Frank Deaver Peace Editorials

     "It's a small, small world," the song says.  Speed of travel and communication make it so.  But in Rotary our world is made even smaller because of our emphasis on international service, international projects, international friendships.  It is no accident that international is part of our name.  We are Rotary International!

     Countless Rotarians, from most countries of the world, can testify to the unique experience of visiting another society and experiencing Rotary within a different culture.  It commonly begins with two people, otherwise strangers, recognizing the familiar Rotary Wheel on each other’s lapel.

     My own Rotary opportunities have included visiting Rotary Clubs in many countries.  The “small world” observation becomes clearer with each experience, but a select few underscore the view.

     Sweden, 1975.  Our Group Study Exchange team was hosted by a regionally famous sculptor, a Rotarian.  In our presence, and with amazing speed, he used only a hand axe to chop from a square block of wood the face of a Laplander.  As a final touch, he carved upturned corners of the mouth.  Presenting the image to me, he said, “Look, he is smiling.  That is because he knows he will always be with Rotary friends.”  Indeed, the wooden face continues to be my friend, and it's easy to forget that he is only a wooden image.  For he causes me to smile as I recall the friendship and hospitality of so many Swedish Rotarians.

     Philippines, 1990.  Participating in a District Foundation Seminar, our Group Study Exchange team was welcomed by one of the speakers, then RI Director Benny Santos, who is credited with having initiated the PolioPlus concept in his country before it became a world-wide project.  He wanted to know if we were acquainted with his good friend Glenn Estess, and would we please convey his regards.  Glenn, of course, had been our own District Governor just a few years earlier, and as we know now, was destined to be Centennial Year President of Rotary International.

     Hong Kong, 1994.  Visiting the Kowloon Rotary Club, I found that I was only one of many Rotary visitors from many countries.  The Rotary International Convention was to be in Taiwan a few days later, and many Rotarians were visiting Hong Kong before the convention.  One of them jokingly referred to us as a “little United Nations” convening in Hong Kong.  But the greater surprise was that their program that day was by a Group Study Exchange team member, just returned from my own state of Alabama.

     Germany, 1996.  In a Rotary cultural exchange, American visitors attended church with their German hosts.  The hymns were familiar tunes, but we sang in two languages.  The sermon, in German, was translated for us.  The scripture was “What you do for others, you do for me.”  The sermon title was "We are different, but we are one."  The minister’s concluding statement was, “May our differences not overshadow our commonalities.”  Then he asked us to recite, each in our own tongue but in unison, the words of The Lord’s Prayer.  The clash of languages was exciting to hear, yet stirring in its sincerity.  As we continued the day’s activities with Rotarian hosts, we reflected that in Rotary as well, “we are different, but we are one.”

     Yes, it’s a small world, all right.  But in this small-world population are 1.2 million Rotarians, whose international fellowship underscores our commonalities and diminishes our differences.  Rotarians are different, but we are one.  Rotarians have made – and are making -- a difference in this world, advancing the Rotary goal of “international goodwill and understanding,” making the world even smaller.