Theme: “Help for the Weak”
Message from John Choa, International President:
Help for the weak is a core issue for all Y’s Men and it is what we are best at. Clubs around the world provide a large amount of money to improving life for the financially weak or disadvantaged. We should also endeavour to assist in kind – by providing our personal services and by exerting leadership to improve conditions for the weak. Not least, we should fight the feeling of loss of human dignity often accompanying a state of weakness.
Thoughts by Arlo R. Pannkuk, Community Service Think Tank:
It troubles me to refer to anyone as ‘weak’. I much prefer to talk about it as, “Help for the less Fortunate”. Since I have had a good life and have been blessed in so many ways, I see many persons in foreign countries, in our own country and especially within our local community who need assistance.
We are commanded to “help the weak and be patient with them” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). We are also commanded to do good works as well as have faith. “If someone is naked and lacks daily food” (James 2:15-16), we must supply their bodily needs of food and clothing. In the US Area we have “food shelves” and “clothing closets” to serve those in need. We can meet our commitments by contributing to these facilities. While it may seem overwhelming, the demands and commands are before us to participate. “We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.” (Romans 15:1)
Reflections by Arne Amundsen, Community Service Think Tank:
In “The Final Judgment” (Matthew 25:31-) we are told: “The King will reply, Ì tell you, whenever you did this for one of my least important of these brothers of mine, you did it for me!” Jesus clearly spells out that our help for the weak and needy is considered as help to him.
As Y’s Men we are “shareholders” in an organisation that cares for those in need of help. How each club is doing it differs. There are so many ways. For more extensive tasks your club can join forces with other clubs or provide resources to help other organisations or local community institutions. This will make you realise the value of fellowship in providing service – also beyond club and district level - signifying a truly worldwide fellowship that it is great to be part. – And providing help for people in need may also result in recruitment of new members.
Worldwide, Y’s Men’s clubs represents hundreds of different help activities and even more ideas not yet carried out. If you are short on ideas, do seek the advise of other clubs or district or regional service director for Community Service. If your club foster new ideas, do share them through the same channels. Set aside a club meeting for creating a “strategy” containing:
- 2-3 fundraising activities for the support of local projects, regional projects and the various international projects
- 2-3 activities involving personal services that can be performed by club members
- An action plan for the fight against prejudice against the weak in the community and in its media.
See also www.ysmen.org - Programmes/Community Service.
Y’sly - Otto H. Larsen, ISD Community Service - 10 January 2005