| A selection of stories … |
This year Anne and I were deeply moved by three scenarios: one close to home, the others apparently far away, but in our now global village, distance is no barrier. China’s expansion and policies on human rights, the struggle against bankrupt dictatorships hiding behind a distorted Muslim religion in Africa, and 9/11 in New York are all somehow on the same page. As Sandler O’Neill & Partners innocently conducting their high quality investment banking business on the 104th floor in the World Trade Tower sadly experienced, on the morning of September 11th , the enemy is at the gate! Sandler O’Neill & Partners We were particularly impressed by the bravery of Jimmy Dunne, CEO and his partners at Sandler O’Neill. Within days of the terrible tragedy, this small firm rose to the occasion. Jimmy participated in countless funerals and all the responsibility which accompanies a terrible injustice of this kind. Yet, he and his partners steadfastly rebuilt their business, starting almost the next day, and it is now bigger than ever. We were pleased to provide all of our BWI services to Sandler O’Neill without charge throughout the year following 9/11 (despite their frequent attempts to reciprocate). Over the year we came to refer to Sandler O’Neill as “client one”. This experience helped us to feel connected and also a small part of a great victory. Our admiration for the Sandler O’Neill survivors’ team is profound. Their bravery and grace under fire is proof to any business that character, kindness, and integrity are well within our reach. We won’t forget their inspiration, and treasure their friendship, for all time, with pride. Thanks to all BWIers who contributed their services to our humble gift. Freedom This year at a conference in Montreux, Switzerland amidst an agenda of brilliant presentations from around the world, there appeared a delegation of doctors from Red China. This group presented themselves with great pride as having achieved the “prevention” of some 75 million births. They went on to explain how much money the state had saved as a result of this “achievement”. Later in this journal you will see a story by our beloved colleague, “Charles” Yang Zhendong, whose mother is in a Chinese jail for the crime of belonging to Falun Gong, the mission of which being Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. She, like millions of others, ran afoul of China’s policy.. Like Russia before it, we hope that China’s regime will eventually succumb to the power of prayer in its silent mysteries. Anne and I join Charles in supporting TCFAS (Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance Advocacy Society) in the campaign to liberate China from her behaviour concerning human dignity, freedom, and life. It took some fifty years for the power of prayer to overcome the godless regime of the Soviet Union. Many heroes and dissidents played a role in keeping us focussed on the injustice. Falun Gong, like the unarmed boy in front of the tank in Tianamen Square, are our heroes. Let us do all we can to shorten and lessen the burdens of their bravery. The Spiritans in Kenya Father John Dobrosky brought us a couple of hundred hand made paintings from the parishioners of the Spiritan missionaries in Kenya. Many of these little paintings have been framed and look quite beautiful in peoples’ homes. It seems a bit strange that poverty stricken villagers whose major worries are food and water would send us gifts. Yet they did. As in past years, we have supported the works of the Spiritans as they toil against over-whelming odds, to raise the education, freedom, and survival levels of an increasingly misled population. We always hold special hope that the Spiritans may nurture a “ leader of conscience” who may change the future for Kenyans.
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