Team Reports |
The Second Time AroundAndrea Tynan -- Burlington, ON
This is my second SCAW distribution and I have to say it is just as wonderful and in many ways far more poignant then the first. The first is, of course, the most profound. A first time volunteer can't possibly know what they are signing up for, while on this return trip I thought I was fairly seasoned. I cannot tell you how overcome with emotion I was when we arrived at our first site. I had forgotten the overwhelming gratitude of the recipients and their families. It is truly an overwhelming experience to be the steward of the donors to SCAW. We see first hand the immense joy and disbelief in the eyes of these children as they receive a gift far bigger than their imaginations could ever conceive. This gift of love, a show of faith and respect for each child, comes as a result of numerous benefactors, first of them, you, the donor without whom none of this would be possible. Another is the affiliate team of Kiwanians here in the Philippines with a strong core spanning a more than 20-year history working hand in hand with the SCAW team in Canada. The Philippines SCAW core committee performed brilliantly facilitating the process here; first by the logistics of arranging the bedkits, the selection of the recipients and the organizational challenges present at each distribution site. A supreme example of the influence of the Kiwanians is the police escorts which were arranged to facilitate our arrivals to the site when we were hindered by the horrendous traffic problems which seem to plague this archipelago country.
For me personally, the most memorable part of the trip was our visit to the P Tuazon community in Escopa, also described by Dennis. A representative of the community took my hand and gave me a personal tour of her world. It was a sight to take the eyes out of your head: many children were wearing their new clothes, faces breaking, their smiles were so wide. Can you imagine the joy and dignity each of these children felt, so proud of themselves in their new clothes -- a moment of magic in an otherwise dismal life. Thank you to Sleeping Children and donors for allowing me to represent all that you stand for and for making me very proud to be a Canadian. It has been a very rewarding and emotional journey. Love is indeed lovelier the second time around. |
