World Ark Magazine - March/April 2009 - (Page 19) ra iman lost everything in the 2004 pacific ocean tsunami—his wife, his house, his community. at 62 and with so much loss, it was hard enough to start over, much less help others in need. But in November 2008, at a special ceremony in the Sumatran village of kuala Trang, raiman delighted everyone, even himself, when he was able to help a neighbor. raiman (many indonesians go by only one name), who received a cow from heifer indonesia in march 2006, passed on his first calf to Sukina, a mother struggling to recover after the tsunami. “i pass on my cow to you,” raiman said, handing the rope halter to Sukina. “please take care of it.” with this, raiman fulfilled a commitment he made when he first received his cow. in fact, everyone who receives a gift from heifer international—be it a cow or a goat, a hive of bees or a llama, tree saplings or veterinary skills—signs a contract, agreeing to pass on what they have been given to someone else in need. passing on the gift is the cornerstone of heifer international’s approach. it ensures not only that the gifts of livestock and training help twice as many families, but also that heifer project participants progress from beneficiary to benefactor. The passing on the gift ceremony is a milestone for every heifer project, publicly marking its success. The particulars of the ceremony vary from country to country and community to community—the backdrop may be coconut palms or mountains; there may be speeches from government officials or songs by a local choir; it may be followed by a parade or a feast. But there is one constant of every passing on the gift ceremony: The proud smiles of young and old, men and women who, with the help of heifer international, have transformed their communities. To read more of Raiman’s inspiring story and to see more Passing on the Gift photos, visit us online at www.heifer.org/worldark. left: Villagers in the gicumbi district, rwanda, sing and dance to welcome a heifer international team in the summer of 2007. right: less than PHoto By trEvor SNaPP. four years after losing everything to the tsunami, heifer indonesia beneficiary raiman (left) was able to pass on a calf to Sukina (right) and her family. w w w. h e i f e r. o r g march/apri l 2009 | worl d ark 19 http://www.heifer.org/worldark http://www.heifer.org
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