Team Reports |
Coming Full CircleCarol Poirier — Toronto, ON Imagine this scenario: you travel halfway around the world with people you hardly know to a country you have never visited to do something amazing and new. That is really stepping out of your comfort zone but I didn't hesitate to take this journey. As a first time volunteer traveller with SCAW this bedkit distribution has had a great affect on me. Everything was new and my senses were overloaded both culturally and emotionally.
I volunteer at 28 Pinehurst, the Dryden home, headquarters of Sleeping Children, and the place where it all began almost forty years ago. With my wonderful partner, Judy Skelton, I input donation information into the SCAW database. We see the names of each donor and the reasons for their donations: birthdays, anniversaries, in memory of a loved one, Christmas and other celebrations, Bar Mitzvahs, or just because they care about a child in need. Some donations are from schools and organizations, some are from first time donors, and others come from those who have made it a tradition. There are many steps from donation to distribution and many steps in the actual distribution. Now, with the help of a great team, I have come full circle. The $35 that I input into the database generated a bedkit that I put into the small hands of a needy child.
Here in the Belgaum and Hubli areas, children displayed respect and appreciation so naturally, their "namastes" were so touching. There was the little girl, who when asked if she knew a song, happily sang and danced to the delight of all at hand. Another young girl, who spoke a little English, said excitedly, "A backpack? Great!" One day I had the added honour of not only presenting the children with their bedkits, but also of shaking hands with parents, grandparents, and teachers as they helped the children with their bags. I took away all those delights, all those smiles, all those small hands pressed together. I took away humility. |
