Quotes from Y. C. James Yen

True independence is not a gift to be received. It can't be a hand-out to people. It must be an achievement by the people.

Commitment cannot be taught; it can only be caught. I refer to the crusading spirit. Without the crusading spirit, you may have the starting power but not the staying power.

We work with the people not out of pity but out of respect for their potential for growth and development, both as individuals and as communities.

The people are the foundation of the nation. Our only chance for a lasting peace on earth: the release of the strength of the common man.

A worker in the rural reconstruction must have: The body of an athlete The attitude of a teacher The mind of a scientist The heart of a missionary The spirit of a crusader.

Relief has its place. But what the people need is not relief, but release - release of their own potential for development.