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Smiles and TearsJacquie Diverty — Sauble Beach, ON
A little over ten years ago, my father passed away. A very dear friend donated a bedkit in Dad's memory. I accepted this generous gift with gratitude; however, it wasn't until the picture arrived and I saw the smiling face of the child who received the gift, that I realized the impact. It was then that I embarked on a journey which culminated in my presence in Nicaragua. I began with donations, then I promoted the organization with my friends, and finally I made the decision to become involved as a travelling volunteer. What an exciting day it was when the call came to invite my husband, Jack, and me to join the team going to Nicaragua. And now I have experienced first hand, how important SCAW is to so many.
As I travelled to distribution sites, I was continually greeted with enthusiasm, thankfulness, and joy. The poverty is great. The need is overwhelming and at times unbelievable and unbearable. Yet through it all the parents are happy and smiling. Their gratitude is expressed in hugs and, most often, tears. They tell us they are grateful for the gifts from Sleeping Children's donors. They are especially appreciative of the volunteer travelling team. I must admit, I was brought to tears on more than one occasion. In the end though, it all comes down to the reactions of the children. Their transformation was delightfully heart warming. One by one, they appeared in their new white t-shirts and navy shorts as they anticipated receiving their own bedkit. The smiles on the beaming faces said it all. As a rookie on the team, I was given the honour of actually presenting the first bedkit on our first distribution day. It was an incredibly rewarding feeling: the joy, the smiles, and the hugs. No words describe the overwhelming emotion involved.
On our last day of distribution, the team was blessed with an opportunity to visit two homes of bedkit recipients. One had received a bedkit last year and the other had received one on that particular day. The conditions under which these families live are indescribable, but I was moved by their inviting warmth. It was extremely difficult to view their meager circumstance, however it enabled me to tangibly realize the incredible need and to appreciate what SCAW's donors have accomplished. The experience has been personally humbling. Sleeping Children brings great joy and hope to multitudes of children and I am grateful to have shared in that joy, especially in this Year of the Millionth Bedkit. I hope to continue my journey on other SCAW missions in the near future. |
