Nonzero @ Kiva 的會員們，恭喜您!

今天早上接到通知: Nonzero Club members at Kiva 已達到100位! 這是我送給自己63歲的生日禮物，謝謝您們。更重要的是，這個好消息再一次證明了我的信念：If you built it, they will come.

常有人問我，如何才知道自己己經準備好了，可以擁有成功積極正面快樂的人生？我的答案通常只有一個：您對我要求的家庭作業抱持著甚麼樣的心態？如果是：「Great！我將面對朱先生的挑戰，完成家庭作業」，您就是準備好的人；如果是：「Okay… 看看吧… 蠻有意思的…」卻總是找得到藉口而沒有付諸行動(畢竟，除了你自己，沒有人會知道您是否做了家庭作業) ，那麼您就仍只是停滯在原地遙望著理想，還沒有準備好的人。

五年前當我成立部落格時，曾有人跟我說 ─ 要求讀者做家庭作業並期望他們自己在過程中得到啟發 ─ 會是一件徒勞無功的事。儘管如此，我依然深信有許多準備好的人是願意的。因此，我的使命就是去與這些人連結。Kiva (www.kiva.org) 是一個我很喜歡的social business model – 經由循環微型貸款(Microfinance)、創業精神，來解決第三世界貧窮的問題。我個人認為這是一個值得我們參與、支持、學習的「大愛生意」。從一開始介紹www.kiva.org，到於2009年5月在Kiva成立Nonzero Club，如今成長到100位會員、我們共借出US$7,875元、支持了298個遍及全世界的創業人及組織。

* 關於KIVA

Kiva的使命是：to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty（透過減緩貧窮的借貸行為而連結人們）；並不等於直接餽贈，重點在於如何透過網路資源而串連不同需求。它只是一個很少人在維護的平台，運作機制是讓借款者和貸款者互相透過平台聯繫，當貸款者無法自己提出申請時，會由有當地非政府組織從中協助提出申請。

如果您認為您今天很幸運，因為認識了kiva.org，請到我的部落格留言，讓我們開始參與kiva.org的旅程。再也沒有什麼比 ─ 知道有更多人加入Kiva 開始成為借款者，以實際行動讓自己成為想要見到的世界改變 ─ 讓我更感欣慰的事了。我向您們保證，即將在您們眼前展開的，會是一段意義深遠的豐收之旅！除此之外，我還希望您也能邀請您在Facebook的朋友一起加入我們！ Be A Kiva Loaner & Nonzero Member!

如何加入Nonzero Club?
1. 在 www.kiva.org 加入會員
2. 借出美金25元
3. 點選”Community”，搜尋 Nonzero Club，加入
完成以上程序後，我就會即時被通知有新會員加入。

We loan because: Happiness exists in action. We believe that creating meaningful jobs through entrepreneurship is the best way to resolve poverty and rekindle free will.

以下節錄我在 www.kiva.org的Nonzero Club與新會員的對話：

新會員的來信：

Hi, I am C. I also started my first loan on Feb 19 after joining the Ping’s sharing event in Space yoga. Then, I went to RED room in the same day. Before going to RED room, I read Ping’s book. Wow ~ It reminded me lots of things that I might forget in my heart. Besides, I also start to complete the homework. Until now, I just finish 6 homework. By reading this book, I get some ideas.Is any Cafe that could request people don’t talk inside ? Sometimes, I just want to find some places to read the books or write some letters with some nice coffee/tea and music. One more thing that I want to share with Ping that I also buy 3 your books and will send them to my special friends in UK, Chinaand USA. They are friends that prepared to understand what you said. Then, they may share more ideas with their friends in different cities. Finally, Is anyone want to ” exchange ” your homework with me ? That’s one example of homework 2 for me.
Namaste

我的回信：

There is nothing better than knowing someone making Kiva Loan and embarking a life of bigger than themselves. I promise you that this is a rewarding and meaningful journey. Finally, you know you are capable of empowering and making this world a better place. ( It is not clich? anymore. )

Thank you for doing the homework. When I started my column 5 years ago, people told me it is useless to ask readers to do homework and discover new and exciting things by themselves. I told them I just know there are some people out there who are ready and willing. I have an obligation to reach out to these people. Homework is a way of knowing these future leaders who have a “can do” spirit.

You just made my day by giving out my book to other people. At Red Room last Saturday, someone approached me and wanted me to translate this book into English. I was flattered. I just felt there are more people like you who may be disenchanted by Taiwan’s job market, but, still have a great heart and idealism to do something meaningful. With social network and all the intelligent tools, I think there must be a way to create your own works.

Red Room is an experiment of social network in physical space. We now are ready to explore other theme based Red Room so more people can find a space that will help them to network and co-create something together.

Thank you for joining Nonzero Club. As I promised before, I will organize a get to know each other party at Nonzero Restaurant this year, if we can reach 100 members. Please invite more people to join Kiva and Nonzero club through Facebook so we can have this party soon.
Personally, I could not wait to see you all and congratulate you to become a better person by being a Kiva loaner.