Page 6 - 2022年9月號

The power of taking PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
uncomfortable chances
R ecently, Nick and I spent time in

Guatemala, where we met wonderful
fellow Rotary members and families who
unofficially adopted me as “Tía Jennifer.”
On the third day, after visiting Patzún in
the mountainous western highlands, we set out for
Lake Atitlán, which we needed to reach by nightfall. If
we took a back road we could get there faster. Locals
told us it had just been repaved and assured us, “You’ll
have no problem.”
At first, it was a breeze. We wound through misty-
green coffee and corn fields covering the hillside like
a patchwork quilt. But at a river crossing, we found a
bridge washed away. The only way to continue would
be to ford the river in our small bus. There were a few
tense moments, but we decided to give it a try and,
thankfully, we made it across safely.
This adventure reminds me of two important truths
Jennifer Jones and her husband, Nick Krayacich, in Rotary. One, we rely on local, on-the-ground expertise
(top left) talk with Náthali Batzibal, a student they to do what we do best. And two, sometimes you have to
support through the Guatemala Literacy Project, take uncomfortable chances to reach important goals.
during an April visit. Since 1997, the project
has improved education in rural areas of the Every day, I am honored to learn from our Rotary
country by providing books, teacher training, and family. Every lesson is an opportunity to grow, and
scholarships. Former scholarship recipient Rosa each story adds a chapter to our collective Imagine
Ixcoy (bottom right), also supported by Jones and
Krayacich, poses with her daughter and mother. Rotary year.
Turn to page 36 for a photo essay on the project.

JENNIFER JONES
President, Rotary International
Photography by James Rodríguez
4 ᇃᢊ׭ᎈȁ2022.9