Philippines 2: They're on the way
We just got the following brief email from the travelling team:
Stay tuned for more news as we receive it.
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Hi Folks:
The longest leg to Manila is now complete. The team of three (Sue, Don, and Duncan -- Linda is travelling separately from the pack) has completed the 15-hour segment to Hong Kong with a three-hour layover. So we are sitting in an empty airport at 5:00 AM having Starbucks and Twizzlers (supplied by Sue). In three hours we will take off for Manila where we will be picked up by our hosts and head to the hotel for some needed sleep.
Tomorrow morning we will have our pre-distribution meeting. After lunch we will head to our first distribution of 400 bedkits.
We are excited to meet the children!
Don, Sue, and Duncan.
Stay tuned for more news as we receive it.
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Philippines 2: Leave your comments here
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Philippines 2: Emergency Distribution
Our last trip in our Year of the Millionth Bedkit is planned for the Philippines. After the typhoon floods, we received an emergency request for bedkits from our contact in the Philippines, Dr. Ito Torres.
At the end of November a team is going for our second Philippines distribution of the year. They will be distributing 4,000 bedkits. The team met at the Sleeping Children office at 28 Pinehurst in Toronto on Saturday, November 14th to prepare for their trip.
Pictured (Left to Right): Don Macgregor (Toronto, ON), Linda Taiabjee (Scarborough, ON), Sue Small (Oakville, ON), Duncan Macgregor (Team Leader; Etobicoke, ON)
Bangladesh: Trip Reports Posted
The donor newsletter for the Bangladesh distribution has gone to print and can be downloaded from the Sleeping Children Website.This year in Bangladesh there were two Sleeping Children travelling teams, one who travelled with the Lions Club of Dhaka Supreme View to deliver 4,000 bedkits and one who travelled with the Rotary Club of Dhaka to deliver 5,000 bedkits.
Because there were an unprecedented twelve reports only part of each report was published in the print version. To read all the reports in their entirety, please go here.
Here is a download link for the PDF version of the newsletter.
Nicaragua: 5,000 Children
Today was the last day of our distribution, a happy/sad day.
Wow, 5,000 children in Nicaragua have received a bedkit and at least one hug from at least one SCAW member ... but we are now nearing our departure date from this wonderful country and all its beautiful people!
As well as handing out the very last bedkit today, we also had the honour of visiting two families who received bedkits. One child received theirs last year and the other just today.
They both eagerly welcomed us into their homes proudly displaying their beds. One family had one bed already for the entire family while the other only had a tiny hammock for the little baby. What an immense difference a bedkit will make for these humble families! I am so blessed to experience the joy of feeling the gratitude these people have for this gift.
Having the opportunity to see the difference our distributions create is right up there with hugging hundreds of children daily, seeing hundreds of smiles daily, and meeting so many beautiful people. What more could one ask for?!?
The distribution is complete, so now we have a couple of days to see a little more of Nicaragua at a slower pace ... and come down from the clouds of being involved in such a inspiring and motivating experience!
Suzanne Dobinson
for Team Nicaragua
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Wow, 5,000 children in Nicaragua have received a bedkit and at least one hug from at least one SCAW member ... but we are now nearing our departure date from this wonderful country and all its beautiful people!
As well as handing out the very last bedkit today, we also had the honour of visiting two families who received bedkits. One child received theirs last year and the other just today.
They both eagerly welcomed us into their homes proudly displaying their beds. One family had one bed already for the entire family while the other only had a tiny hammock for the little baby. What an immense difference a bedkit will make for these humble families! I am so blessed to experience the joy of feeling the gratitude these people have for this gift.
Having the opportunity to see the difference our distributions create is right up there with hugging hundreds of children daily, seeing hundreds of smiles daily, and meeting so many beautiful people. What more could one ask for?!?
The distribution is complete, so now we have a couple of days to see a little more of Nicaragua at a slower pace ... and come down from the clouds of being involved in such a inspiring and motivating experience!
Suzanne Dobinson
for Team Nicaragua
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Nicaragua: Rivas
Today our distribution to Rivas, located southwest of Managua, was a drive of 111 kilometres in our 24-seater bus. Our driver Juan stopped once on our one-and-a-half-hour drive to refill our cooler with ice and bottled water.
Jose Adan Delgado, Rotary, was responsible for the distribution site, his town, with children from twelve schools participating.
As the first children were changing into their blue shorts and white t-shirts, a second group was sitting on the floor in the school auditorium preparing to welcome us. After, as guests, we had been seated, Jose stood close to the school banner and addressed the children by emotionally saying "You bring much Joy to my life!" I listened to this being spoken and translated from Spanish into English and felt the sincerity from the bottom of his heart. The poster he held in his hands showed the two countries of Canada and Nicaragua joined by the clasp of two hands which emphasized the lessons being taught in the school community.
A snapshot of our site distribution would have shown:
This day brought joy to my life ... a direct quote from a man I shall always remember.
Love and Laughter,
Linda L
for Team Nicaragua
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Jose Adan Delgado, Rotary, was responsible for the distribution site, his town, with children from twelve schools participating.
As the first children were changing into their blue shorts and white t-shirts, a second group was sitting on the floor in the school auditorium preparing to welcome us. After, as guests, we had been seated, Jose stood close to the school banner and addressed the children by emotionally saying "You bring much Joy to my life!" I listened to this being spoken and translated from Spanish into English and felt the sincerity from the bottom of his heart. The poster he held in his hands showed the two countries of Canada and Nicaragua joined by the clasp of two hands which emphasized the lessons being taught in the school community.
A snapshot of our site distribution would have shown:
- Ted in front of a tripod in the blazing sun.
- Senora Delgado sitting at a school desk checking the names of children receiving bedkits.
- Linda T and myself placing the children for their photos ... receiving rewarding smiles with the aid of Santa and Lion puppets, and blowing bubbles.
- Jack, the team floater, assisting with the little details.
- Jose placing the straps from the children's personal plastic bags over their wrists ... always with an encouraging word, smile, and hug.
- Jackie recording the labels/photos with a total of 495.
- Suzanne, with a hug and smile placing the blue bag in each child's hand ... the heavy mattress carried by a high school student.
- Volunteer high school students and parents helping in the dressing room, directing children from location to location, serving a drink and snack to each child.
This day brought joy to my life ... a direct quote from a man I shall always remember.
Love and Laughter,
Linda L
for Team Nicaragua
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Nicaragua: Nandismo
| From Nicaragua 2009 Photo Album |
Violetta, our Rotarian partner, had set up stations around the school very efficiently. It was a small school so we were not spread out far from each other. Movement and communication were easily accomplished. The volunteers were very well-trained and knew their roles.
Today I was a floater and trouble shooter so this role allowed me to see all phases of the operation. The process worked so well we were able to obtain our goal of 600 bedkit deliveries in a little over 3 1/2 hours.
The children were so happy and many parents expressed their thanks both verbally and by big hugs. The smiles and the hugs always seem to make the sweat and the tiredness very worthwhile.
Violetta invited us to her home in Nandismo for a beautiful lunch and social time. Then we drove a kilometre away to a very beautiful lagoon surrounded by mountains and several volcanos. One of them was blowing smoke. Something we don't see very often except in Nicaragua.
On the way home on the bus, the team decided to honour two of our Nicaraguan counterparts, Franz and Ameila, by inviting them to our little club. A humourous induction took place and they graciously accepted our invitation. We soon arrived home tired but happy.
Hot showers were earned by everyone, after all it was another rewarding day for all concerned!
Jack Diverty
for Team Nicaragua
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Nicaragua: San José de Los Remates
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| From Nicaragua 2009 Photo Album |
We were greeted by Eryn, a Peace Corp worker from the States, who was extremely helpful with translations and dealings with the town folk. The mayor herself had prepared the volunteers well, making our delivery smooth. Unfortunately, one of the buses delivering the children had a minor collision and the distribution was delayed for quite some time while we waited for those children to arrive. We delivered 500 kits to children from 13 schools.
Entertainment by several little tots, who had just returned from winning a folk dance championship was really special and throughout the day the children were led in pinata games. It was an extremely energizing experience. At the end of the distribution we were each given woven baskets of oranges and lots of hugs.
Great fun!
Jacquie Diverty
for Team Nicaragua
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Nicaragua: Another successful day
Today, November 2nd, our destination was Dario-Matagalpa, 70 kilometres north of Managua to distribute 429 Bedkits to their children.
The Managua team of young Rotarac volunteers and Mr. Williams promptly arrived as scheduled. We passed through mountains and lush fields in different shades of green. The rains that fell in the last few nights brought this amazingly picturesques scenery. We arrived at the distribution site where all the children, their moms, grandmoms, teachers, and volunteers waited for us eagerly.
Ted selected the best photo site. We were so lucky today because the sun was bright and there was an open area where the route for the children was short and directly led them to the homeroom where the bedkits were kept.
My job today was to prepare the children for the photo shoot. Suzanne pulled the labels while she and I made the children sit properly and made sure their blue and white uniform from the bedkit was properly tucked in. We made them feel good and happy by blowing bubbles, tickling them with our puppets Santa and Lion, and sometimes spraying them with cool water. These brought out giggles that were hard to stop from some kids. Consequently, I feel that these kids gave us their most beautiful smiles.
We all agreed these children, including the ones from our previous distributions in the last six days, were mostly cheerful and very charming. They had been allowed to attend classes in whatever clothing they had before because they were so poor that only very few of them could afford the regulation white and blue uniform and black shoes. I believe that the wonderful new white and blue uniforms provided by SCAW contributed to a new feeling of self-confidence for all of these children.
The distribution was completed in no time and we got back early enough to give us time to catch up on our sleep after the long ride home last night from Yalaguina which was 220 kilometres away.
Another successful day for the Nicaragua Team!
Linda Taiabjee
for Team Nicaragua
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| From Nicaragua 2009 Photo Album |
Ted selected the best photo site. We were so lucky today because the sun was bright and there was an open area where the route for the children was short and directly led them to the homeroom where the bedkits were kept.
My job today was to prepare the children for the photo shoot. Suzanne pulled the labels while she and I made the children sit properly and made sure their blue and white uniform from the bedkit was properly tucked in. We made them feel good and happy by blowing bubbles, tickling them with our puppets Santa and Lion, and sometimes spraying them with cool water. These brought out giggles that were hard to stop from some kids. Consequently, I feel that these kids gave us their most beautiful smiles.
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| From Nicaragua 2009 Photo Album |
The distribution was completed in no time and we got back early enough to give us time to catch up on our sleep after the long ride home last night from Yalaguina which was 220 kilometres away.
Another successful day for the Nicaragua Team!
Linda Taiabjee
for Team Nicaragua
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Nicaragua: Yaliguina
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| From Nicaragua 2009 Photo Album |
The Rotary and Rotaract volunteers have been travelling with us on a bus to each distribution and with so much time on the bus together today, we had a great opportunity to get to know each other better.
This was definitely a poor community with very grateful children who received bedkits. As I was seating one of the children for the picture, she grabbed my hands and with a wonderfully bright smile said "Thank you for the package!"
So much excitement and gratitude for this small gift! We again were offered clear proof of how important all of this work is!
We arrived home at 10 PM after a very long and fulfilling day!
Suzanne Dobinson
for Team Nicaragua
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Nicaragua: Sabanagrande
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| From Nicaragua 2009 Photo Album |
Our team switches responsibilities daily. Today it was my turn to record the number of children receiving a bedkit after their label/photo was taken: 50 groups of 3, 10 groups of 4, 2 groups of 5, then individuals ... total 504.
From distribution day to today we have passed an honourary rock (Keeper of the Count) to the master of this position to ensure daily accuracy. Oh ... the rock also acts as a paper-weight in case the kids accidently bump the table or a welcomed breeze pops up. My count was off briefly when a child excitedly passed my spot and was brought back from around the corner with label in hand.
As you can see, our team is having fun!
Linda Lesage
for Team Nicaragua
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Nicaragua: Day Three
Today, I had both the privilege and pleasure of handing out the bedkits.
This is what I came for and the children did not let me down.
The team and volunteers handed out 375 bedkits to 375 lovable children, and I had the distinct honour of hugging each and every child. It felt as if my very own grandchildren were hugging me back. What a feeling! Such love and thanks.
The men carrying the bedkits for the children worked very hard as they had to walk around the building. It was a hot day and the humidity was high. Sweat flowed and they took very few breaks. They too should be recognized for their service.
An especially poignant moment occurred midway through the distribution: an older gentlemen, I estimate in his 60's, was working as one of the "porters." He stood out for me because he was with a group of younger men. When he returned to pick up his next load and child, he turned around to see his own grandson. They embraced and after the obligatory picture they went on their way. Grandpa with the bedkit balanced on his shoulder and his other arm around his grandson. It was an unplanned moment that happened strictly by chance. It was special for grandpa, grandson and me, another grandpa, who just happened to be there.
What a moment!
Jack Diverty
for Team Nicaragua
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| From Nicaragua 2009 Photo Album |
The team and volunteers handed out 375 bedkits to 375 lovable children, and I had the distinct honour of hugging each and every child. It felt as if my very own grandchildren were hugging me back. What a feeling! Such love and thanks.
The men carrying the bedkits for the children worked very hard as they had to walk around the building. It was a hot day and the humidity was high. Sweat flowed and they took very few breaks. They too should be recognized for their service.
An especially poignant moment occurred midway through the distribution: an older gentlemen, I estimate in his 60's, was working as one of the "porters." He stood out for me because he was with a group of younger men. When he returned to pick up his next load and child, he turned around to see his own grandson. They embraced and after the obligatory picture they went on their way. Grandpa with the bedkit balanced on his shoulder and his other arm around his grandson. It was an unplanned moment that happened strictly by chance. It was special for grandpa, grandson and me, another grandpa, who just happened to be there.
What a moment!
Jack Diverty
for Team Nicaragua
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Nicaragua: Day two at Mateare
Today was our second day at Mateare.
Being a familiar setting, we were able to process 375 bedkits without incident. Great job by the team! The school staff and volunteers were ready and experienced which was very helpful.
My job today was to be the floater to assist where needed and to complete three parent surveys. What an emotional roller coaster! The first survey went as expected but the last two were difficult. The poverty is unbelievable and unbearable at times. This was a difficult assignment but oh so rewarding in many ways. The responses to the questions showed a great need. Both of these mothers were incredibly grateful for our help and praised God and SCAW for their support. In each case, some of the bedkit items were articles that were recently requested by the school and the parents had no money to respond. So they were so appreciative of our donor's generosity.
The mayor and the principal of the school were extremely grateful of our support and to show their appreciation provided lunch for us at a local restaurant.
A great second day!
Jacquie Diverty
for Team Nicaragua
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| From Nicaragua 2009 Photo Album |
My job today was to be the floater to assist where needed and to complete three parent surveys. What an emotional roller coaster! The first survey went as expected but the last two were difficult. The poverty is unbelievable and unbearable at times. This was a difficult assignment but oh so rewarding in many ways. The responses to the questions showed a great need. Both of these mothers were incredibly grateful for our help and praised God and SCAW for their support. In each case, some of the bedkit items were articles that were recently requested by the school and the parents had no money to respond. So they were so appreciative of our donor's generosity.
The mayor and the principal of the school were extremely grateful of our support and to show their appreciation provided lunch for us at a local restaurant.
A great second day!
Jacquie Diverty
for Team Nicaragua
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Nicaragua: Mateare
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| From Nicaragua 2009 Photo Album |
Ted had brought extra labels for tomorrow, which is also in Mateare. It was amazing. We thought that he might have been guided somehow, and right away, we thought of Murray Dryden telling his subconscious that we will need these labels.
Murray is making sure all challenges are met to make the children happy. The children were changed and lined-up and we did not have the heart to tell them to return tomorrow.
So, all is well that ends well.
Being the first day, we felt exhausted but happy. Tomorrow will be another day and we are looking forward to it.
Linda Taiabjee
for Team Nicaragua
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Bangladesh Lions: Final distribution
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| From Bangladesh 2009 Photo Album |
After our daily “commute” of several hours out into the boonies we arrived at a small rural school. Because the grounds were so confined, our whole day was supervised by the entire village population. People here are incredibly friendly and most curious about strangers.
The distribution went very smoothly and we had ample time to play with the children: they love singing … and Frisbee. Sue is a kid-magnet and was constantly surrounded by cheerful little bodies. And speaking of little bodies …. the bedkits in Bangladesh contain a second set of clothing and so they are sized “2”, “3,” and “4” with four being the smallest size ... By far the greatest number of bags were fours. So many of the children are frail as little birds.
We even had time to visit the village home of a little girl who received a bedkit today. Her family of four adults and three children all share a two-room cinder-block and corrugated-metal home about 12x15 feet. Cooking is done in a bamboo and tarpaulin enclosure outside. The adults have thin mattresses on a wooden frame while children sleep on the cement floor. The little girl should be able to sleep better tonight – we know we will.
But first it’s out for dinner at the home of our gracious hosts.
The Lions Bangladesh Team
— tired but very content.
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Bangladesh Rotary: Barisal Day 7 & Finished
This blog is from my Blackberry since we will be late tonight before back. Pictures to follow when back.
We are done!
Joan, Susan, Eileen, John and Doug
from the Rotary Bangladesh Team.
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| From Bangladesh 2009 Photo Album |
- Fun is: a final distribution in a village with interaction with parents and community,
- Fun is: lunch prepared and served in the village,
- Fun is: visiting different homes in this impoverished village,
- Fun is: seeing the smiles as the kids received their bedkit,
- Fun is: holding a seven month baby from the village,
- Fun is: eating with our hands. Fun is: five types of fish for lunch,
- Fun is: watching the kids roll a 'chaka' (stiffened old bicycle tire) around the village,
- Fun is: fresh coconut water during the distribution,
- Fun is: blowing bubbles with the kids,
- Fun is: the 'street tea' break on the four trip to the distribution site,
- Fun is: visiting a gypsy encampment at tea break,
- Fun is: a great team of SCAW and Rotary volunteers,
- Fun is: 5000 happy kids.,
Joan, Susan, Eileen, John and Doug
from the Rotary Bangladesh Team.
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Nicaragua: Managua
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| From Nicaragua 2009 Photo Album |
most SCAW teams, we were more than ready for bed!
It was wonderful to be invited to the Rotary Club meeting on our first day so that we could meet the group of people who have taken so much of their energy to organize each day of the distribution. What a fabulous group of dedicated volunteers!
One of the volunteers. Grecko, made sure we didn't have too much down time as he brought over a couple of bedkits for us to work with in organizing our days to come.
Staying at Franz and Martha's B&B comes with great priviledges as Franz drove us to the local market so we could buy groceries to make our own dinners. We are all set for work and food for the next few days!
Stay tuned for tomorrow!
Team Nicaragua
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Bangladesh Rotary: Jessore
Our day started at 6:15 AM in the city of Jessore with Namaz the calling from the Mosque (Zam Azan).
One of our Rotary partners invited a group of us to experience a true Bangladesh breakfast -- his favourite when in Jessore. We walked down narrow uninhabited streets that early in the morniing to reach this inviting restaurant.
Upon entering the retaurant, which had a capacity of ten, we were greeted openly and offered Luchi and Dahl. After breakfast we had sondesh (sweets): one made with cooked condensed milk (malai) and the other made with date juice. We couldn't believe that no sugar had been added to make either of these desserts.
Doug was able to get some true pictures of how our breakfast was being prepared. After breakfast, we walked down another street to have our "Street Tea" made with cow's milk and raw tea. The total cost for our breakfast for the ten of us, including the tea, was $6.50. What a true fun Bangladesh experience!
Our distribution began hours later, with 604 bedkits being distributed to very needy children from the outlying countryside of Jessore. This was the first time that a SCAW Bangladesh team had travelled to outlying areas for a total of three days with two overnights to reach first time distribution sites. It has been an exhausting but well worth it experience and we have certainly recognized a true need for these areas to be reached.
Our fun times continue to be with the children and parents.
Our bubble experience reached its peak today with some outstanding photos. Visting Jessore has been a back-in-time experience for all of us. We witnessed virtually no automobiles on the roads. All transportation is either by foot, rickshaw, bicycle, scooter, motocycle, or ricksvan. Early morning traffic is busy and by the evening rush hour it is total traffic congestion.
We are all looking forward to to the last leg of our distribution at Barisal. A four-hour road trip to reach our distribution site with 599 bedkits and then another seven hours by water and road to make it back to Dhaka, our home base.
Mike Foster
for Rotary Team Bangladesh
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| From Bangladesh 2009 Photo Album |
Upon entering the retaurant, which had a capacity of ten, we were greeted openly and offered Luchi and Dahl. After breakfast we had sondesh (sweets): one made with cooked condensed milk (malai) and the other made with date juice. We couldn't believe that no sugar had been added to make either of these desserts.
Doug was able to get some true pictures of how our breakfast was being prepared. After breakfast, we walked down another street to have our "Street Tea" made with cow's milk and raw tea. The total cost for our breakfast for the ten of us, including the tea, was $6.50. What a true fun Bangladesh experience!
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| From Bangladesh 2009 Photo Album |
Our fun times continue to be with the children and parents.
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| From Bangladesh 2009 Photo Album |
We are all looking forward to to the last leg of our distribution at Barisal. A four-hour road trip to reach our distribution site with 599 bedkits and then another seven hours by water and road to make it back to Dhaka, our home base.
Mike Foster
for Rotary Team Bangladesh
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Bangladesh Lions: Day 4, Shibpur
Our distribution today was two hours east of Dhaka in a small rural village of Shibpur.
It was in a large school yard. Excitement was everywhere: lots of kids, lots of people, lots of chatter as we arrived and set up. All the children left with big smiles and a bedkit on their heads. Some of them were heading into the jungle.
Fun of the day included Sue racing a five-year-old boy across the yard and Richard playing Frisbee.
More fun of the day: at supper Sue opened up her cheeseburger to find cheese and no meat -– it was Literally a cheese burger.
The Lions Bangladesh Team
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It was in a large school yard. Excitement was everywhere: lots of kids, lots of people, lots of chatter as we arrived and set up. All the children left with big smiles and a bedkit on their heads. Some of them were heading into the jungle.
Fun of the day included Sue racing a five-year-old boy across the yard and Richard playing Frisbee.
More fun of the day: at supper Sue opened up her cheeseburger to find cheese and no meat -– it was Literally a cheese burger.
The Lions Bangladesh Team
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