Connect Magazine 2018 ENG

EDITORIAL
CONNECT MAGAZINE 2018
Q.
As the Congress Coordinator
what are your main
concerns?
Q.
What are some words of
wisdom that you would like
to share?
Funding the Future
of Subud
By Hilaria Dette, WSA treasurer
Current needs for Subud
Future Fund for Subud operations
A. Well, I really have no concerns. Well, my
main fear is my health, two years ago I had
a small stroke. But as far as the Congress is
concerned well I know it will happen and we will
have a good congress. Maybe the wonderful
vision of the integration of all the aspects of
Subud as one big unit will create a special
atmosphere.
I hope that we can realize our vision. The
concerns that come from others who don’t
really understand or don’t have the picture yet
are just that - concerns and worries. What I
realized at the Council meeting is that those
who first arrived and did not understand the
vision were hesitant but after three days they
all said: “Yes this is great and we support
the vision.” It helps to take us away from the
fragmentation that happened over the years at
congresses. UNITY is the key to having a good
congress. Uniting all aspects of Subud, wings,
executive, members, representatives, delegates,
etc. is the way to go.
What takes the most energy is to calm the
worries of those who don’t have the vision. It
is important at this point for us all to become
ambassadors of the Congress vision. It will
happen. Well, the world is so crazy right now,
and life happens there are things we can have
no control over. But, I believe, we will have a
good congress if we work together. If we are
alone, we can do little, but if we work together,
we can overcome what is happening out there.
Being together in Subud will help us face what
is happening outside of Subud.
A. We have to have UNITY as Subud can
only survive if we become one - all aspects
working together. Not only fragmentation, but
the tendency of individualization happens all
the time in this world. So for us in Subud, we
need to be ONE BODY. Yes, we can always
say: ‘Well I am in Subud for myself, I can do
latihan by myself’ but unity is the main key to
life and to be part of the whole not be a single
unit is essential. In this way it is easier to be
connected with the world, first our group, then
our region, our zone, then the world.
Joy and peace are the feelings I have when I do
my work and this is what we all need and hope
to bring to the Congress in 2018.
Oliver was born in Vienna and is married to
Sophia.They lived for many years in Switzerland
and now resided in Spain. They have four adult
daughters; Edith, Davina-Rebecca, Lillian, and
Catharine. Edith, who is now 34, suffers from a
very rare neurologic disorder NBIA. “We try to
do everything we can for her and we visit her
as often as we can. She is a very joyful person
with a good soul and everyone loves her,” says
Oliver. g
Let's travel to the future.
It is the year 2025, and the
Subud World is celebrating the
100-Year-Anniversary since
Bapak received the Latihan.
There are a lot of events going
on throughout the World to
commemorate this experience.
On the occasion of the
inauguration of a new
International Subud Center
(hurray!), the current treasurer
invited all his predecessors for
an exchange of experience.
There I am sitting with my
fellow treasurers; Osanna
Vaughn, Hammond Peek and
my direct successor.
We all enjoy the fact that
the financial situation of the
World Subud Association has
sustainably improved: Funds
are steadily coming in to serve
Subud and support Bapak’s
vision.
The former treasurers being
present remember the huge
efforts they had to undertake
at the end of every year to
balance the budget which
never was generous - only a
minimum budget.
In 2001 already Osanna had
drawn the attention to the
fact that the contributions of
the member countries, even
then, only covered a third of
the needs. This has started to
improve slightly in 2017.
How has the
financial situation
developed during
the term 2014 to
2018?
In the recent years, the annual
budget of the WSA on average
has been approximately USD
500,000.
On the income side
contributions have come in
for the last years (average):
Member countries and
zones:
USD 170,000 -
34 percent
Foundations
up to USD 100,000 -
20 percent
Enterprise contribution(s)
(one enterprise)
USD 100,000 -
20 percent
Individual donations and
extra fundraising:
up to USD 130,000 -
26 percent
Of the 54 member countries,
11 countries contributed
considerable amounts. The
number of countries sending
contributions increased during
the past three years. There
are still some countries which
do not contribute at all, even
the 1 dollar per year minimum
stipulated contribution for
countries to be considered
member countries of the
WSA. Sometimes individual
members or enterprises
of these countries send
donations to the WSA.
56 57