Number 3–2015/16
The Official Publication of Y’s Men International
Ser vice Beyond Borders – Service Korean Y’ Y’ss Men Doctors in Cambodia, p. 5
INSIDE: Bringing Solace to Flood Victims in India • Indian Y’s Men Host YMI and Serve Their Communities • TOF Global Project: Fostering Youth Potential in Palestine • Youth in High-level Decision-Making Situations: YMCA/YMI Presence at the Paris Climate Negotiations • Learning from Y’s Men in India, a BHF Travelogue • The ‘Green Father’ of India, a tribute to a Japanese Y’s man • Mantra for the Soul • News from IHQ • Book Review • News from Far and Near Mission with Faith
Editor’ ge Editor’ss Pa Page Nº 3 - 2015/16 Official publication of Y’S MEN INTERNATIONAL Ave Sainte-Clotilde 9, CH-1205, Switzerland Tel: +41 22 809 1530 www.ysmen.org EDITOR Koshy Mathew 222, 7C Main, First Block HRBR Layout Kalyan Nagar, Bengaluru 560 043, India. Tel: +91-9845036147 Skype: Koshy.mathew367 koshym@gmail.com ASSISTANT EDITORS AFRICA Tunji Makinde (Nigeria) +234/8034064882 (M) tunjimakinde@yahoo.com ASIA Yaz Okano (Japan) +81/797881808 (O) +81/797844559 APYazOkano@gmail.com CANADA & CARIBBEAN Bill Irwin (Canada) +1/9025693187 (H) wci0909@hotmail.com EUROPE Liudmila Tyukina (Russia) +7/9122344611 (M) assorti44@yandex.ru INDIA B. Pavithran (Kerala, India) +91/9847220054 (M) pavithbb@yahoo.co.in KOREA Kim Kyun (Seoul) +82/27352395 (O) +82/27321205 ysmenkrhq@gmail.com LATIN AMERICA Ricardo Andre Cardenas Zanabria (Panama) +51/198772474 (M) randre.cardenas@gmail.com SOUTH PACIFIC Bill Schmidt (Australia) +61/344338599 (H) schmidts@bendigodomain.com.au USA Fred L. Leonard (USA) +1/5012623566 (H); +1/5012623566 fleonard@cablelynx.com DISTRIBUTION Babu Oommen 56, Royal Meridian Layout, Begur Road Bangalore, 560 068, India. +91/9901199863 (M) :: babuoomen@yahoo.com Reprinted at National Printing Press Koramangala, Bengaluru 560 095, India. ONLY FOR PRIVATE DISTRIBUTION TO MEMBERS
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Dear esteemed readers, The call for submissions for this issue of Y’s Men’s World (YMW) was met with such tremendous response that there was a temporary “problem of plenty” while finalising the pages. A word of special thanks to all those who contributed to this issue with encouragement to keep sending materials for subsequent issues. The mid-year meeting of officers and Area leaders of our movement met here in Bangalore in February and agreed, ‘in principle’, to increase the number of pages in each issue. Therefore, the next issue, scheduled for June/July, will have 16 pages, like this one, and thereby be a full magazine. This is an experiment and its success depends on your response. On a personal note, it was very enriching for me to attend parts of the mid-year meeting and to get to know leaders from all the Areas. Their encouragement and appreciation of the
previous issues has fuelled me to set my sights higher and work for making YMW even better. You will note that the scope of YMW has been expanded to go beyond mere news of what we do as a service organisation. For example, this issue features a reflection by Max Ediger. a writer who – through his work with International NonGovernment Organisations – has worked worked closely with refugees, slum communities and war victims, to name a few. I want to personally thank Max for allowing us to carry his column under the title, “Mantra for the Soul.” The other feature is a short review of a book that would come in handy to all those who are looking for ideas to respond to the challenges of society. A tribute to Y’s man Tatsumaru Sugiyama of Japan fits well into our quest for global peace and worldmindedness. I hope to hear from you with news and notes, and welcome any suggestions for improvement. Yours in Y’sdom Koshy Mathew
FROM MY BOOKSHELF A Path Appears: Transforming Lives, Creating Opportunity by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, published by Deckle Edge, 2014. An essential, galvanizing narrative about making a difference — a road map to becoming the most effective global citizens we can be. A Path Appears is ambitious in scale: nothing less than a sweeping tapestry of people who are making the world a better place and a guide to how we can do the same – whether with a donation of $5 or $5 million, with our time, by capitalizing on our skills as individuals, or by using the resources of our businesses. With scrupulous research and on-the-ground reporting, the authors assay the art and science of giving, identify successful local and global initiatives, and share astonishing stories from the front lines of social progress. We see the compelling, inspiring truth of how real people have changed the world, upending the idea that one person can’t make a difference. A Path Appears offers practical, results-driven advice on how each of us can give back to our communities and reveals the lasting benefits we gain in return. Kristof and WuDunn know better than most how many urgent challenges communities around the world face today. Here they offer a timely beacon of hope for our collective future. A ‘Goodreads’ review
Deadline for submission of articles and pictures for next issue: 31 May 2016 Mission with Faith
FROM THE INTERNA TIONAL PRESIDENT INTERNATIONAL Dear Friends We had a very productive IEOs Meeting and Mid-Year Meeting in Bangalore, India, this Februar y. Bangalore is a city full of trees and green areas, and was once renowned for being the Garden City of India. All nine APEs and all of the IEOs were in attendance at the meeting to discuss the 2016/17 budget on the Operation and the Programmes Contribution of each area, among other things. One of the primary concerns addressed was the drop in membership, along with the implications of the economic recession in many parts of the world, especially in the light of the target we had fixed for Towards 2022 to achieve and to celebrate in the centenary year of our movement. It is now clear that we will not be able to achieve those figures with the remaining timeline of just seven years. The wise counsel from all participants was not to worry too much about large numbers as long as we have trust in promoting quality membership and participation which will eventually lead to growth with the theme Mission with Faith to continue working towards 2022. Our goals to realise Vision 2022 are: w To extend Y’s Men to at least 50,000 members based in 100 countries. w To strengthen Y’s Men at the global level as it relates to the organisation and its mission. w To offer relevant services to the YMCA and the communities. w To improve and expand the Y’s Men image and identity in the community. w To improve our membership’s
perception of YMI and our Your Blessings”: When life’s billows you are International programmes in tempest tossed general. When you are discouraged I will not dwell on the nitty-gritty thinking all is lost details of the meeting. All of the Count your many blessings, reports and further details will be name them one by one passed on to you from the And it will surprise you what International Headquarters through the Lord has done. your Regional Directors and the members of the International Council. World Malaria Day is on the 25th May God bless us all, of April. Our worldwide organisation Wichian Boonmapajorn is a part of the Roll Back Malaria International President 2015-16 Partnership (RBM), an initiative led by the World Health Organization (WHO). Since its creation in 1998, it has played a major role in the global fight against malaria. The World Malaria Report 2015 reports that more than half of the 106 countries with malaria in the year 2000 have achieved at least a 75 per cent reduction in new cases by 2015. YMI continues to give priority to its role in the partnership to eradicate malaria. This was reiterated at the MYM in February. Over the next decade or so we will have to be more proactive in resource mobilization to honour our commitment to see a World Free of Malaria (WFM). Friends, by the time you read this issue of the Y’s Men’s World, you will have already closed the activities for the year and will be busy preparing for leadership transition for next year, 2016-2017. I thank all the leaders leaving their offices for the wonderful work done during this thematic year of Mission with Faith and wish the new teams all the best for the forthcoming year. We can all look back and see what a year it has been! The world has been rocked by terror strikes here and there, climate changes, social upheavals, political turmoil, economic recession and calamities, despairs and the agony of the refugees. But, in this season of Lent and in the hope of the Easter message that beckons us, let me recall a verse from the famous Hymn “Count Mission with Faith
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FROM THE IHQ Regions should now be quite familiar with the Portalbuzz system. It was introduced after IHQ was mandated by the International Council to introduce an online club member registration system. After an initial pilot phase involving Areas Canada/Caribbean, South Pacific and USA, the system was extended to most remaining Regions late last year. The 1 February 2016 reporting period presented an opportunity for Regions to combine the usual requests for membership with the collection of member data and this progressed very well. We thank the Regions for their enthusiasm and support for the new system. Twenty-one Regions (more than 45% of Regions) are now able to use the system, allowing their members to manage their own contact information and clubs to quickly and easily make changes to their member rosters and club officers. These Regions will no longer need to manually submit semester membership reports to IHQ with the added benefit of being able to generate real-time membership figures when required. Clubs can also very quickly generate club directories, adding as much or as little information as required, including profile photos, email addresses, phone numbers and so on.
Wha Whatt is “Portalbuzz” ? Portalbuzz is a system which was developed originally for Kiwanis International and has been improved through the years, and is now being used by other international service reports as well as tracking organisations as well. YMI has adopted attendances. this to replace the current membership w Manage billing process and database. This new online system will email or mail invoices. make many of the administrative tasks w Create e-newsletters in pdf much more accurate and efficient. format and post announcePortalbuzz is much more than a ments. database, however, providing many For a reasonable monthly fee, clubs valuable tools not only for clubs but also for Regions, Areas and the will be able to: w Build a professional website. International. We can see the real time w Manage meetings and events. shape of YMI to keep us running w Manage volunteers with online towards and beyond 2022. and printable sign-ups. Club Secretaries and Treasurers will w Store event documents, love Portalbuzz, as it simplifies and meeting minutes, and meeting streamlines the club’s administrative agendas. tasks to: Club members will be able to: w Manage roster and committee
w Sign up to volunteer and
browse volunteer needs. w View own member invoice. w Communicate with other
members through the portal. Just like before, member privacy is of the utmost importance to Y’s Men International and all reasonable precautions have been taken to protect member data. In the meantime, please contact your Regional office or Regional Administrator for more details. Enjoy Portalbuzz! Editor’s Note: The customary message from the International Secretary-General does not appear in this issue. Instead, news from IHQ is shared through these columns.
New Members to the International Council Elected The deadline for this year’s International Election voting papers was 29 January 2016. Clubs who sent votes after this date were considered as election participants but their votes were not counted. Until 16 February, 800 clubs had sent in their voting ballots. Based on the number of clubs as on 1 August 2015 (1,494 clubs), the participation rate was 53.5%. Out of the ballots received, 37 were late and the IEOs had to declare 86 invalid for various reasons leaving a total of 677 valid voting ballots. Mr Henry J. Grindheim of Norway (right) was elected International President Elect 2016/17 and will take office in July 2016.
New International Council Members to serve from 1 July 2016 (from L to R) are: Mr Svein Håvåg, Norway (Norway Region) for Area Europe (Area President Elect); Mr Koh Young-doo (Korea Jeju Region) for Area Korea (Area President Elect); Mr Janardhanan Pillai Sivanandan Nair, India (South West India Region) for Area India, and Mr B.V. Narayana Rao, India (Central India Region) for Area India. The new International Council Members Elect and Area Presidents Elect from 1 July 2016 are Mr Reginald Springer, Canada (Maritimes Region) for Area Canada/Caribbean and Mr Tibor Foki, USA (Pacific Southwest Region) for Area USA. 4
Mission with Faith
COVER STORY
Service Beyond Borders – Korean Y’s Men Doctors in Cambodia Korea Area sent a team of medical professionals to Cambodia in the first half of February 2016 for almost a week as part of its community service. The 18-member team led by Korea Area President, Sung Kwang Moon, consisted of five doctors, two nurses, two pharmacists, one dresser and it was supported by an administrator, translators and others aides. The week-long medical camp was held in the remote mountain area of Aoral district, about three hours’ drive from the capital city of Phnom Penh. The local coordinators chose this area partly for the remoteness of this location and partly for the seriousness of medical problems they confronted during an earlier visit. Most of the patients in the area have neither seen a hospital nor have they been medically examined. So, it was a challenge to the Korean team of doctors, who attended to about 1,500 adults and about 800 children. They were given decent haircuts and instructed on sanitation and primary hygiene and health care.
The Korean team of doctors and support staff with the local hosts in Cambodia
that did not need a sophisticated operation theatre or complicated assistance such as tissue biopsies, abscess removal, warts removal, repair of small skin cuts, moles, biopsy and removal, ingrown toenails, foreign body removal from skin and tissues, lipomas removal, cancerous and benign skin lesions removal, laparoscopy, breast biopsy and so on were conducted.
society. This was conducted as a forerunner to what could be a regular project or programme of Y’s Men International. Korea Area feels that such an activity could be brought under the ambit of Time of Fast projects.
Examination prior to treatment
People queueing up for registration
The team learned that many people who availed this service were facing serious health problems including In the makeshift operation theatre early stages of cancer and various The Team, together with Y’s Men tumours. While such cases were referred for further medical attention, of Korea feel that there is much more several serious surgeries were that professionals can do to alleviate conducted in the camp. Procedures the sufferings of the people in every Mission with Faith
Apart from Busan and Daejon YMCAs, several Y’s Men donated hundreds of footwear, notebooks, pencils, erasers and other stationery for children which were carried by the team for distribution. Peter (Hangyu), Kim ISD-Community Service
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DISASTER RELIEF
Bring ing Solace to Flood Victims in India Bringing Severe spells of rain flooded most of Chennai city and large parts of the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and parts of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh in South India in December 2015. By the middle of December, it had left behind a trail of death and destruction, with over 500 dead in these three states and hundred of thousands rendered homeless. Damage to property was estimated at around INR 10,000 crore (USD 15 billion). Y’s Men’s Clubs active in these states gave shape to Mission Santhwanam (Solace) to bring relief to the affected and plan out a programme of rehabilitation. Y’s Men’s Club of the East in Chennai were the first to respond with their ongoing “Meals on Wheels” programme, followed by other clubs in and around the city. Past Area President Thomas V. John, Club President Ranjan of YMC Thiruverkadu Town, Mohan Daniel of YMC East, DG Manoharan of Puducherry led from the front and gathered support from other YMCs and social service organisations. Within a matter of days several trucks laden with water bottles, food materials such as bread, biscuits, and medicines moved to Chennai from clubs and well-wishers in Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Y’s Men also deployed a team of doctors and development professionals to reach out to the affected and offer relief to people in
Y’s Men of the East and other volunteers who led the Chennai flood relief operations
some of the worst-affected regions.
Help came rolling in from far and near
The Y’s team has been managing relief and rehabilitation operations until the end of February, including assessing local situations, supervising relief camps and distributing essential items for cooking. The team has partnered with local NGOs to effectively carr y out the relief operations. As of now, the relief and rehab operations have benefitted more than 75,000 individuals. Y’s Men also set up medical camps in several locations in Chennai, w h e r e hundreds of people were treated. These have benefitted over 10,000 people thus far. Apart Puducherry Y’s team with some of the beneficiaries from such
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Mission with Faith
camps, Y’s Men of the East (Chennai) distributed nearly 1,200 “Relief Kits” containing 30 essential items such as clothes for men, women and children, blankets, provisions, cooking stoves, and essential medicines including mosquito repellants, and so on, to families in one village on the outskirts of Chennai city. Each of these kits cost the club Rs. 2,000 and it all came from well-wishers. Reports are still coming in to the Area from various clubs and Regions as to the support they rendered at the time of this hardship. At the last count, nearly 200 clubs responded with materials and money that surpassed the amount of Indian Rupees 7 million (approx. USD 100,000). Y’s Men International also chipped in with a contribution of INR 200,000 while Area India and the Region contributed INR 50,000 each. The second phase of rehabilitation work commenced on 01 January 2016 during which period medical and legal aid was also be extended to those in need, apart from conducting seminars on disaster management and counselling sessions to combat the trauma caused by the havoc. Needless to say, the disaster has brought about the best of human qualities, especially in Y’s members who deemed it their duty to respond. B. Pavithran, YMW Assistant Editor for Area India
IMPRESSIONS
Indian Y’ ve Their Communities Y’ss Men Host YMI and Ser Serve b y IPE Joan Wilson In February, Y’s Men’s Clubs in Bangalore India hosted two major YMI meetings. The first was a very successful RDE and DGE Training weekend (Feb. 12-14) with some 60 Indian participants and included ISG Nishi and myself. Congratulations to Indian leaders for this productive training weekend. From February 17 to 23, YMI held a series of international meetings as part of their Mid-Year Meetings (MYM). Various Bangalore clubs hosted several special evenings with the participants. At each meeting, clubs shared with us the stories of their past and present projects in support of those in need in their communities. A huge thank you to all clubs and members involved in these events. The hospitality and generosity of our Indian clubs and members is amazing.
Focussed group discussion during the MYM
ISG Nishi and I had the opportunity to visit several projects in and around Bangalore on our “free” days. The Bangalore District I is currently constructing a house for a homeless handicapped man and his family. (See, page 12 for separate news item and picture –Ed.) Even though he could not speak English his appreciation of this gift was most evident. Visit to TOF-GPF Projects Two completed projects, supported by Time of Fast-Global Project Fund (TOF-GPF), both related to caring for children who have or are affected by HIV/AIDS, were visited on different
days. One, the Infant Jesus Children’s Home in Kothannur, provides a home for about 100 girls between infancy and 21 years. This is run by a religious order with a number of paid staff and volunteers. The girls receive their medication twice a day, are now able to go to community schools, enjoy a
healthy meals including milk form their cows and goats. Medication is administered twice daily on a strict schedule. We were there while most of the boys were away at school, but did meet their two youngest pre-school children who greeted us with smiles and flowers. A slide show and many picture books helped us see the major events of their home and the activities of the boys. The TOF-GPF provided all the furniture and equipment for the large dining room of the home. Prior to that the children had been eating
With the sisters and the TOF gift at Infant Jesus Children’s Home
healthy diet (including milk twice daily from their herd of 15 cows) and several creative activities such as dancing. The TOF-GPF partially paid for the building of a large utility block to accommodate everyone, and shared in the purchase of a jeep. Signs on each these reflect their appreciation to YMI and TOF-GPF. The children were very excited to see us, and greeted us with a beautiful song and many smiles. Then small groups and individuals performed a number of dances and songs. (pics 7, 8 & 9). It was very clear to me that these girls were happy and felt part of a large and loving family. The Bangalore Club, and a number of its members, continue to support this home even after the TOF-GPFproject has been completed, by pledging to cover the costs of daily meals for all 100 of them. The club itself covers several weeks of “food for a day.” The second TOF-GPF project, St. Gregorios Dayabhavan in Kunigal, is similarly run by a religious order along with staff and volunteers. This home serves some 85 boys from infancy to 21 year-olds. They grow a lot of their own food, and ensure the boys have Mission with Faith
Being greeted by children at the St. Gregorios Dayabhavan
on the floor. They also built a large utility block to serve the needs of all at the home. Seeing children’s drawings on the walls up the stairwell, and the way the littlest boy sat on the lap of the priest and eventually fell asleep on his shoulder, made it very clear to me that this was a home of love and safety. St. Gregorios has started two hospitals to serve people with AIDS and we had the opportunity to visit both of them, delivering oranges to the patients in one of them. As part of their outreach to help reduce the stigma of AIDS in the community, one hospital is in the middle of a town. They are also in the process of building a small facility to provide clean water and counseling to people in that community. I commend these clubs and members for their commitment and caring. Remember that together we can do so much more! 7
TOF-GPF Fostering Youth Potential in Palestine One of the current activities supported by the Time of Fast–Global Project Fund (TOF-GPF) is fostering youth potential in strife-torn Palestine. Young Palestinians have been hit the worst by years of conflict in the country. This project, called the “Youth Potentials,” is executed by the East Jerusalem YMCA in cooperation with East Jerusalem Y’s Men’s and Women’s Club. Jerusalem was annexed by Israel in 1967 and separated from the West Bank and the Palestinian villages and cities. This caused many a negative impact on Palestinians living in East Jerusalem. The annexation has contributed to the feeling, especially among the young, that they are excluded from their Palestinian culture and traditions. This project was prioritized to offer young Palestinians in East Jerusalem opportunities to enhance their skills, help them overcome challenges and improve their social reality. With this we provide them with safe spaces to grow in a healthy way that will develop their body, mind, and spirit. The project, geared to reach 200 young people from Jerusalem was kickstarted in January 2016 and includes leadership courses, personality development, creative activities, sports, and
social activities. In January we offered a two-day workshop to a group of 25 young people from Jerusalem. A psychosocial workshop was designed to enhance the personal and social skills of the youth.
Discovering youth potential through workshops
A one-day programme for the young people of Jerusalem to meet and interact with other youngh people from the YMCA in Beit-Sahour was also organised in this short period. The young people living in Jerusalem do not usually get the chance to meet other people their age living in other areas of Palestine and hence this one day
programme became a memorable one for those involved. This TOF-GPF funded project will offer empowerment programmes for the young people who will be given the tools, means and encouragement to become good leaders and influence others in a positive way. At the end of this project period, it is our hope that the East Jerusalem YMCA will be the place where young people know they can go to meet others, and have regular social and cultural activities throughout the year. This, we are sure, will give the young people of Jerusalem a new lease of life and hope. – Yara Hasan Dowani (Youth Coordinator, The East Jerusalem YMCA) and Barbro Thorén (RSD Palestine, Team Sweden)
The two YMCs in Palestine – Bethlehem and East Jerusalem – are part of Region Sweden – Ed.
The East Jerusalem Y group
MYM 2016 Participants
IN FULL ATTENDANCE: All international officers and all nine Area Presidents-Elect took part in the Mid-Year Meeting in Bangalore in February. From L to R: Immediate Past International President Isaac Palathinkal; Earl Foster (AP-E, Canada-Caribbean); Roselyne Birungi (AP-E, Africa); Rafael Sagre (AP-E, Latin America); Tung Ming Hsiao (AP-E, Asia); International President Wichian Boonmapajorn; Knud Klausen (AP-E, Europe); International President-Elect Joan Wilson; Charley Redmond (AP-E, USA); Aby Abraham (AP-E, India); Tor Backman (Chair, Brotherhood Fund Expenditures Committee); International Treasurer Philips Cherian; International Secretary-General Takao Nishimura; Kim Mun-sik (AP-E, Korea) and Russell Jones (AP-E, South Pacific) 8
Mission with Faith
YOUTH
Youth in High-level Decision-Making Situa tions Situations YMCA/YMI presence at the Paris Climate Negotiations The Climate Negotiations in Paris came at a time when the people of France, Paris had just faced a huge terrorist attack; despite the barbaric attacks the world stood united in solidarity not only to deliver justice against terrorism but also to show a human face. The climate change negotiations brought about young leaders, mobilised by the YMCA, from different parts of the world. This was the biggest involvement of YMCA’s Regional Group on Environment (RGE) since its birth at the Rio+20 conference in 2012. The impact was experienced at the Paris climate negotiations where over 500 YMCA youth, including Y’s Men leaders, took part in the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Civil society plays a major role in the climate negotiations. Many young people who took part in the Paris climate talks were representatives of civil societies. It is, in this case, the YMCA that recognised that a strong successful climate regime requires a strong Future negotiators in action at Paris and vibrant civil society. The World Alliance of YMCAs in partnership with Y’s Men International (YMI) recognises the young people by giving them space to meet and discuss issues affecting their lives. The 200 states that gathered in Paris came up with a deal that could forge a roadmap to reduce the amount of carbon emissions from fossil fuels. Countries have tried year after year with limited successes and failures in the past; the Paris Climate talks, however, did show a new face of commitment towards climate justice.
negotiations where human rights were some of the main issues in the negotiation. The rights of indigenous people, gender issues and the rights of island nations were highly contested. The YMCA delegates took part in supporting the International Union for Conservation and Nature (IUCN) as gender ambassador showing the importance of women in climate negotiations. The World Alliance of YMCAs recognises the importance of involving young people in high-level decision making since they are the future nego-tiators; when the young generation meet theory and practice they become better thinkers and they can look at problems with a reasoning mind. This indeed was Some of the youth at Paris meeting the experience at COP21. Despite the large number of youth delegations, African youth representation at the Conference of Parties (COP) was lacking. There were very few African youth delegates compared to youths from the rest of the world. The biggest challenge experienced was the difficulty in getting accreditation and funding. The youth, however, can provide important manpower in attending different meetings and collecting critical information that different governments need to strengthen a better negotiations outcome. The YMCA has decided to put a keen eye on the next climate conference, COP22, which will take place in Marrakesh, Morocco, 7-18 November 2016. As all eyes are set to Marrakesh, the YMCA is building a roadmap on how to have a bigger youth presence there. Clifford Collins Omondi Okwany, member of the Kenyan YMCA and YMC of Nairobi.
Key Points The key points of the Paris agreement were, purpose to implement according to the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR), introduction to the National Determined Contributions (NDC), holding the increase of global temperature below 2°C with an aim of 1.5°C, strong ambitious mechanisms, nature of finance, transparency and accountability, vague but wonky long term mitigation, implementation of adaptation, loss and damage as a standalone element, and capacity building implementation. Paris also gave a human face to the climate Mission with Faith
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A BF TRAVELOGUE
Learning from Y’ Y’ss Men in India Nikita Karpov te to India 2016 Karpov,, BF Delega Delegate I was privileged to embark on a Brotherhood Fund (BF) tour of India in January this year. I applied for a grant under the BF programme soon after I completed my term as President of the YMC Rifey, part of the UralSiberian District in Region Russia of Area Europe in 2013-14. I took initiatives in extending Y’sdom in Russia and was keen to learn from the experiences of other Regions, particularly in India Area. I arrived in Cochin, the commercial capital of Kerala State on the south-western coast of India, and experienced the shock of being “attacked” by harsh weather and spicy food. The heat was somewhere around mid-30 degrees celsius and indulging in hot and spicy curries was the last thing I had prepared myself for. However, the Y’s men went out of their way to keep me indoors as much as possible and provide me with food that agreed with my palate. It was not just in Cochin that this situation prevailed, but almost the entire duration of my stay in India, spanning three States – Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Tight Schedule In Kerala, my first halt was at Cochin (6-8 January). I visited the magnificent Catholic and Orthodox churches and took a ride through the backwaters of Cochin in a houseboat. I visited the enterprises – a stone quarry, a rubber plantation, textiles shops, etc. – of several Y’s members of Ernakulam South and Kakkanad Town. I was the guest of honour at a planned Regional meeting and was impressed to witness a large service projects in the fields of youth, sports, development, charity, projects for the poor and orphans, as well as special education and leadership projects for promising young people. 10
While in Kerala, I visited Kottayam, Trivandrum, Thrissur and a number of smaller towns in between. I was treated to a wonderful show of the traditional dance of Kerala, Kathakali, that mystical art of facial expressions synchronized with dance steps. It was an unforgettable experience for me. I also visited an Ayurveda hospital offering traditional therapeutic massage, an old Catholic Church and the Museum of St. Thomas, as well as the Elephant Park. It was not just tourism for me. I visited several projects of Y’s Men in all these places such as a nursing home for abandoned and the homeless elderly people. I even participated in a seminar on business management and financial engineering for students of a local private school before leaving Kerala for Bangalore. All in all, it was a week packed with a lot of learning and some fun. On to Bangalore and Chennai The three days I spent in Bangalore (15-17 January), once called the garden city of India, were very enriching. My hosts took great care of me and took me to several projects of the local clubs
there. There was a community service project supporting school education for children from poor neighbourhoods (slums). We even had a warm BBQ party, in European style. My last days in India, 18-20 January, were very interesting and at the same time, sad. It was in the city of Chennai. I saw a beautiful cathedral, built on the site where St. Thomas the Apostle of Jesus is believed to have been martyred. The Y’s men there introduced me to two major service projects, led by Metropolitan and Thiruverkadu Town clubs. One of the projects was supporting a children’s home which is also a boarding school for boys. The other project was charity help to the poor and disadvantaged, homeless residents on the streets of Chennai. We distributed free food and water, as well as medicines. Participation in these projects peaked with a pleasant club meeting and discussions. I strongly recommend all Y’s men to contribute liberally to the Brotherhood Fund and to apply for BF Grants as it is one of the best ways to see and learn the real values of Y’sdom.
Nikita, in Chennai, with the Y’s men distributing food and water to the destitutes on the streets Mission with Faith
FROM FAR AND NEAR Helping Ha waii’ Hawaii’ waii’ss “Fight the Bite” Campaign Hawaii’s “Fight the Bite” campaign dangerous spread of dengue fever on against dengue fever got a bit of extra their island, where 170 people have help from the Hilo Y’s Men & Women Service Club . Over 1,500 mosquitorepellent bracelets were distributed in partnership with other service organisations to homeless people around the island using some of the proceeds from its 66th annual Christmas tree sale. The club launched the project to provide mosquito-repellent bracelets Displaying the bracelets acquired for distribution to those most at risk from the
been hit with the disease. Those are the island's homeless whose outdoor life exposes them more than most to mosquito bites. Lance Niimi, District Governor for the Y Service Club said that the bands have become much more popular since the dengue outbreak started. It has been declared non-toxic and only DEET–free lemongrass oil mix is used on the bands. Source: Russ Lynch in FB page of Y Service Clubs Hawaii
Danish Y’ ference to Greenlandic Children Y’ss Men Pledge to Make a Dif Difference Every year the Denmark Region of Y’s Men International undertakes one or more fund-raising drives to help children and youth in Denmark and other parts of the world. In 2015-16 RD Steen Christiansen and the District Governors of the Region chose to work with Blå Kors, an organization in Greenland that primarily helps people with alcohol- or drug-related issues as well as children and youth growing up in such homes. The target is to collect 1.2 million Danish Krone (about USD 175,000) for the project. For many years, alcohol and drug abuse has been a problem in Greenland, affecting children and youth in a very hard way. Investigations show that a third of all Greenlandic children and youth live with abuse and many of
them, especially girls, have been sexually abused. These circumstances traumatise the young and they need serious help. Public funds are not available for such work, hence the intervention of Y’s Men and Blå Kors. The idea of the project – also supported by Ole Kirks Fond (LEGO) – is to create a row of Danish Y’s Men getting ready for children in Greenland shelters for these children and youth where volunteers will counsel the Region is working on the modalities them to create new hope and start over. for a trip to Greenland in the summer Initially, six cities have been identified of 2016 and Danish Y’s Men are where the project will be implemented equipping themselves to help renovate and will be supported by Nivi Hellman, and convert some the houses to shelters who will train the volunteers to counsel for the children. Evan Johansen children and youth in Greenland. Apart from the fund-raising effort
A Clean Beach – for the sake of the community The South District of Taiwan Region of Kaohsiung City Government and cooperated with the Tourism Bureau YMCA Kaohsiung to conduct a “Clean Beach” community service activity towards the end of last year. Regional Director Lin and DG Shu gathered 83 members, their Menettes and Y’sings from five clubs and Members and volunteers gather on the beach after a hard day’s work about 200 students Mission with Faith
from nearby schools to participate in this meaningful action. Banners and flags with Y’s Men logos carrying environmental messages to hang in the stores and walls within 50 metres of the beach were printed and distributed. They were still on display at the time of writing this story, three months later to inform tourists and others of the goodwill image of Y’s Men International. Mei-Hui Chen, CP, YMC-Kaohsiung
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FROM FAR AND NEAR A House for Muniyappa in Bangalore Y’s International Leaders, IPE Joan Wilson and ISG Takao Nishimura visited the project being executed by Bangalore District One as part of the Area President’s pet project Parpidam (Shelter). The District has committed to building a shelter for Muniyappa, a homeless handicapped man living on the streets of Bangalore for the past several years, at a cost of Rs. 250,000 (about USD 3,750). The house coming up on the outskirts of the city will be complete soon and will be handed over to him at a function to be held on 10 April 2016.
IPE Joan Wilson with the beneficiary Muniyappa and DG Biju at the site
Thomas Biju, DG, Bangalore 1
Poinsettias Free, Menettes walk the line set bbyy Y’ pan West Reg ion Y’ss Men in Ja Japan Region Donations Expected The Y’s Menettes in Japan West Known as the Christmas flower, the Region are guided by the slogan, “We poinsettia is a symbol of good cheer. walk the line set by Y’s Men in Japan West Region.” The 11th of March 2011 was tragic for Japan which was hit by a devastating earthquake and massive Tsunami which caused the melt-down of the atomic power plant in Fukushima At one of the meetings East, which lies in West Japan. Since The main product is “WAKAME” this overwhelming disaster hit the area – the soft seaweed used in Japan as five years ago, Y’s Men’s Clubs in Japan seasoning and as food. It is a special Members with the latest tranche of donation have continuously supported the product and all profits from its sales Every year, during national effort of rehabilitation by go to the people. yuletide season, the buying special products from the area. I visited all Districts in Japan West North Coast Y Service This may not bring about any Region and attended club meetings to Club (San Diego immediate solution for those less find ways and means of helping the District, Pacific fortunate people there. But, every little people of Fukushima. Southwest Region, act of kindness helps in times of such Noriko Endou, Service Director (Menettes), JWR Area USA) brings big disasters. cheer to many homes by giving Supporting Local Authorities poinsettias away for free. The catch is Taking into consideration the hardship that the recepients are expected to show of visitors to local administration their support to the Camp Pendleton offices in Kerala, the Y’s Men’s Club Armed Services YMCA programmes for of Ettumannoor donated wheel chairs active duty military personnel and their to the Kottayam Collectorate (seat of families with donations. Last year the the District revenue officer) for the Club raised several hundreds of dollars. convenience of the numerous sick and The club has so far donated $28,000 the aged who come there with petitions including the $8,000 in January 2016 for relief and succor. The gift was towards youth programmes run by the received by the District Collector, Mr. Armed Services YMCA. Source: FB page of North Coast Y Service Club Jose, at his office in late 2015. 12
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FROM FAR AND NEAR Asia Prizes 2015 Matsumoto Y’s Men’s Club (Azusa District, Japan East Region), held their 17th edition of the essay-writing competition for Asia Prizes in December 2015. Started in 1999 by the Matsumoto Club, the Asia Prizes encourages self-sponsored Asia students studying in Japan to develop themselves and to achieve their dreams. The prizes were for outstanding essays written in Reaching Out The first distribution activity of YMC Singapore, Alpha Chapter was held in collaboration with SARAH Seniors Activity Centre on 21 December 2015. This Christmas Season, we gave small
Japanese. The manuscripts of the contestants were excellent and rich in variety and covered topics such as living as foreigners in Japan, the differences in Winners of the seventeenth edition of ‘Asia Prizes’ culture and the importance of international under- and experiences acquired in Japan after standing. They were all looking forward they return to their countries. Nobutoshi Iijima to making the best of the knowledge We also reached out to other elderly people who were not part of SARAH Seniors Activity Centre, which takes care of and monitors the health of the elderly living in that area. Together with 15 other volunteers coming from all walks of life, we gathered early in the morning to pack the gifts that were to be given. Although our task seemed very simple, it was not easy. Our volunteers went from door to door to engage and speak with the elderly, which was rewarding for them as well as the volunteers.
Toronto. The soccer balls were included in the prizes for a basketball fundraiser held at the North York Y on Saturday 5 March 2016.
Patricia Lim
In this picture, former IHQ Youth Intern Dominique FernandezTrelles is on the left and in the centre is Martin Dand, PAP, ISD-PR, and members of the North York Y’s Men’s Club along with Y Staff members.
Toronto Mega thon Megathon Central Canada Region and the Ottawa Y Service Club donated Fair Trade Going from door to door soccer balls to the North York (Toronto) Christmas gifts to the elderly who are YMCA Megathon. The Megathon is a staying in the Bukit Merah Estate. fundraiser for the YMCAs of Greater
Martin Dand
Welcome to Taipei IC 2016 will be held in Taipei from 4 to 7 August 2016. The major convention venue will be the famous Grand Hotel. We will move to the nearby EXPO Dome on the second night. This is our first time to host the International Convention since we started the Y’s Men movement in Taiwan 61 years ago. Taipei is multi-cultural and multi-ethnic in composition with a friendly population that gives primacy to traditional values and works in a progressive and modern environment, all in harmony with nature and the world around it. We, the International Convention Host Committee, are working hard to plan unique and enjoyable programmes to offer you at IC16 that would be engraved into your minds forever. Registration has started and can be done online or by fax. Registration fee is USD 450 per member at early bird special price until 30 April. Details on http://ic2016.org. Be sure to come and experience the charming land and meet our friendly Y’s family. It surely is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! International Convention Host Committee (ICHC) Mission with Faith
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A TRIBUTE
The “Green Fa ther” of India Father” A Ja panese Y’ ortune to ggreening reening an Indian desert Japanese Y’ss Man who devoted his life and ffortune Many of us Y’s Men in Japan came to know of Tatsumaru Sugiyama’s work in India only recently through a TV programme that featured him. It was a pleasant surprise to learn later that he was a member of the Fukuoka Central Y’s Men’s Club and had taken part in the YMCA and Y’s Men movement from an early age. He was born into a well-established family in Fukuoka, Japan in 1919. He is still little known both within Japan and abroad, but his work has left a lasting legacy in India, a country far away from his homeland. Tatsumaru’s grandfather, a political activist and entrepreneur, and his father, a well-known author died within a year of each other when Tatsumaru was only 16 years old. His grandfather left him the words “Save the peoples of Asia,” which seem to have shaped his future. One of his grandfather’s undertakings was an agricultural education programme for young people from across Asia, on a 37-acre farm which he had bought for that purpose. When World War II came to an end, Tatsumaru resumed this undertaking by taking in Indian students to acquire agricultural know how. He was just 36 old at that time. In 1962, Tatsumaru’s link with India led to a telephone call from Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India, who asked him to help India, then stricken by famine and poverty as a result of desertification. When he reached India, he saw the vast areas which had turned into deserts. After surveying the land, he concluded planting eucalyptus trees could restore the much-needed greenery in these areas. He thought the fast-growing and deep-rooted eucalyptus trees would have the effect of pumping up ground water to the surface and would enable 14
FAR FROM HOME: An undated file picture of Sugiyama (circled) with his Indian friends during one of those marathon sessions that involved miles of walking to plant green cover in the Himalayas
farming. At first the villagers were reluctant to help him — they were simply too busy eking out a living — but, struck by his determination and seeing Tatsumaru planting trees with his own hands, people began helping him. At the end of the project, 260,000 trees were planted along 470 kilometres of the highway connecting India and Pakistan. Tatsumaru’s next project was to restore greenery in the Shivalik range along the Himalayas frequently affected by landslides. A huge sum of money was needed for planting eucalyptus over the 3,000-kilometre stretch of the rapidly desertifying region. The launch of the project, unfortunately, coincided with prolonged drought and the Indian government could not afford to fund the project. He turned to the United Nations for assistance, but was unable to secure help for reasons beyond the mandate of Tatsumaru. As a last resort, he sold all his possessions, including the 37-acre farmland in Fukuoka, and got an equivalent of around US $140 million in today’s value. The project was unfinished when he Mission with Faith
died of apoplexy and overwork in 1987, at the age of 68. The project, however, was taken over by the local people. Trees continued to be planted and today, there are lush trees and farmlands which was once arid wasteland. The local people say “Mahatma Gandhi is the Father of Independence. Tatsumaru Sugiyama is the Father of Green.” Tatsumaru’s son, Mitsumaru, has been quoted as saying, “We no longer have a farm in Fukuoka, but it still survives as the green of India.” As well as leaving a lasting legacy in India, Tatsumaru’s work has inspired his fellow Y’s men in Japan. Y’s man Takeshi Sakamoto, a member of Fukuoka Central, is now actively engaged in desert greening in Mongolia. Tatsumaru set out to do what many thought was impossible saying, “If you don’t think it’s impossible, everything is possible.” His hard work, dedication and determination will be an inspiration to fellow Y’s men facing various challenges in different situations around the world. Michihiro Endo, RD, JWR and Takashi Watanabe, RD, JER
MANTRA FOR
THE S OUL SOUL
Max Ediger*
The White Crow The School of Peace is generally held once a year here in Asia and brings together around 20 young people from different Asian countries, different faiths and different cultures. The 14-week programme is designed to promote self-transformation which can lead participants to begin working for transformed communities back in their homes. At the end of the fourteen weeks, each participant is asked to give a presentation on what they have learned and how they have changed during the programme. One of the participants shared the following story as part of his reflection. A small village lay nestled in the flat plains between the mountains and the sea. The people of this village were farmers, working hard to produce food for their families. The village was also home to many crows that scavenged for food among the village garbage dumps. All of the crows were black and the villagers accepted as truth that crows are only black. This was something they never questioned or were even concerned about. One day a stranger visited the village. He was a wanderer, travelling from place to place and sharing his stories with those who would listen. The people in the village always welcomed story-tellers and in the evening gathered to hear what fabulous stories this stranger would have for them. “Friends,” he said. “You have many black crows here in your village. I see only black crows. But did you know that there are also white crows?” The villagers laughed, thinking the stranger was telling them a joke. But when they looked at his face, they saw that he was serious. “There are no white crows,” they said in unison. “Crows are only black. See all the crows here. They are all black. Crows are black, but never white.” “But I have seen a white crow,” he said seriously. “There are white crows.” Late into the night the people asked questions about the white crows he had seen, and he answered in such detail and with such sincerity that soon the people began to believe him. “But we have never seen a white crow,” they said. “We only see black crows.” “Then you must go looking for them” the storyteller said with a smile. “If you do not look, you will never see them. Only those who seek, will find new things to admire and enjoy. Seekers are the only ones who discover a bigger world.” He concluded that before coming to the School of
Peace, he was not a seeker. He simply accepted as fact that what he himself knew and had experienced was sufficient truth to help him understand the world. While he still had not seen any white crows, he was now challenged to go out and look for them – to seek new perspectives on the issues facing his community and the world in general. He was ready to discover a bigger world. I have followed the journey of this young man since his return to his home community. He has, indeed, set aside his belief that all crows are black and is now searching for a white crow. He is living with the marginalised in his community, listening to their stories of struggle, defeat and victory and discovering that his original understanding of why people are poor, hungry or homeless is not sufficient to explain what he is now seeing and hearing. To better understand the world in which we live we must first recognise that our present understanding is limited. Even though we have only seen black crows, that does not mean there are no white crows. If the mass media tell us that Islam is a violent religion we need to ask serious questions because the truth may be very different. We need to take the time to seek deeper information about things such as the affordable health care act, gun control, marriage equality, poverty and welfare. We may find that what we are being told is not the complete truth and if we listen to those who have a different perspective than we do, we might realise that our original understanding is not sufficient to explain the true realities. Proverbs 3:13-14 suggests that becoming wise and filled with understanding is something we have to work at. “Happy is anyone who becomes wise – who comes to have understanding. There is more profit in it than there is in silver; it is worth more to you than gold.” Yes, there are white crows. I have seen one, and I shall continue being a seeker because I am convinced that there is still so much that I do not understand or that I misunderstand about this wonderful creation God has made. *Max Ediger grew up on a small farm in the Panhandle of Oklahoma. At the age of 19 he began working with an international Non-Government Organization, serving in Africa, Vietnam and Thailand. His work has brought him into close personal contact with refugees, slum communities, poor rural communities and victims of war. These communities struggling for justice and human rights have greatly influenced his writing, which attempts to reflect to the reader the hope and courage he finds among people in struggle. He currently directs the School of Peace from Cambodia and acts as a resource person for the YMCAs in several countries. Reprinted with permission of PeaceSigns, the online publication of the Peace and Justice Support Network of Mennonite Church USA, www.mennolink.org/peace
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Mission with Faith