There are three days to go until the Manchester to Blackpool charity cycle ride. I’ve not done as much training as I would have wished for, however my half marathon training is up to 5 miles so I hope to complete the cycle ride in 5 hours! Wish me luck!! 
I was recently informed that one of the boys at Grandsons who was sent to a secondary school will have to stop school because his sponsor decided to pull out. This is a problem that Grandsons has to deal with often and unfortunately the children are the ones who are loosing emotionally, pshycologically and educationally. Read the rest of this entry »
As Easter Sunday approached the volunteers spent the week incorporating Easter based activities into their shifts. These activities ranged from making Easter cards and paper-mache eggs, to egg painting and Easter quizzes. Both the Mikindani and Kikambala boys enjoyed getting involved.
To celebrate the boys exceeding in their exams and the end of term, the boys were taken on a trip to Jamboree at Pirates.
There was something to keep all the boys entertained. Music and Football for the elder boys, and a Bouncy Castle and the Beach for the younger ones. For lunch they were treated to a favorite meal; chicken and chips (with a lot of ketchup) and juice. The boys were really well behaved that day.
All 57 boys, the Staff and the Volunteers had a great day. It really was the perfect way to finish a good term!
The last two days went so fast, and I could not believe that very soon I would be gone, no teaching, no bedtime stories, no hearing the kids laugh…I was very sad and I just wanted to take them with me, take care of them, have them by my side. As another volunteer friend well said… ‘Maria, it is so strange to feel so safe when these boys are sitting next to me, I know they would do everything to protect me!’ and she’s right, so true!You could see their respect and appreciation, wanted to make sure you are ok, offer you to eat from their food, what a privilege for me to have met them.
I’m so glad to have taken part as a volunteer at Grandsons of Abraham , it was such a big appreciation lesson about life, feel lucky that I’ve been to Africa and I know that I’m going back to see and learn more, offer my help, and see again the beautiful smile of the children!!!
Peace & love
Maria P
“You want to make them happy? Give them food!” That what I heard after asking the member of staff what we can do to make the boys happy. That is true. Eating rice and beans or ughali and beans most of the days is not a fun.
One day, 3 other volunteers and myself, we bought live chickens in the village and brought them to the Centre. The boys were so excited. They knew how to prepare and cook them. I was so impressed, I did not have a clue what to do with them. We are all used to ready cleaned or packed meat from Tesco or Sainsbury. I felt like typical ignorant and realised how modern western life is making us useless. We had so much fun that day! So….the following week we arranged to do the same thing but this time with a goat. Read the rest of this entry »
The last couple of days at the centre were very emotionally tensed. I wanted to spend more time with the boys, some days I did double shifts ,wanted to stay longer with the children, get as many memories as I could, they were giving so much strength to see life from a different prospective that every day was a different lesson about life. They were thirst to learn too, many questions about how is the rest of the world out there, how are schools in Greece, why my nails are white and clean, what do we eat, and many many more, that were making at times smile…They are normal questions for us that we are no curious to know when we meet someone, very important to them though and it makes you wonder when we lost the importance of sharing simple thoughts with each other…..when??
peace & love
Maria P
Kenya, Mombasa – 17/01/2010
But the nicest day of them all, was a Sunday when myself and another volunteer which is doing an amazing job with the children, when to the village and bought 13kg of sword fish, a couple of kg of potatoes, carrots, and other vegetables to cook for them a fish soup! Their joy was indescribable! Read the rest of this entry »