We approached this whole Membership Development Seminar very differently. Firstly, the presenters were all Rotarians that has some currency in the District being active Rotarians in their own clubs and outside them. The majority of sessions were conducted interactively and this saw a lot of participation from the Rotarians present. I am was very pleased with this outcome since I believe that District Officers and Committees must listen to what every Rotarian has to say in devising their plans for a better D3300. I want all of you to know that your views are very important to me and that my committee and I will take them seriously.
The first keynote address was presented by me as the MDR Chair and entitled - THE ROTARY WAY. My mesage - simple - if we think what we do as Rotarians is important, then we must spread our message of hope more vigourously and with greater committment.
Here are some of the ideas I shared for the benefit of all the Rotarians who could not attend.
It is an undisputed fact that many Rotarians for one reason or another fail in their obligation to share Rotary. This is not due selfishness but because we are complacent or lack conviction in what we are doing in Rotary. We lack the courage of our convictions are we ourselves are not convinced that what we are doing in Rotary is truly meaningful. For some, it is because their fellowship has no purpose, for others it is because they lack an understanding of their true power as Rotarians to make a better world.
I want to share with you this painting by Rosa Branson commissioned by Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI). The thematic work, entitled Service Above Self, depicts the many facets of Rotary’s humanitarian service, including the global campaign to eradicate polio and efforts addressing literacy, health, hunger, and water issues. Branson discovered Rotary’s work on a trip to Sierra Leone to visit the land-based operations of Mercy Ships, which is depicted in the painting and provides health care to port cities around the world.
I love this depiction of Rotary. It is empowering and makes me feel important in the scheme of things. What great things we do as Rotarians. Feed the hungry, help people in disasters, heal the sick and work for a more peaceful world. This is why we are Rotarians. This is why we must stand up and be counted. In a world that has gone mad - we are the hope for sanity and goodness. What we do is as Michael Jackson says, "Heal the world and make it a better place". Let me share some of the lyrics of his inspirational song:
There's A Place In Your Heart
And I Know That It Is Love
And This Place Could be Much Brighter Than Tomorrow
And If You Really Try..........
There Are Ways To Get There
If You Care Enough For The Living
Make A Little Space, Make A Better Place...
Heal The World, Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me, And The Entire Human Race.........
And The Dream We Were Conceived In
Will Reveal A Joyful Face
And The World We Once Believed In Will Shine Again In Grace.
THE PARADIGM OF POWERLESSNESS
Many people in the world are consumed by the paradigm of powerlessness. They feel there is nothing they can do in the face of the overwhelming problems that confront the world. So much so that they are numb to human suffering. Everyday the media of the world bring images of suffering into our living rooms - LIVE. We watch these events of human misery unfold before our very eyes. Images like these:
They shock us, but many people take the position there is nothing they can do about it. So, they turn off the TV, have dinner and go to sleep. It's not that they don't care - they just don't know what to do about it. They are trapped by their own problems - not realising that it is nothing compared to what many people suffer. They rationalise and justify their inaction and simply.........
GIVE UP.
I want you to now take a journey with me. Back in time - to when you were a little boy or girl. When you were seven or eight years old.
DO YOU REMEMBER THE TIME?
It was the time when you were really you. It was a time when all things were possible and the indoctrinations of life had not happened. I remember that time well. And whenever I falter in life and think back to the Siva of seven or eight. The Siva who would give the beggar on the street his 10 sens pocket money and not think about what the beggar was going to do with it. The Siva who believed and trusted in the inherent goodness in all people. The Siva who believed in Superheroes.
Don't laugh at me cynically. We all did - you did too. So did everybody. Because deep down everyone wants to see good truimph. Most people forget the real them. Life takes over and as Shakespeare put it - the whips and scorns of outrageous fortune condition people into a hardened state. Impervious to human suffering - numbing themselves to preserve their sanity.
ROTARIANS AND NOT AMONG THEIR NUMBER - BECAUSE WE HAVE RESOLVED TO FIGHT ON - TO END HUMAN MISERY.
The fact of the matter is that we are outnumbered and outgunned and we need to rearm and recruit. The total population of the world surpasses 7 Billion people. About half that number live in poverty and can't even help themselves. So we have about 3 Billion people who live in the developed world. We have 1.2 million Rotarians. Even if you multiply that number by 20 to reflect the altruistic people of the world - we have 240 million people. Against a human population of 7 billion and a viable population of 3 billion. The world is not in good shape. Why? Because most people have been defeated by the paradigm of POWERLESSNESS.
Its time we turned to these people and shared our passion and commitment for humanitarian service. That is what membership development is about. We do not need more members - WE NEED MORE ROTARIANS. Believe this and ACT on your belief - REACH OUT.
These were the four founding members of Rotary. Such distinguished gentlemen, Gus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, Hiram Shorey and Paul Harris. What did they share in common with you? They yearned for fellowship. Saw it as an opportunity for service and shared that message with their friends. They believed a fellowship anchored on the ideal of humanitarian service was lasting and meaningful. But even the very first Rotarian group had their retention problem - 50% of this group left Rotary. But the remaining two perservered - that is why we have Rotary International today.
What else will we have in common with them? Yes, we will all die some day. Just like they did. 106 years on, we are still talking about what they did. A friend of mine, once told me, that every person has 2 deaths. I was confounded by what he said and asked him, how is that possible? He said, Siva a man dies the first time when he is dead physically. But he really dies only when people stop talking about him. When the memory of him is dead. That is the 2nd death! Live your life in such a way, that the 2nd death does not happen to you.
My friends, we as Rotarians live a life of service to others and therefore long after we are dead - the memory of our deeds will live. This is why we must commit ourselves to sharing Rotary and bringing in new and young members, so that, the good work that we do will carry on and long endure. Membership development is about ensuring that we leave a legacy of good. THIS IS THE ROTARY WAY.
Our mission, to provide humanitarian service, to promote high ethical standards and to advance understanding, goodwill and peace, is so fundamental and essential to improving the human condition.
GOD BLESS ROTARY.
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