Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
REFLECTIONS FROM A DREAM TEAM MEMBER
Yesterday, I received the following reflective message from Jill Olsen, one of our DREAM TEAM members, who addressed her area President-Elect Training Seminars out in Minneapolis.
Rotary Dream Team India 2010
In a remote northern Indian village teeming with people on a hot Sunday morning in
February, we staged a rally to remind the citizens that the information on the yellow
banners literally plastered everywhere was true.
This was the day to bring your child to a booth to be immunized for Polio.
The village had about as many camels as cars, and we women decided that despite
the heat, we would cover our heads in deference to local customs. Two weeks
previous on January 13, another polio case was confirmed in this village.
We were assigned in pairs: I worked with a Rotarian from Alaska. It was difficult to
address my own anxiety as the assignments were made.
Would I get this right?
Two drops.
Vial at a 45degree
angle.
If the child spit any out, adjust with another drop.
Document the number,
mark the little finger.
Now we were making our way through the crowd to the site. People surged around
us, curious about these pink‐skinned strangers in their midst. We put our hands
together in the gesture of Namaste meaning, "I see God in you".
And people responded with a similar gesture and a smile.
Then we were at the site: for us an elementary school courtyard.
And they came to us:
brown eyed,
Innocent
Some willing, some guided,
some held by a sibling or a parent
Some swaddled only a few days old,
some toddling,
Some smiling and happy
some crying and resisting…
Each a sacred life
Children like our children or our grandchildren
Who, like ours, had the right to do the simplest child things:
Run
Chase a ball
Turn a summersault,
Breathe
Just two little drops
One by one the children with brown eyes came
Brown eyes‐‐who will not shed tears because they are unable to play with their
friends
Brown eyes‐‐who will not see the anguish of a parent who must deal with a crippled
child
Just two little drops: the juxtaposition of scientific research and the miracle of
Rotary support
To each child I whispered “No more polio”
and I thought of my club in Cedar Rapids.
I remembered the programs when we talked about and worked for Polio Plus
And now with each child,
I felt my club members’ hands on my shoulders.
“Get it right, Jill.”
“We have all worked for this.“
I maintained my Nordic stoicism until we were finished.
And then I wept in gratitude
For the beautiful brown eyed children
For the privilege of doing this,
And for the Rotary dream of eradicating Polio
Two drops at a time.
Namaste
to all of you
who work for Rotary.
Rotary Dream Team India 2010
In a remote northern Indian village teeming with people on a hot Sunday morning in
February, we staged a rally to remind the citizens that the information on the yellow
banners literally plastered everywhere was true.
This was the day to bring your child to a booth to be immunized for Polio.
The village had about as many camels as cars, and we women decided that despite
the heat, we would cover our heads in deference to local customs. Two weeks
previous on January 13, another polio case was confirmed in this village.
We were assigned in pairs: I worked with a Rotarian from Alaska. It was difficult to
address my own anxiety as the assignments were made.
Would I get this right?
Two drops.
Vial at a 45degree
angle.
If the child spit any out, adjust with another drop.
Document the number,
mark the little finger.
Now we were making our way through the crowd to the site. People surged around
us, curious about these pink‐skinned strangers in their midst. We put our hands
together in the gesture of Namaste meaning, "I see God in you".
And people responded with a similar gesture and a smile.
Then we were at the site: for us an elementary school courtyard.
And they came to us:
brown eyed,
Innocent
Some willing, some guided,
some held by a sibling or a parent
Some swaddled only a few days old,
some toddling,
Some smiling and happy
some crying and resisting…
Each a sacred life
Children like our children or our grandchildren
Who, like ours, had the right to do the simplest child things:
Run
Chase a ball
Turn a summersault,
Breathe
Just two little drops
One by one the children with brown eyes came
Brown eyes‐‐who will not shed tears because they are unable to play with their
friends
Brown eyes‐‐who will not see the anguish of a parent who must deal with a crippled
child
Just two little drops: the juxtaposition of scientific research and the miracle of
Rotary support
To each child I whispered “No more polio”
and I thought of my club in Cedar Rapids.
I remembered the programs when we talked about and worked for Polio Plus
And now with each child,
I felt my club members’ hands on my shoulders.
“Get it right, Jill.”
“We have all worked for this.“
I maintained my Nordic stoicism until we were finished.
And then I wept in gratitude
For the beautiful brown eyed children
For the privilege of doing this,
And for the Rotary dream of eradicating Polio
Two drops at a time.
Namaste
to all of you
who work for Rotary.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
THE LAST WORK DAY – WOULD WE MAKE IT? - February 12, 2010
Following the Pay-Day experiences, we just barely made it onto the bus on time. As I may have mentioned previously, since we had been granted special privileges to drive through the wildlife preserve, at a greatly reduced fee, we had to comply with the time frame of when the gates were opened and closed. This meant at the end of each work day, we may have had time for tea, but had to be on the bus no later than 4:30 p.m. in order to arrive at the gate prior to 5:00 p.m. Otherwise, we would be forced to have to take the circuitous route back to the hotel and that route would add about two hours. It had been difficult to say goodbye to the villagers and the laborers. Several of us had donated our clothing to be divvied up among the workers, for them and their families, and that scene in the dining tent was quite emotional. We were pleased to be able to share our wealth with them, and they all seemed to be quite touched by our generosity. Enough said, only that we then basically ran to the bus. Our drier was waiting, and already had the bus turned around in the right direction, and we were off!
Does the expression “Take no prisoners” have any meaning to you? Well, once we were on board the bus, there was no question our driver and conductor had one task in mind – get to the gate before 5:00 p.m., no ifs, ands or buts about it. Naturally, as is so often the case while traveling in India, and particularly when trying to operate within a specific time frame, every obstacle seemed to be before us. Two small herds of goats were sauntering down the road, with no real need to allow us to pass; two oxen came really close to being nudged out of the way; and finally, in the village between the work site and the gate, there is one major turn at the intersection, and it seemed everyone and every vehicle within a ten kilometer radius had decided to congregate at that turn! Our driver, who had heretofore seldom used his horn (except on the “laughing” trip to Kesroli) found a new attachment to it and the horn seemed to take on a life of its own. Rather than the “honks”, there was also a pulsating claxon effect that informed the pedestrian, “This guy really means business!”
As we approached that turn in the center of the town, more and more people seemed to cluster right smack in our path. The conductor opened his window and motioned people out of the way as the driver continued honking, and merely seconds before potential impact, the seas parted as if for Moses, and we were able to make the right-hand turn safely. Actually a better description would be we made the turn without further incident. I will never presume to offer an opinion as to how safely people in India drive. We now were at the very perimeter of the wildlife preserve. We could actually see the gate in the distance.
At that moment, several of us glanced at watches, I looked down at my mobile phone and we all had the same time – 4:59 p.m. Is it possible? Would we make it? Our estimate was easily a mile further to go, and this bus could not be driven much more than thirty kilometers per hour. Almost in concert, several team members suggested, “Hold on to your seats!” With horn honking and breaths held, we arrived at the gate in the nick of time. We were processed through and as we drove along through the preserve, we looked back and saw the gate being closed for the last time that day, and the gatekeepers walking away, outside the gate. A collective sigh of relief and we were off to the hotel for our final dinner there, and packing for the next part of our adventure.
Does the expression “Take no prisoners” have any meaning to you? Well, once we were on board the bus, there was no question our driver and conductor had one task in mind – get to the gate before 5:00 p.m., no ifs, ands or buts about it. Naturally, as is so often the case while traveling in India, and particularly when trying to operate within a specific time frame, every obstacle seemed to be before us. Two small herds of goats were sauntering down the road, with no real need to allow us to pass; two oxen came really close to being nudged out of the way; and finally, in the village between the work site and the gate, there is one major turn at the intersection, and it seemed everyone and every vehicle within a ten kilometer radius had decided to congregate at that turn! Our driver, who had heretofore seldom used his horn (except on the “laughing” trip to Kesroli) found a new attachment to it and the horn seemed to take on a life of its own. Rather than the “honks”, there was also a pulsating claxon effect that informed the pedestrian, “This guy really means business!”
As we approached that turn in the center of the town, more and more people seemed to cluster right smack in our path. The conductor opened his window and motioned people out of the way as the driver continued honking, and merely seconds before potential impact, the seas parted as if for Moses, and we were able to make the right-hand turn safely. Actually a better description would be we made the turn without further incident. I will never presume to offer an opinion as to how safely people in India drive. We now were at the very perimeter of the wildlife preserve. We could actually see the gate in the distance.
At that moment, several of us glanced at watches, I looked down at my mobile phone and we all had the same time – 4:59 p.m. Is it possible? Would we make it? Our estimate was easily a mile further to go, and this bus could not be driven much more than thirty kilometers per hour. Almost in concert, several team members suggested, “Hold on to your seats!” With horn honking and breaths held, we arrived at the gate in the nick of time. We were processed through and as we drove along through the preserve, we looked back and saw the gate being closed for the last time that day, and the gatekeepers walking away, outside the gate. A collective sigh of relief and we were off to the hotel for our final dinner there, and packing for the next part of our adventure.
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