Family, Faith, and Philanthropy
Ruth explains how these three areas of her background made her who she is today.
Tell us the parts of your background that :
- Made you who you are today,
- How you came to be in Rotary, and
- How that relates to your involvement in Rotary today.
Family, faith, philanthropy
Family
Family was/is solid stable and involved. They demonstrated charitable giving of their time, talent and treasure as well as investing in the community. Dad served on the school board during integration and mom was a leader both as a volunteer and later as chair of the planning commission.
My husband was also blessed with a stable family. There were virtually no divorces on either side which provided a great testimony and foundation for our 32 year marriage. Now as my children are married, it is nice to know that they have a long history of stable marriages to support them.
Faith
Growing up I was very independent and self-sufficient. Some would say I was bossy and opinionated. From age 13 to 29 I was learning who God is and why He cared for me at all. But I mostly served him and worshiped him on my own terms. When I was 29, I almost died from typhoid fever after we adopted our daughter from Chile. God used that time to break me of my self-sufficiency and need for control. The difference in my life was significant enough that a friend later commented that I didn't even look the same! I had taken the boxing gloves off!
Several years later I began memorizing scripture and came across a passage in Psalm 51. "Let the bones you have crushed rejoice"
Philanthropy
That solid family and deepened faith laid the foundation for a life of philanthropy, giving of myself and my stuff. Treasure-M633; Time- opened home for adoption, foster parent, housing and general hospitality; Talent- Service in the community with volunteer and politics.
Rotary
My family had always been in Rotary and it also provided an outlet for service to others and the community. Helped me stay connect with all that time in Raleigh.
"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace and its various forms."
1 Peter 4:10
