A time for reflection, patience, sacrifice and humility

It is that time of year when our Muslim friends fast for a month. Fasting is meant to teach a person patience, sacrifice and humility. For the last two years, the Rotary Club of Gombak has had a project to cheer up children cancer patients at Universiti Hospital, as we join them for a buka puasa, or the breaking of fast. This year, we will do doing the same.

Following is an email I sent to the Club after the event last year:

28 September 2007

Fellow Gombakians,

Yesterday’s meaningful and touching project reminded me of why I joined Rotary.

After visiting the children and listening to Mona, who told me many stories of the children and parents who had to visit the ward, I was certainly impressed and affected by the humanitarian work done at the ward by Mona, Sen and all of the staff there. We all get caught up with our own daily lives and once in a while, we are reminded that we are indeed very lucky, and all our stress and worries are nothing compared to the pain and suffering of others around us. Yesterday was one of those moments for me.

I must thank Mona and Sen especially, and everyone else who helped to make yesterday’s project a success. I wish to continue this project next year, and I am sure that many members will agree with me that it is indeed a worthwhile cause for us to support.

I trust that members will join us once again this year, for this extremely wonderful and heart warming project. This is a great part of what Rotary does, and it does indeed remind us of patience, sacrifice and humility. To our Muslim friends, Selamat Berpuasa.