Bangladesh November 8
Bangladesh November 7
The gate was draped with brightly coloured bunting displaying a welcome to all. It was truly a festive occasion — certainly long anticipated. Everyone in the village was there. When we arrived following our steamer ride, at seven thirty in the morning, the children were already lining up.
Captain Moazzam Hossain had opened his ancestral home for the distribution and had erected a brightly coloured canopy over the courtyard. Families crowded round the edge to catch a glimpse of the proceedings as we readied the bedkit for the photos.
Seven hundred area children received their gift, the first in their area to have done so.
The last bedkit was given out and the whole group gathered. Dignitaries thanked the SCAW team. Those who had organized the distribution were acknowledged. The entire Rotary Club of Chakhar was in attendance.
What followed was a display of folk dancing which was truly amazing. A beautifully costumed young girl twisted and twirled, the bells circling her ankles keeping the rhythm of the dance as her feet slapped the ground. Traditional Bangladeshi music played as our host quietly translated so that the story of the dance would become clear.
Dressed as a young women, and looking very much the part, a boy took centre stage. Again our appreciation of the dance was enhanced by the translation as the young man told a story of looking for water. These dances have been passed down for many generations, and are obviously still cherished by the Chakhar villagers.
Captain Hossain treated us to a tour of the village and, as always, we had a large following. The village, we learned, is truly special. The population is about 40% Muslim. Hindus make up 20% and the remainder is a blend of Christians, Bhuddists, and other faiths. The wonderful part of the story is that they celebrate their differences. All the villagers celebrate the festival of Eid along with Christmas and others as they occur. They live and work in harmony, a model for villages the world over. Captain Hossain obviously cares about those folks who live and work on his estate, striving to improve their standard of living by developing market gardening and operating a feed lot, to name a few of his initiatives. He is truly loved and respected. It was a pleasure for us to get to know him just a little and enjoy the hospitality he and his family offered.
There is no doubt that Chakhar’s first SCAW distribution was much appreciated and they expressed hope that SCAW would return next year.
As the daylight waned and we made our way back through the “City of Rickshaws,” we had time to reflect on what was, indeed, an adventure. The Ostrich, a 1929 paddle steamer, took us on an overnight journey back to Dhaka, where we would complete the last of our Rotary sponsored distributions.
Ron and Mary Ann King
SCAW Travelling Volunteers
Dear SCAW Donors,
In an effort to ensure that we are meeting the needs of the children, SCAW is conducting surveys during 2006/7 distributions.
We displayed a bedkit and asked five parents to examine the bedkit items and make their comments from the questionnaire. On this particular day, there were four mothers and one father.
The Bangladesh bedkit is a generous one. In addition to the basic items of mattress, bedsheets, pillow/case, mosquito net, and blanket, the bedkit also contains two sets of clothing, a school bag, water flask, drinking mug, lunch box and a wool shawl to wear during the winter season.
We asked each parent individually to make their comments as to:
- the usefullness of the items,
- which items they valued the most,
- which item they valued the least, and
- what other items they would like included.
As we neared the end of the survey we had generated a large group from the village! The Bangladesh people are very friendly and are naturally inquisitive!
It was indeed a wonderful experience for me to talk with the parents of children receiving a bedkit. All the parents were united is expressing their thanks for the bedkits and said, "Please come back the Bangladesh."
It was interesting to note that they valued the entire bedkit way beyond the actual cost of $30.00 CAD. This suggests that our Rotary partners are doing a good job of seeking out the best value for the best prices. It truly was a special time that will stay with me forever.
As one member of the Rotary Club of Dhaka said, "We can all rejoice in knowing that, as each child opens the bedkit, they can look forward to a warm and cozy sleep and attend school: the basic right of every child."
Norma Fenner
SCAW Travelling Volunteer
SCAW's Overseas Volunteer Organization in Dhaka
For the third time this week we wound our way through Dhaka traffic to the Retired Army Officers' Welfare Club where over five hundred kids waited patiently for their turn to receive a bedkit. Again our Rotarian hosts had arranged for these children to be brought to the site by bus from various outlying areas. Pictured here: (Left to Right) Rtn. Mirza Hossain, Chair of the SCAW program; Rtn. Khandker Hasan, President; Rtn. Rafiqul Rowly, Past President; Rtn. Taherullah, Sgt-at-Arms.
We are constantly reminded of our partners' commitment to SCAW. The Rotarians with whom we are working here in Dhaka have virtually put their lives on hold during the distributions. Making sure that the children, the bedkits and the help required to keep things rolling all arrive at the site is a Herculean task.
Add to this months of preparation with Rotarians travelling to all parts of the country choosing locations and registering children, and you have an idea of the cost in time and money for these folks. As a team we are so grateful for their care of us.
We have been thoroughly spoiled as our hosts have personally provided for our safety and well being.
The SCAW programme is only one of many projects sponsored by the Dhaka Rotary Club. They also sponsor: a literacy project, a weekly free health clinic, a medical boat, a microcredit programme for women, and a polio vaccination initiative. Our hosts are a dedicated group striving to help their people.
The SCAW system only works because of the teamwork involved and our partners here are only one group of many commited partners who enable SCAW to complete the process of the thirty dollars becoming a bedkit in a needy child's hand.
To our Rotary hosts and to all of the partners with whom SCAW works in many countries go our thanks for helping to make Murray and Margaret's dream -- and that of our many, many donors -- a reality.
Mary Ann King
SCAW Travelling Volunteer
Bangladesh November 6
Today we had a bedkit distribution in the city of Dhaka. The site was the retired officers’ club (RAOWA), under a huge bamboo tent structure which had been used for a wedding celebration for 1200 people. The shade provided by the beautiful wedding canopy was most welcome but it was somewhat disconcerting that men with bare feet were climbing around the bamboos, taking the pavilion apart while we were in it.
The distribution went well – over 400 bedkits. This was the first day when we knowingly presented kits to HIV/AIDS children. Our partners, the Rotary Club of Dhaka, had contacted a local care group to select the children.
During the distribution, a young woman from Vancouver came in to introduce herself. She had been walking by and came over to see what was going on. She was as surprised to see us as we were to see her. We were sorry that we could not be more sociable but the flow-through of hundreds of children is like a tide which cannot be stopped.
It is quite rare for bedkit distributions on this massive scale to go off without a hitch. The hitches are not overemphasized in these reports but they are a major feature of the daily team-sponsor critiques. This day, we had trouble with the cameras which are a vital part of the SCAW system. The heat and humidity got to our main camera.
This was the day of the weekly Rotary meeting. We were invited by our hosts to attend. This was a very pleasant and informative occasion. “Ms Linda”, our leader, is very well respected here.
Peter Adams
SCAW Travelling Volunteer
Today, the 3rd of November, was the official deadline for the Interim Government of Bangladesh to demonstrate that it is operating in a non-partisan fashion. The deadline was agreed to by the major parties as a device for ending the riots of a week ago. This made us tense when we left at 7 AM for the three-hour drive from Dhaka to Bhairab for our first distribution of bedkits of the day. In any event, in part because Friday is Prayer Day, the city and the countryside were calmer than usual although large numbers of police and troops were present in the city. Bhairab is a bustling river port even on Prayer Day. All sorts of produce and construction materials were being loaded and off-loaded to and from small and large boats and ships. The cargoes included a large number of our bedkit children and their families who had travelled several hours by river to be with us. When they went home some hours later, they needed one extra craft as their incredibly loaded vessel could not contain the bedkits.
We distributed 600 bedkits which included two sets of clothing to 600 children using the “group method” – ten children being photographed at a time. Our depot for the bedkits was a government warehouse which usually stores grain for use during food shortages. The grain comes from the hinterland of the port which is extraordinarily productive delta farm land. The children who did not come by boat came from this region which appeared all the more rural to us by contrast with the teeming life of our base city, Dhaka.
We then drove for a couple of hours to Hobiganj for our second distribution of the day. The entire route was through rural Bangladesh including an extensive tea plantation area which was the only part of our route that was more than a metre or so above water level. This region must be quite different during the rains.
At Hobiganj we distributed more than a 100 bedkits to local children in the enclosed courtyard of a home belonging to the father-in-law of one of our host Rotarians. This was a great contrast to our morning in the port of Bhairab. The home was part of a region of small, often very small, rural settlements — very self-contained and pleasant. Our hosts family had lived there for generations.
As we started our drive home at dusk, we saw one of “our” children walking proudly through her hamlet wearing a dress from her bedkit.
We returned to Dhaka in the dark, by a devious route, because our host Rotarian thought that it would be safer than the direct route. And so to bed after a great, successful, SCAW day in Bangladesh.
Peter Adams
SCAW Travelling Volunteer
Greetings from our fearless leader, Linda,
First-timers Norma Fenner and Jill & Peter Adams, and
Second-timers Ron & Mary Ann King:
The Bangladesh 2006 adventure continues to unfold, leaving us all much food for thought. Two very busy days have left us tired, but have nonetheless affirmed our commitment to SCAW and all that it stands for.
On Tuesday, our Rotary hosts arranged a visit to the homes of families who had previously been given bedkits. These folks live in the slums of Dhaka, home to hundreds of thousands of families, many of whom are the working poor. Entering from a long narrow passageway, we observed our first family: three generations sharing a room about ten by twelve feet. Serving as the bedroom, living room, and dining room, the area was clean and well-organized -- every inch of wall space being used for clothes, cooking pots, and whatever else is required to maintain the group. However, these details were only noted after we had greeted the newest member of the family: the beautiful five-day-old child who lay under a netting closely watched by a very young, unsmiling mother who was no doubt apprehensive as to the purpose of our visit. The love of her family, so evident in each of their faces, would ensure that this tiny child, so lacking in material wealth, would indeed be treasured.
In each of the other seven rooms along the passageway, this scene was repeated. In the common kitchen, young women smiled for our cameras as they prepared dinner for their families. We left with no doubts about the suitability of the bedkits, as each had served the families well. The group was strangely quiet as we wove our way home through the indescribable Dhaka traffic.
Wednesday saw us starting our first distribution within Dhaka city. Children had been gathered from communities, many outside the city, to a central location. Happily, the children, for the most part, appeared healthy and well cared for. We can't say enough about the quality of the bedkits: each contained almost twenty very useful and well-made items.
Our first-time team members now have an idea of what we have all been talking about. The beautiful smiles and the shy thankyou's made their day.
Before returning home we were treated to a visit to a factory where the backpacks were made that are contained in the bedkits. The word "factory" creates a certain picture in our minds, but the reality of a factory in Bangladesh is very different. A narrow alleyway leads from a very busy street to a climb up three flights of dark, narrow stairs to the room that is the factory. In this room, lit by two lights and cooled by two windows and a single ceiling fan, two shifts of fifteen men cut, assemble, and stitch (on old treadle machines) a variety of different bags, earning about eighty Canadian dollars a month. The owner provides food for the workers, who eat, sleep, and work in the factory. The quality of the backpacks is good and only points out that they are made with care by men who strive to produce quality work.
If only we could magicly transport each of you, the donors, to share just a few moments of the Bangladesh experience. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the shy smiles, have all all meshed to provide a memorable beginning to the Bangladesh 2006 SCAW distribution.
Mary Ann King
SCAW Travelling Volunteer
The SCAW Bangladesh 2006 travelling team arrived in Dhaka at 3:15 AM Dhaka time and spent last night safely in the comfort and caring of the staff of their lodgings for the duration of the trip.Members of the team are (Left to right) Peter Adams, Jill Adams, Norma Fenner, Linda Webb (Team Leader), Ron King, Mary Ann King.
There have been a few apprehensive moments for the team because Dhaka was paralyzed by a hartal or general strike. Following a few hastily called meetings between the SCAW team and members of the Lions and Rotary -- our Overseas Volunteer Organizations -- it was thought that the distributions might have to be held off for a couple of days. (You can check news sites on the web to find out more about the current political situation in Bangladesh.) However, a crucial meeting of political parties was held on Monday. They have come to an agreement so the hartal has been called off and life is back to normal in Dhaka for now.
It is Tuesday there now and the team will be going with the Rotary and Lions to see this year's bedkits -- an important part of the job of the SCAW team on a distribution.
Bedkit distributions are planned to begin on Wednesday as scheduled.
Here are some brief facts about this country from Virtual Bangladesh.
- Official
Name - The People's Republic Of Bangladesh
- Location
- Latitude between 20 degree 34' and 26 degree 39' north. Longitude
between 88 degree 00' and 92 degree 41' east. - Area
- 144,000 sq. km.
- Boundary
- Bounded by India from the north, east and west and by the Bay of Bengal
and Burma from the south. - Climate
- Main seasons : Winter (Nov - Feb), Summer (Mar - Jun), Monsoon (Jul
- Oct). Temp : Max 34 degree Celsius, Min 8 degree Celsius. - Rainfall
- Lowest 47" and highest 136"
- Capital
- Dhaka (Present area 414 sq. km. Master plan 777 sq.km.)
- Population
- Total estimated population 130 million.
- State Language
- Bangla. English is also widely spoken and understood
- National Days
- National Martyrs Day - February 21 Independence Day - March 26 Victory
Day - December 16 - Principal Rivers
- Padma, Meghna, Jamuna, Brahmaputra, Madhumati, Surma and Kushiara
- Principal Crops
- Jute, rice, tobacco, tea, sugarcane, vegetables, potato, pulses, etc.
- Important Fruits
- Mango, banana, pineapple, jack-fruit, water-melon, green coconut,
guava, licis, etc.
- Major Industries
- Jute, sugar, paper, textiles, fertilizers, cigeratte, cement, steel,
natural gas, oil-refinery, newsprint, power generation, rayon, matches,
fishing and food processing, leather, soap, carpet, timber, ship-building,
telephone, etc. - Sea Ports
- Chittagong and Mongla
- Airports
- Zia international airport, Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet, domestic
airports at Chittagong, Jessore, Sylhet, Cox's Bazar, Rajshahi and Saidpur
- Electricity
- 220 Volts A.C. in all cities and towns
- Tourist Seasons
- October to March
- Main Tourist Attractions
- Colorful tribal life, longest sea beach, centuries' old archeological
sites, home of the Royal Bengal Tiger, largest tea gardens, interesting
riverine life, etc. - Wearing Apparel
- Tropical in summer, and light-woolen in winter
- Currency
- The unit of currency is the Taka. Notes are in denominations of 1,2,5,10,20,50,100
and 500 Taka. Coins are 1,5,10,25,50 and 100 Paisa (100 Paisa = 1 Taka)
Hello All,
Hurrah!! The Honduras 2006 SCAW distribution is complete: 5,000 bedkits to 5,000 needy children. We were in Villa de San Francisco just a little south of the Valley of Angels yesterday. We gave out 380 bedkits which completed our commitment and then another 54 bedkits over and above that were donated by the Rotary Club of Tegucigalpa. It was an emotional day, saying goodbyes to our friends that helped out with the distributions.
On the way home we stopped at the Valley of Angels to do some souvenir shopping. I had the pleasure of Marilyn Waring's company. She was such a good wheeler/dealer that she got me quite a few discounts. Marilyn said she didn't like doing that, but boy is she good at it! Several Lempiras lighter we headed back to Tegucigalpa, had a little rest and went out to dinner at -- you guessed it -- Charlotte's Restaurant.
It was early to bed last night since we were all tired and ready to crash, hence the tardiness in my daily report.
Today we are all busy getting our newsletter articles done up and Laurie-Beth is anxiously waiting for Jenny to type up the report that will be presented to the Rotary Club members at 1 PM today. It has to be printed and photocopied so we have to get out there and get that done also.
It will be sad leaving after spending ten days here making new friends and leaving behind all those needy children. But we did make 5,000 children's lives a little bit better and brought a smile to their faces.
Priceless!
Harry from Barrie
Reporting and signing off from Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Hurrah!! The Honduras 2006 SCAW distribution is complete: 5,000 bedkits to 5,000 needy children. We were in Villa de San Francisco just a little south of the Valley of Angels yesterday. We gave out 380 bedkits which completed our commitment and then another 54 bedkits over and above that were donated by the Rotary Club of Tegucigalpa. It was an emotional day, saying goodbyes to our friends that helped out with the distributions.
On the way home we stopped at the Valley of Angels to do some souvenir shopping. I had the pleasure of Marilyn Waring's company. She was such a good wheeler/dealer that she got me quite a few discounts. Marilyn said she didn't like doing that, but boy is she good at it! Several Lempiras lighter we headed back to Tegucigalpa, had a little rest and went out to dinner at -- you guessed it -- Charlotte's Restaurant.
It was early to bed last night since we were all tired and ready to crash, hence the tardiness in my daily report.
Today we are all busy getting our newsletter articles done up and Laurie-Beth is anxiously waiting for Jenny to type up the report that will be presented to the Rotary Club members at 1 PM today. It has to be printed and photocopied so we have to get out there and get that done also.
It will be sad leaving after spending ten days here making new friends and leaving behind all those needy children. But we did make 5,000 children's lives a little bit better and brought a smile to their faces.
Priceless!
Harry from Barrie
Reporting and signing off from Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Good Day,
Today was our last distribution in Tegucigalpa. Tomorrow we are off to El Zamarano to finish off the last of our 5000 bedkits.
Our distribution today was at the Reino Paises Bajos School in Tegucigalpa where we delivered 766 bedkits, 40 singles and 726 groups. Considering the large number we finished relatively quickly and were done by noon. All those happy children make what we do very worthwhile.
After a quick lunch we went off to a short presentation about the Healthy Schools Program (Programa Escuelas Saludables). All the team members were presented a certificate of gratitude from the First Lady of Honduras for our support of the program for the girls and boys of Honduras.
We went back to the hotel and relaxed a bit and went to dinner at Charlotte's Restaurant across the road. This has become one of our favourite eating spots while in Honduras.
We then got together for a team meeting to discuss different aspects of the 2006 Honduras distribution. This will be presented to the Rotary members on Sunday in order to improve the service that we join in together to make the children happy.
Harry from Barrie
Reporting from Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Today was our last distribution in Tegucigalpa. Tomorrow we are off to El Zamarano to finish off the last of our 5000 bedkits.Our distribution today was at the Reino Paises Bajos School in Tegucigalpa where we delivered 766 bedkits, 40 singles and 726 groups. Considering the large number we finished relatively quickly and were done by noon. All those happy children make what we do very worthwhile.
After a quick lunch we went off to a short presentation about the Healthy Schools Program (Programa Escuelas Saludables). All the team members were presented a certificate of gratitude from the First Lady of Honduras for our support of the program for the girls and boys of Honduras.We went back to the hotel and relaxed a bit and went to dinner at Charlotte's Restaurant across the road. This has become one of our favourite eating spots while in Honduras.
We then got together for a team meeting to discuss different aspects of the 2006 Honduras distribution. This will be presented to the Rotary members on Sunday in order to improve the service that we join in together to make the children happy.
Harry from Barrie
Reporting from Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Good Evening,
We had an excellent distribution today at the José S. Azcona Hoyo School in Tegucigalpa. All the pictures were groups, so it went a lot quicker. It started sputtering as we were setting up, so we decided to set up in one of the classrooms. It never really did rain, just a few sputters, but we did all are pictures indoors.
We started shortly after 9 AM and we were done by noon. We had lunch provided by the Rotarians at the distribution site and then headed back to the hotel. Some of us went shopping at 2 PM at a multi plaza mall. It was so much like the malls back home -- including the prices. This is not what we had hoped for. We wanted some local products and souvenirs to bring back home with us, not things that we could as easily buy back home. Oh Well!
On Saturday, on our way back from El Zamarano, we are supposed to stop by the Valley of Angels which has all sorts of tourist artifacts for sale.
The distributions are getting to be second nature now and by the time we head home we will be very proficient at it.
This evening was down time for most of us just sitting around relaxing and watching TV for the most part.
Harry from Barrie
Reporting from Tegucigalpa, Honduras
We had an excellent distribution today at the José S. Azcona Hoyo School in Tegucigalpa. All the pictures were groups, so it went a lot quicker. It started sputtering as we were setting up, so we decided to set up in one of the classrooms. It never really did rain, just a few sputters, but we did all are pictures indoors.
We started shortly after 9 AM and we were done by noon. We had lunch provided by the Rotarians at the distribution site and then headed back to the hotel. Some of us went shopping at 2 PM at a multi plaza mall. It was so much like the malls back home -- including the prices. This is not what we had hoped for. We wanted some local products and souvenirs to bring back home with us, not things that we could as easily buy back home. Oh Well!
On Saturday, on our way back from El Zamarano, we are supposed to stop by the Valley of Angels which has all sorts of tourist artifacts for sale.
The distributions are getting to be second nature now and by the time we head home we will be very proficient at it.
This evening was down time for most of us just sitting around relaxing and watching TV for the most part.
Harry from Barrie
Reporting from Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Good Day All,
Another successful distribution has been completed. This time we were at the Oswaldo Lopez Aurellano School in Tegucigalpa. Things went smoothly. We started at 9 AM and we were finished by 1:15 PM.
The team is getting quite used to their positions now and things are speeding up. We rotate positions every day.
The positions are:
And, of course, the Team Leader takes the photographs. Meanwhile, Dave Dryden is interviewing mothers of the bedkit recipients to find out which items are most important in the bedkit.
On our return to the hotel after the distribution, Jenny, Elaine and I went for a walk to do a bit of shopping. There are armed guards and policia everywhere in this city. It is a bit overwelming at times.
Tonight we were invited to the Rotary Club Meeting. At the meeting Laurie-Beth gave a brief talk about the SCAW team and how much we appreciated the Rotary help during our distributions. Then Rae Waring (pictured at left) gave a small talk about his involvement with the Tegucigalpa Rotary Club today and 15 years ago. Dave Dryden then got up and gave a presentation on Sleeping Children Around the World. He had assistance earlier in the day to translate his presentation into Spanish and to put in some pictures from the 2005 Honduras distribution. He was able to give the presentation with the assistance of a translator.
After this the Tegucigalpa Rotary Club presented us with an award for our excellent collaboration in their Sleeping Children Around the World project.
After a very late dinner we thanked them and headed back to the hotel for some much deserved rest.
Harry from Barrie
Reporting live from Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Another successful distribution has been completed. This time we were at the Oswaldo Lopez Aurellano School in Tegucigalpa. Things went smoothly. We started at 9 AM and we were finished by 1:15 PM.The team is getting quite used to their positions now and things are speeding up. We rotate positions every day.
The positions are:
- Children Line-Up
- Label Puller and Initialler
- Stamper & Take Children to Label Counter
- Label Counter
- Handing out bedkits
And, of course, the Team Leader takes the photographs. Meanwhile, Dave Dryden is interviewing mothers of the bedkit recipients to find out which items are most important in the bedkit.
On our return to the hotel after the distribution, Jenny, Elaine and I went for a walk to do a bit of shopping. There are armed guards and policia everywhere in this city. It is a bit overwelming at times.
Tonight we were invited to the Rotary Club Meeting. At the meeting Laurie-Beth gave a brief talk about the SCAW team and how much we appreciated the Rotary help during our distributions. Then Rae Waring (pictured at left) gave a small talk about his involvement with the Tegucigalpa Rotary Club today and 15 years ago. Dave Dryden then got up and gave a presentation on Sleeping Children Around the World. He had assistance earlier in the day to translate his presentation into Spanish and to put in some pictures from the 2005 Honduras distribution. He was able to give the presentation with the assistance of a translator.After this the Tegucigalpa Rotary Club presented us with an award for our excellent collaboration in their Sleeping Children Around the World project.
After a very late dinner we thanked them and headed back to the hotel for some much deserved rest.
Harry from Barrie
Reporting live from Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Hello All,
Today we distributed 619 bedkits at a United Nations School in Tegucigalpa. The drive up to the distribution site was very steep and uphill for quite a distance. There were a few frazzled nerves during the ascent and descent.
Once again the children were there and waiting for us when we arrived at about 8:30 AM so we hurried to set up and were taking pictures by 9 AM.
The gratitude of the children is readily apparent in their smiles and muchos gracias.
We finished the distribution around 1:30 PM and then headed off to visit some homes of bedkit recipients before we went on to the hotel. We visited two families and in both cases were quite touched by how little they have and how they sleep in such cramped quarters. There are photos of our visit in Photo Album 3 below.
The first house was a single mother with six children and they lived in a small one-room apartment about 12 feet by 12 feet. At night they would lay down the mattresses on the cement floor for three of the children and the others would sleep with the mother on the bed.
The second family lived in a similar aprtment that was slightly bigger: a mother and four children. Again the poverty was quite evident. What an eye opener and how we are so well off in Canada.
We have reached our half way point and are really eager to continue handing out bedkits. What an experience and what a learning experience. The warmth in our hearts in being able to help some children have a better night's sleep makes this trip so worthwhile.
Harry from Barrie
Reporting live from Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Today we distributed 619 bedkits at a United Nations School in Tegucigalpa. The drive up to the distribution site was very steep and uphill for quite a distance. There were a few frazzled nerves during the ascent and descent.
Once again the children were there and waiting for us when we arrived at about 8:30 AM so we hurried to set up and were taking pictures by 9 AM.The gratitude of the children is readily apparent in their smiles and muchos gracias.
We finished the distribution around 1:30 PM and then headed off to visit some homes of bedkit recipients before we went on to the hotel. We visited two families and in both cases were quite touched by how little they have and how they sleep in such cramped quarters. There are photos of our visit in Photo Album 3 below.
The first house was a single mother with six children and they lived in a small one-room apartment about 12 feet by 12 feet. At night they would lay down the mattresses on the cement floor for three of the children and the others would sleep with the mother on the bed.
The second family lived in a similar aprtment that was slightly bigger: a mother and four children. Again the poverty was quite evident. What an eye opener and how we are so well off in Canada.
We have reached our half way point and are really eager to continue handing out bedkits. What an experience and what a learning experience. The warmth in our hearts in being able to help some children have a better night's sleep makes this trip so worthwhile.
Harry from Barrie
Reporting live from Tegucigalpa, Honduras