WITH OUR VISION, ROTARIANS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

THE METAMORPHOSIS
By AG Ernie D. Delfin
Chair, District New Chapter Development
Member, Newport Irvine Rotary Club

WITH OUR VISION, ROTARIANS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD!

Orange County is world famous for its many landmarks and icons, like Disneyland, Crystal Cathedral, UCI, Chapman University, Knott’s Berry Farm and the Nixon Library. (I understand there is now also a TV show called “Orange County” that has become very popular abroad advertising OC’s opulence?) These landmarks were dreamed and created by great individuals with noble vision, like Walt Disney, Dr. Robert Schuller and many others. The exodus of many residents from different counties, states and countries into the county has transformed these “orange groves’ into a vibrant melting pot that made the County what it is today.

That is just a glimpse of Orange County’s history. Fast forward, envision and ask: what will Orange County (and our world) be 25-50 years from now, based on what it was but more particularly based on what is happening now? I can be both an optimist and a pessimist at the same time. As a parent of a daughter and a son, I am excited for them as they are living during this information society when they can be connected with the rest of the world at one click of the mouse. The opportunities and potentials in their horizon to conquer space or discover another world seem limitless. At the same time, however, I also shudder at the morbid thought that while my children (and many Rotarians’ children!) are on the “top of the world” millions, if not billions of people in our planet today do not even know what internet is, simply because they do not even have a enough and decent food to eat, clean water to drink and clothes to make them warm, much less schools to go to nor books to read.

The harsh realities of the war in Iraq, the hunger in Africa, global warming and the tsunamis of Asia have dire consequences globally. Humanitarians hope for change and work for peace. The November election shifted the power in Congress from the red (Republicans) states to the blue (Democratic) states. The Democrats who now control both houses of Congress believe that the country is in the wrong course especially in its foreign policies and its “war against terrorism”. The Vietnam War experience is reminding us once again that America cannot win a war by just utilizing its military might and squandering billions of dollars. These wasted resources from our taxes can be better used to eliminate hunger, improve agricultural methods in third world countries and enhance international and cultural exchanges to promote lasting peace like what Rotary International is doing.

Despite this entire political circus and the swinging of the political pendulum to the left, however, there are still many human events that made the world more hopeful to have a better world tomorrow. Foremost is the announcement of philanthropists Bill Gates and Warren Buffett of their generous donations to benefit the poorest of the poor in Africa and Asia to fight hunger, illiteracy and HIV-AIDS epidemic. Many others like Ted Turner, Madonna, Ophra and our own Orange County’s Rick Warren and hundreds of other humanitarians and organizations like Rotary International are also doing their own Services Above Self for a better world.

With that global background, this Rotarian-writer would like to pose a challenge as we celebrate Thanksgiving this week and soon to prepare for the CHRISTmas Holidays (For the Christian world, Christ is the reason for the season) With the onslaught of commercialism of Christmas, lavish consumption in our daily our daily lives in America, are we really doing enough to alleviate the pangs of hunger and poverty in our world? Poverty also exists within miles from Disneyland or Newport Beach, if one tries hard to see poverty’s ugly footprints.

Rotary District 5320 can really LEAD THE WAY by becoming that “City on the Hill,” a beacon of light that engenders hope for others by what we do in our global and local communities. Our Rotary District is leading the way by our historic Snowball Express where we are sponsoring America’s orphaned children from all over the United States, whose mother and/or father have died in Iraq or Afghanistan, to have a free weekend trip to Disneyland, in addition to our traditional programs for many needy families here and abroad to have a better Christmas. Although many of our deeds are not written up by the media, our action still speaks and resonates louder than words.

Indeed, we Rotarians can change the world one person at a time, especially the YOUTH who are the future of our world. This writer also subscribes to our DG Lane Calvert’s speech to all the clubs that “A hundred years from now, it really does not matter what kind of house you lived in, the amount of money in your bank account or the kind of car you have driven, but it does really matter what you have done in the life of a child!” He and RI President Bill Boyd hit the bulls eye in their theme of Leading The Way in the education of the YOUTH and we must give our 110% support to them, by individually and collectively committing that “let the change we want to see in the world starts with us” in our own clubs. That vision of Cooperation, Progress and Peace among all people should be our true north compass as long as we live. That is my challenge (and a prayer) to all Rotarians who happen to read this article.

To end this last column of 2006, let me share this poem (also the title of his small book) written by a Denver Rotarian Kent M. Keith:


A N Y W A Y
The Paradoxical Commandments
Finding Personal Meaning in a Crazy World
By Kent M. Keith
(Made more famous by Mother Teresa)


People are illogical, unreasonable and self-centered.

Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, You will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.

Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down
by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.

Think big anyway.

People favor the underdogs but follow only the top dogs.

Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building can be destroyed overnight.

Build anyway.

People really need help but people may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you will be kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway!


--- end of quote --

May I offer a Christmas prayer to all , my fellow Rotarians and friends:

“May you have enough wealth to meet your needs, and enough poverty to learn hard work; enough blessings to know that God loves you, and enough problems so that you don’t forget Him; enough happiness to keep you sweet, and enough trials to keep you humble; enough hope to keep you happy, and enough sorrow to keep you human.”

MALIGAYANG PASKO AT MANIGONG BAGONG TAON SA INYONG
LAHAT! ( that means “Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to all” in the
Filipino language)

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