Program: The Roslin Orphanage
Speaker: Budi Soehardi
Our speaker is Budi Soehardi, a Rotarian who with his family has built an orphanage in Timor. His story is one of ten one can read in this year's CNN Heroes: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Impact. From these ten one will be chosen for the Hero of the Year after voting ends this Thursday.
His story is powerful, and all the more so when one understands that his pilot's salary has been the principal source of support for the orphanage. This month, however, he is losing his job as a result of airline budget cuts, but believes that like so much of the experience with the orphanage, things will work out.
We always ask our guests to contribute the cost of a meal toward our club's projects, but today, we ask for something more: please consider supporting Budi with your vote at the CNN website (http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/).
Program Materials:
SoehardiRoslinOrphanage.pdf
Program Comments:
This week comments: 188, this week visitors: 66
Wayne Honeycutt
honeycuttw@yahoo.com
Loudon
05/Jan/10, 7:25am
James Lowe
jamesedwardlowe@gmail.com
Downtown New Braunfels
tchoffmann@satx.rr.com
17/Dec/09, 9:40am
Wondereful story. Thank you for sharing.
WOW, what a great program.
Patsy Parker
patsy.parker@swosu.edu
Weatherford
jill.jones@swosu.edu
08/Dec/09, 10:28am
Good meeting.
Merilee Marsh
mm@merileemarsh.com
Boise, Idaho--Sunrise
pnilsson@cityofboise.org
08/Dec/09, 3:49am
This was another worthwhile learning experience.
John G Jones
jgoff77@wcc.net
Rotary Club of San Angelo Sunrise
Rotary@charlesworthassociates.com
07/Dec/09, 1:58pm
What a courageous undertaking by Mr.Soehardi and his family in this difficult part of the world. Folks like this are the true heroes of our day, and too often, go unsung.
It would be wonderful for our Club to provide help for them.
Immanuel Freedman
Harleysville Rotary Club
03/Dec/09, 6:44pm
The Roslin Orphanage is a great Rotary story.
Very interesting and rewarding story
sarah bickel
flagstaff rotary club
02/Dec/09, 2:53pm
very inspiring
olga McKellar
Woodstock Rotary Club, Woodstock, On,Canada
02/Dec/09, 8:38am
This story was really inspiring. Talk about service above self! Budi and his wife live Rotary.
Brenda Hazlett
Flagstaff Rotary Club
01/Dec/09, 10:40am
This is a makeup for 11/17.
This string of events is extraordinary -- but in a way, not so. I had similar experiences traveling and doing ministry in Africa some years ago. God does come through in all sorts of circumstances and places. Great program!
Tami Bushy
Rotary club of the AuSable Valley
30/Nov/09, 2:40pm
How fantastic!!! Truely awsome to say the least!!!
dietra Dula
the hickory Sunrise Rotary Club
29/Nov/09, 6:08pm
always love your meetings - from the inspirational minute to the program
raleigh matthews
Sierra Vista Noon
28/Nov/09, 11:25am
It was good
I really enjoyed the meeting and the web site on the Roslin Orphanage
Doug Switzer
Walnut Creek Rotary
27/Nov/09, 11:48am
Quite a story, but true Rotary spirit. I like this format since I felt "included" in the meeting.
Don Herbert
Pleasanton North Rotary
25/Nov/09, 7:18pm
Interesting Program
Wow, that is amazing the lengths people will go to help one another. That's why we're all in Rotary in some way or another. To help each other, man to man, woman to woman. Very inspiring story!
These adventures seem like "tough" or "unachievable" ones for most of us. However, once anyone starts one of these ventures they will find how much fun it is. Once we find it is fun we realize how easy it is. Doing something for others is so much better than getting anything in return.
janice gage
1861
24/Nov/09, 1:51pm
Thank you for allowing me to attend your meeting...Learned much about world hunger...
Joy Neidell
West Houston
24/Nov/09, 9:31am
This was fascinating and opened your eyes to how some people will go out of their way to help complete strangers to get a better life. Ultimately, of course, it helps everyone producing happy, nourished and educated children.
Steve Pedigo
Sierra Vista Noon Club
24/Nov/09, 8:26am
Regarding too much Defense spending, it is important to recall that history tells us without a strong defense amongst free nations, more world hunger is inevitable.
Brett Agenbroad
The Rotary Club of Sierra Vista
23/Nov/09, 5:04pm
Rotarians,
Are truly global thinkers and doers, this just goes to show what individuals and small groups can do to significantly change the world.
Best Brett
Bill McLeRoy
Rotary Club of Western Fort Worth
23/Nov/09, 3:56pm
Tremendous example of energy and good will devoted to the unselfish benefit of others. A real tale in persistance and passion.
I really enjoyed the stories and mostly the one billion for one billion. I think that it is a great concept when you think that if each person donates $1 it could feed so many people. The thought that 10 children die each day of hunger is horrible. I can't imagine that we live in world full of resources yet we can't feed people on earth.
David Collier
Lufkin Rotary Club
23/Nov/09, 7:18am
Great program
very good meeting and the thoughts and humor are always very good.
Beth Mauden
Burlington Morning Washington #181
22/Nov/09, 6:40pm
very interesting
Very inspirational at this time of thanksgiving.
Very good program really shows what one person can do.
Ian Petherick
Bundaberg Sunrise
21/Nov/09, 7:32pm
Never ceases to amase me what some people can achieve.
A truly inspiring story. May God shower His Blessings on the orphanage and the Soehardi family.
Theodoros Kassis
arista telein -thessaloniki-71179
21/Nov/09, 12:29am
real honorable actions
Ruth Westra
Duluth Club 25
20/Nov/09, 2:53pm
Thank you! What a wonderful progrma.
Rotary is a wonderful organization,members like Budi Soehardi really make the Rotary world tick.
Another Rotary friend of mind Keith Corbet did a Rotary project in East Timor.
I will certainly vote for Budi
excellent humanitarian effort
chris horton
orange club
19/Nov/09, 12:27pm
Great story. This is what being a Rotarian is all about.
Wow! This guy gives feet to his faith! What an awesome testimony about just doing what's on your heart and not making excuses.
Ronald J. Toomer
Rotary Club of Baton Rouge
19/Nov/09, 6:28am
"The Law of the Garbage Truck" was good.
The program was interestiong.
Judy Doyon
Rotary Club of Wasilla
18/Nov/09, 9:32pm
A fascinating and heart warming story of the accomplishments of these wonderful folks
Roxann Pixler
Gatlinburg rotary club
18/Nov/09, 4:17pm
This man is truly a Hero and he deserves this distinction.
1. i CAST MY VOTE FOR BUDI
2. i FORWARDED http://www.roslinorphanage.org/ AS A POSSBLE iNTERNATIONAL pROJECT FOR OUR CLUB.
Robert E Van Dyke
Grapevine Tx 76051
18/Nov/09, 10:45am
The article on the orphanage was great. It is great what ordinary people can do.
Ross White
Nanaimo (ID 43)
17/Nov/09, 10:09pm
This is my first meeting on an e-club. I have had perfect attendance for 13 years but was unable to do a meeting or make-up in the last week. I will likely do this again. Your meeting was well organized and written up. I like the way you do the speaker. I even cast a vote.
I am in Arizona so this was a unique club to select for this first experience
It is just amazing what a couple of dedicated human beings can do! It makes me very proud to see Rotarians engaged in helping other unfortunate people. I will make sure to cast my vote or votes.
Well done Budi ! Congratulations to you and your wife for making The Roslin Orphanage a reality.
I often feel that governments around the world have failed in helping their own citizens in need. Programs such as these have accomplished so much, with so little, that one wonders what could be done if a bit more weight were put into actually resolving some of the underlying needs on a larger scale?? Politics and greed usually are the underlying problems, but these will probably never change; leaving the real progress to be made by small groups of individuals like Soehardi and Rotary Club members.
Great program...saw it on TV
Lupe
Rotary Club Amigos de Milwaukee
16/Nov/09, 9:09pm
I am always impressed and amazed about the impact that is made by Rotarians in some of these countries and areas in need around the world - ike the East Timor project and the orphanage.
Theresa E Murphy
Los Alamitos/Seal Beach
16/Nov/09, 7:35pm
What a fantastic presentation adn I enjoyed being able to view the website and see the pictures of the project. Plus I was able to go to the Heros CNN and place my vote Thank you
Speaker Budi Soehardi became a CNN Heroes program nominee as result of work with his spouse in creating the Roslin Orphanage in West Timor. The inspiration for their service in the country arose in 1999 when Budi and his wife were eating dinner in Singapore and saw a television broadcast showing suffering refugees in East Timor. Inspired by the sight, the Soehardis resolved to help and began a personal project to deliver food and supplies to the area. They made direct soliticitations to friends and others, then requested and received free transportation for the goods, and ultimately delivered 14 tons of supplies to Timor, all within forty days of accepting the initial challenge. In 2002, the Roslin Orphanage was built, and now houses forty-seven children. The Soehardis have undertaken the responsibility of educating these children themselves. It is a very humbling and inspiring project. Clearly the Soehardis are SO HARDY!
I enjoyed the online meeting and all of the information that was included. The program about the Roslin Orphanage was especially interesting and heart felt.
Somewhat difficult to navigate, but I got there evenutally.
11-16-2009
Budi Soehardi's devotion and personal sacrifice to first take food and supplies to the displaced children of East and West Timor and then to establish a permanent orphanage is touching. He and his wife overcame multiple obstacles and, with the help of like-minded folks who, too, believe in “Service Above Self,” were able to help these children immediately and then set up a facility to provide for long-term care and attention and education.
Soehard has been nominated as one of CNN’s “Heroes.” After you read this story, please go to www.cnn.com/heroes and vote for Budi Soehardi. I did!
This is a marvelous story at this time of Thanksgiving. What a wonderful family to take on such a project. It is truly a heartwarming story. (I also voted.)
This is an amazing family! Thank you for telling me about them.
CNN Heroes link shows properly but hyperlink does not work. Contest ends 6AM ET Thursday 11/19.
Brett Agenbroad
The rotary club of sierra vista
16/Nov/09, 10:02am
Wow, makes one realize that anyone can, with a little initiative make a difference.
Our world has so much suffering outside our US Boarders.
This is an extroidinary story of service above self. I learned about Budi about two month's ago and began to vote each day (sending in multiple votes, which is allowed in this competition). Beside checking all my emails, the votes on CNN are part of my mornings. I also would suggest that all Rotarians support this Rotarian in his unselfish orphanage project.
Enjoyed this information.
Good humor and profound reminders of the needs of others. With Service above Self, Rotarians have many ways to contribute to the world around them. The 448 members of RGHF provide the background, the history that can engage and even inspire Rotarians to greater service. We've just announced our 10th anniversary to be celebrated in Chicago next October. http://www.11october.org for details.
