How do I say "Thank you"?

Everyday, I am more and more amazed at the work and generosity of our Rotary Families. I´d like to share a few choice stories, some more personal than others.

One of the most beautiful experiences I have had occurred just this past weekend when the Rotary Club of Paita took us to see the marvelous work they are doing for the extremely poor members of the community in Northern Peru. In Paita, the club is working to empower mothers of very little means to feed their families. Besides teaching them how to cook and prepare nutritious meals, the Club has raised funds to support the function of a machine that produces soy milk. With this machine (a vaca mecanica), which is located in a community center of sorts, the women will be able to provide their children with better nutrition. In turn, these children will be healthier and need less medical care.

Similarly, in Piura, there are Rotary Clubs sponsoring a walk to end Polio. The walk takes place on June 14th, and it is a major event. The GSE team took part in a press conference where Rotary Club members talked about the importance of erradicating polio in the world. Television, radio and newspaper sources covered the press conference, and reporteres interviewed GSE team members to talk about our impressions of Peru, the fight to erradicate polio and--of course--the walk! We left the press conference enthused and energetic. Rotary is doing wonderful things in the world, and together, we are enabling our brothers and sisters around the world to live happier, healthier lives.

Finally, I want to mention something that happened when the GSE team was still in Trujillo. I innocently mentioned to my hosts, Erick Barakat and his wife Mary Ann, that over the course of 12 years, I had never gone a day without speaking to my husband, Breton. It was getting late that night, and Erick asked me if I had talked to Breton that day. I said, "No, but it´s not important; I´ll call or e-mail him tomorrow." A few minutes later, Erick pulled out his cell phone and said, "Maria, what is your husband´s cell phone number?" I said, "Why?" He said, "Because, Maria, I am not going to be the reason that you don´t talk to your husband tonight." I started crying and couldn´t speak. Then Mary Ann started to cry. And finally, Erick, who is a tall, strong and quite fierceful looking Peruvian, started to cry. I got up from my chair and hugged Erick and Mary Ann. The two of them are like my brother and sister. They are two more reasons why Rotary means so much to me.