Freedom

In the United States, talking about money is not taboo — it’s education. From an early age, children learn about budgeting, credit, investments, and retirement. There’s a pedagogy of planning that empowers the individual. Knowing how to manage resources is seen as a way to ensure freedom, dignity, and impact.

This financial culture doesn’t promote accumulation for its own sake, but the strategic use of resources. And this connects directly to generosity. I saw concrete examples of this, like a charity dinner that raised millions of dollars in a single night — not out of obligation, but conviction. People with resources gather to give, to transform, to serve. It’s a generosity that doesn’t hide, that isn’t ashamed of prosperity, because it understands that prosperity is a channel, not a destination.

The United States as a Channel of Blessings

This radical generosity I observed is not just personal — it’s institutional. Historically, the U.S. has been a channel of blessings to the world. Whether through humanitarian aid, technological innovation, scholarships, or religious missions, there’s a vocation to contribute. And this vocation seems to stem from a missionary culture that still echoes, even in secular environments.

Seeking to be an echo of a missionary culture, many Americans live as if they are on a mission — not necessarily religious, but human. A mission to serve, to improve, to transform. This made me reflect on what it means to live with purpose. On how we, too, can cultivate this radical generosity in our communities, in our businesses, in our families.

Conclusion: Prosper to Serve

My trip to America taught me that quality of life is not just comfort — it’s culture. It’s education. It’s generosity. And perhaps the greatest luxury in life is living with the conviction that we are contributing to something greater than ourselves.

If prosperity is possible, let it be to serve. If entrepreneurship is possible, let it be to transform. If giving is possible, let it be with joy. Because in the end, as Wesley taught us, the true use of money is that which brings us closer to others — and to God.