When I graduated from Wellesley College in 1996, I was given the option of choosing a diploma written in English or Latin. I chose English. My knowledge of Latin is limited to a few phrases used in everyday conversation - "ex post facto," "pro bono," "quid pro quo" being examples - and I felt that I ought to understand what's written on my diploma.
Not too surprisingly, the Wellesley College motto is in Latin: "Non Ministrari Sed Ministrare." When I was a student there, I did not know the meaning of this motto. This was not only because I couldn't read Latin, but mostly because I was too young to understand it. I had occasionally come across the English translation - "Not to be ministered unto but to minister" - but it never really stuck. I was too busy thinking about my day-to-day activities and how they would lead to my future.
As an alumna, the motto means a lot more to me now. When I saw a flyer in the mail from the local Wellesley alumnae club inviting me to participate in an event called "A Day to Make a Difference," I e-mailed the organizer to let her know that I would be attending. This is an annual Wellesley event where the various alumnae clubs across the country try to organize volunteer activities on the same day. Members of the Capital District club gathered at the Albany Ronald McDonald House to prepare dinner for the families staying there.
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Ronald McDonald Houseの掃除や食事はボランティアでまかなわれている
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Ronald McDonald? Isn't he the funny-looking clown who represents the fast-food chain? Yes, that is the Ronald McDonald. The Ronald McDonald Houses provide lodging, meals and support for the families of children staying at hospitals. Many families cannot afford to stay in hotels for weeks or months at a time. The meals alone can be a huge expense. The families pay what they can afford to stay at the Houses; oftentimes, it means they stay for free. There are hundreds of Ronald McDonald Houses around the world, all located near hospitals.
When we arrived, we saw a calendar posted on a cabinet with the names of various organizations written under different dates. The organizations bring their own ingredients and prepare dinner. Almost all of the dates were filled. The volunteer at the front desk told us that on those rare days when no organizations sign up, they order take-out pizza (the local pizzeria donates the pizzas). From what I could tell, the local McDonald's does NOT provide burgers and fries to the families.
The alumnae club had a large turnout, with children, parents, and even the husbands of Wellesley alumnae participating. We made pasta with meat sauce or vegetarian sauce, spinach salad, vegetable sticks, mashed potatoes, deviled eggs, and garlic bread. Some of the members washed dishes or cleaned the room. We were able to prepare enough food for about 20 or 30 people in less than three hours, including clean-up time.
We had only spent one Saturday afternoon volunteering at the House and I do not know how much we had "ministered to" others in that time. It was a small sacrifice. On Monday, I was back to my comfortable career working for a large, multinational corporation. I've had lively discussions with my colleagues at work with respect to the value of participating in such events where you move on before you even know the people you are helping, where, in a certain sense, both the volunteers and the beneficiaries are nameless and interchangeable. One of my friends tells me he doesn't have the time - or doesn't want to spend the time - on such events because he'd rather spend his limited time with his loved ones. I understand his perspective, too.
I'm intrigued by the concept of charity and especially the idea that there exist many kinds of charity: One can minister to family, friends, colleagues, shared community members or strangers from different lands. I believe the ideal behind the motto "Non Ministrari Sed Ministrare" is to serve others without calculation and without any grudges. Whom exactly one decides to serve is a difficult, personal decision.
Shukan ST: Dec. 3, 2004
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- make a difference
- 世の中をよくする
- Wellesley College
- 米東部にある女子大
- diploma
- 卒業証書
- ex post facto
- 事後の
- pro bono
- 無料奉仕の
- quid pro quo
- 代償
- ought to 〜
- 〜すべきだ
- Not too surprisingly
- そんなに驚くことでもないが
- motto
- 校訓
- Non Ministrari Sed Ministrare
- 奉仕される人ではなく、奉仕する人になれ
- had occasionally come across 〜
- ときどき〜を見かけた
- be ministered unto
- 奉仕される
- never really stuck
- ちゃんと頭に入らなかった
- day-to-day
- 日々の
- alumna
- (女性の)卒業生
- flyer
- チラシ
- alumnae club
- 同窓会
- participate in 〜
- 〜に参加する
- organizer
- 主催者
- be attending
- 参加する
- annual
- 毎年恒例の
- Capital District
- 州都地域
- gathered at 〜
- 〜に集まった
- clown who represents 〜
- 〜の顔であるピエロ
- lodging
- 宿泊
- cannot afford to 〜
- 〜する余裕がない
- huge expense
- 多大な出費
- oftentimes
- しばしば
- posted on 〜
- 〜に張られた
- cabinet
- 戸棚
- ingredients
- 食材
- were filled
- 埋められていた
- rare
- まれな
- sign up
- 参加する
- pizzeria
- ピザ屋
- donates 〜
- 〜を提供する
- From what I could tell
- 私の知る限りでは
- burgers and fries
- ハンバーガーとフライドポテト
- turnout
- 参加者数
- spinach
- ホウレンソウ
- deviled eggs
- デビルドエッグ(ゆで卵を半分に切り、黄身を調味料で味付けして白身に詰め直したもの)
- sacrifice
- 犠牲
- career
- 仕事
- multinational corporation
- 多国籍企業
- colleagues
- 同僚
- with respect to 〜
- 〜について
- move on
- 行動する
- in a certain sense
- ある意味で
- beneficiaries
- 恩恵を受ける人
- interchangeable
- 交代の利く
- loved ones
- 家族や恋人
- perspective
- 考え方
- (am)intrigued by 〜
- 〜に引かれた
- there exist 〜
- 〜が存在する
- shared community members
- 同じ地域の人たち
- calculation
- 計算
- grudges
- 物惜しみ
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