Official Visits and Persons are Gifts

My Dear Rotarians and Friends, in particular my Action Presidents,

By the end of August, I would have completed official visits to 18, or more than one-third of the clubs in the District, which is not bad for the first two months of the governorship. I have been able to cover so many because one of the visits was a joint meeting of eight clubs. This is now possible under the District Leadership Plan first introduced by Evanston in July 1997. Our District adopted the Plan from the start, but never really followed through the fine prints in the sense that in the past three years, my predecessors were content with conducting single-club official visits.

Under the District Leadership Plan, there is scope to delegate to the assistant governors the responsibility for club administration generally. Specifically, the assistant governors can represent the governor at the club assembly related to the official visit, and the governor can visit clubs individually or in multi-club meetings conducted throughout the year for the purpose of –

· Focusing attention on important Rotary issues;

· Providing special attention to weak and struggling clubs;

· Motivating Rotarians to participate in service activities; and

· Personally recognizing the outstanding contributions of Rotarians in the District.

The Manual of Procedure goes on to say that such visits should take place at a time that maximizes the governor’s presence, including charter nights, induction ceremonies, new member orientation programs, citation or award presentations, special programs, Foundation events or intercity meetings.

This year, we intend to try out the District Leadership Plan in full and to the letter as much as possible, and I am therefore pleased that my assistant governors are organizing multi-club meetings. As part and parcel of the Plan, the assistant governors are now carrying out their programs of official visits. This means that clubs and Rotarians should accord them the same reception and protocol they would have rendered the governor at official visits. More importantly, it means that collectively the District will be able to provide better service to the clubs by visiting them more often and by helping clubs and Rotarians focus on important Rotary issues.

Specifically, we try to give more attention to the clubs and the membership the attention they deserve. We believe that every Rotarian is special. Every Rotarian comes with his special talents and resourcefulness that would inspire us to be better Rotarians. They are gifts from God. It reminds me of a piece I read some time ago by an author anonymous – Persons are Gifts. I would like to share this with you. Please read it carefully and pass on to your friends, families, colleagues, acquaintances and of course love ones.

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Persons are Gifts

At least Jesus thought so,

Father, I want those you have given to me to be where I am …..

I agree with Jesus …..

And I also want those whom the Father has given to me to be where I am.

Persons are gifts which the Father sends to me wrapped!

Some are wrapped very beautifully, they are very attractive when I first see them.

Some come in very ordinary wrapping paper.

Others have been mishandled in the mail.

Once in a while there is a “special delivery”.

Some persons are gifts which come very loosely wrapped; others very tightly.

But the wrapping is not the gift!

It is so easy to make this mistake .…. It’s amusing when babies do it.

Sometimes the gift is very easy to open up.

Sometimes I need others to help.

Is it because they are afraid?

Does it hurt?

Maybe they have been opened up before and thrown away!

Could it be that the gift is not for me?

I am a person. Therefore, I am a gift too!

A gift to myself, first of all. The Father gave myself to me.

Have I ever really looked inside the wrappings?

Perhaps I’ve never accepted the gift that I am …..

Could it be that there is something else inside the wrappings than what I think there is?

Maybe I’ve never seen the wonderful gift that I am!

Could the Father’s gifts be anything but beautiful?

I love the gifts which those who love me give to me; why not this gift from the Father?

And I am a gift to other persons.

Am I willing to be given by the Father to others? ….. a man for others?

Do others have to be content with the wrappings ….. never permitted to enjoy the gifts?

Every meeting of persons is an exchange of gifts.

But a gift without a giver is not a gift; it is a thing devoid of a relationship to giver and givee.

Friendship is a relationship between persons who see themselves as they really are:

Gifts of the Father to each other for others ….. Sisters!

A friend is a gift, not just to me, but to others through me .….

When I keep my friend .…. possess him ….. I destroy his “GIFTNESS”.

If I save his life for me, I lose it, if I lose it for others, I save it.

Persons are gifts received and gifts given ….. Like Jesus

Friendship is the response of person – gift to the Father – Giver.

Friendship is thanksgiving!

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Talk to you soon.