One of Maryknoll
Brother Ron Rak, M.M.’s favorite expressions was "not to worry." If you went
to him with a problem or difficulty he would often say "not to worry" and
most likely come up with a solution. In 1974 I decided to participate in the
40 kilometer "National Freedom for Hunger Walk" in Nairobi, Kenya to raise
money for charity. Those were my "youthful days," and after a few weeks of
exercise and practice walking I was ready. Ron helped me to get sponsors
from among the Maryknollers who lived in Nairobi. If a person sponsored me
for $1 a kilometer, then if I finished the walk the person would contribute
$40. I succeeded in getting a whole sheetful of sponsors. 

    I "barely" finished
the 40 kilometers walk with plenty of aching muscles and big blisters on my
feet as proof. The next day I limped into Ron’s office and asked him how I
could collect the money from the Maryknollers who lived in different parts
of Nairobi. Ron said "not to worry" and took the sign-up sheet. "For anyone
who signed this sheet," he said, "I will automatically debit his Personal
Account and give you all the money tomorrow."

    And so he did. Of the
thousands of walkers that year with Ron’s help I ended up as the person who
raised the fourth highest amount of money for charity.