Give Light

Speech by Dian Alyan

I begin in the name of God the most gracious the most merciful. I praise our creator, the One, the Architect of everything beautiful in this world and the source of all lights. May peace and blessings be upon our beloved prophet Muhammad and all of the prophets before him.

I feel truly blessed to be standing before all of you today. Almost two years have passed since the tragedy of the tsunami. My wound has finally healed and my life has been completely transformed. Today, I want to talk about what drives me to continue doing this work:

1. Yearning for greatness and a desire to find our fundamental human goodness. Every one of us at some point asks the basic question: Why was I created? What is the meaning and purpose of my life? What am I pursuing? For me this work is the answer to those basic questions.

2. Knowing my own emotion and dreams as a mother. Every time I look at my two sons, I'm reminded by millions orphans who are alone in this world. Who will read to them their bedtime stories? Who will give them hugs and kisses? While I can dream for my sons to go Stanford or Princeton one day, children of other women are working in some factories or begging on the streets. While I can't decide if it's tiramisu of crème brulee for dessert, children of other women are dying of hunger. Everyday, every hour and every minute somewhere on this planet, children are dying. Knowing that hundreds of children are now living well and well fed because of this work gives me the drive.

3. Realizing that God has loved me all my life. He has fulfilled all of my cherished dreams. I have lived in New York and Paris, seen the Great Wall of China, I’ve strolled in the streets of Venice, and I’ve prostrated in Masjidil Haram and stood on Arafat. Everywhere I go life has been kind and generous. How can I not be kind to others when God has been kind to me all my life?

4. Having an amazing and talented team of individuals whose passion and drive for this cause continue to motivate me to do more than I ever thought possible. You will get to meet everyone of them later and you will see what a beautiful human being they all are.

5. Last but not least, seeing the generosity of people I have met through this cause. A stranger from Germany donated 2000 brand new books to our Aceh orphanage, an old boss from Procter & Gamble wired $10K from London. It amazes me, it inspires me and it gives me deep conviction that this cause resonates with many people on this planet

Through this work I understand the words of Henry David Thoreau:

If you advance confidently in the direction of your dream, you will see how new and universal laws begin to establish around and within you and you will live with the license of a higher order of beings.

Through this work, I have witnessed and experienced the beauty of human hearts. Through GiveLight I have finally become the person I have always wanted to be.

I have found my true light and I will live to carry it wherever I go. I hope that long after I die, the world will continue to benefit from its radiance.

Thank you for being here and for sharing your own light.