Priorities

And so ... what is our priority?

We backtrack a little to the day that "Aunty Susie and Miss Virginia" came to St Andrews school. Shoepal#1 was psyched; preparing (?) his introduction. Shoepal#3 was not feeling well, and hadn't been for a few days. But "AUNTY SUSIE AND MISS VIRGINIA are coming to school, so I want to go too".

So we went, and together we witnessed a powerful assembly, as students watched Sue and Virginia present information about the differences in cultures and environment between two groups of children of similar ages; and the students were captivated (both by the information, and Virginia's unique passion of delivery).

And yet, I noticed that Shoepal #3 was grey. So after assembly, we went to hospital where he stayed for 3 days, being most unwell.

As a mother, what do I feel? I feel grateful. My child was very very sick. I took him to the hospital (5 minutes from school), and received medical intervention (literally medicine) within minutes of him needing it. Our hospital is 3 minutes from our home, and the doctors are skilled and caring. What a privilege. This was NOT how it would have been in Malawi.

As a mother, what do I feel? I feel proud. My 7-yr-old wanted to help the children of Malawi; his actions have had a ripple effect which has produced nearly 2000 shoes, and changed many more lives. My 9-yr-old felt the importance of the moment so much that he wanted to be a part of it so much that he ignored his own sense of illness as long as he could.

So, how do I change the future as a 'stay at home mum'? Well, I look at my boys, and how they are growing, as in homework tonight one studies the structure of the South Australian government, and the other studies where in the world people in his family were born, and I know that the youth of today truly are the strength and power of tomorrow; may we instill in them a love of the world, and all that is right and fair. And if that means learning how to gather shoes and send them (without political obstruction) to Malawi (because that's where Miss Virginia was born), ............ then this is a powerful role to be playing in the future of our world.

What are our priorities? To do all the little things we can, until we can do bigger things, because all things will effect a change. May my boys learn that they can do great things with little feet until their feats become bigger.

it's a date!

Finally we have a date for the Feast for Feet ( South)!

Friday 26th June 2009 @ 7pm

The interstate 'guest chef' will be returning for the event and we are hoping that this will not just be a chance to lend final support to the fundraising for freight but a chance to say farewell to Virginia. Time is vanishing ( like sands through an hour glass?) and the weeks of Semester 1 are disappearing - so many things to consider - final assignments, exams, airline tickets, plans for the future...

A date has even been set for a meeting to consider the possibilities of formalising the Chimwemwe Footprints Project as an entity of its own - the past 6 months just shows that none of us can predict just what the future holds - for any of us!

heading for the hills...or at least the Mt!

It has been confirmed today that Virginia and I will be at St Mark's at Mt Barker next week, speaking to the students there who, under the influence of Shoe-Pal #2 are already collecting shoes!

We are in touching distance of our 2000 pairs - who ever would have thought!!

Big shoe news to follow, I am sure!

St Andrews School Walkerville...what an outstanding achievement!

"Walk to School Day" will hopefully be a day the children of Makuluni will come to understand as the day they were remembered by the St Andrew's school community who with such big smiles and open hearts also opened their wardrobes too!

The school yard was buzzing as the children brought their shoes, boots, sandals, soccer shoes,footy boots and 'very favourites' they had outgrown - as well as mum and dads shoes for which we were also very grateful. They excitedly line the pairs up, tying the laces and buckles together so they wouldnt get muddled up and keeping count of the pairs...which kept coming! Hopefully there will be teachers and healthworkers as well as mums and dads in the village who will also recognise that they are in the thoughts of people on the other side of the world.

An enormous thank you again to the staff , parents and students that supported the event - shoes are still being counted but over 400 pairs in 3 days is simply extraordinary. The Eggleton students should feel very proud of their hard work and a big thank you to the Grade 5 girls who helped keep things in order, as well as the students from Eggleton who kept the tallying going as the shoes arrived! Not to mention the people who sorted the shoes into sizes and varieties before we collected them!!

and time marches on...

..and so the Feast for Feet in the City has become an event of the past and new adventures have quickly followed. The number of shoes continues to multiply and more and more Aussies learn about Malawi and the children and villagers of the village of Makuluni.

On the 6th May, Virginia and I were guests at the school assembly at St Andrews at Walkerville. it was part of Shoe-Pal #1's contribution to the project and he had been working with his House leader and Deputy Principal to bring Virginia and I along to talk to the students about the shoee project and invite them to participate in it.

We were beautifully introduced by the students of Lawson who were hosting the assembly that day and the project as well and Virginia and I were introduced by students from the house of Eggleton and Shoe Pal#1.

The students of Eggleton House had arranged that to coincide with the "Walk to School' Friday the following week, students would be encouraged to bring along any pairs of shoes they would like to donate. The shoes would be strategically placed in a big line around the school building and as more and more shoes were collected, the line would wind around in front of the different classrooms.

We were so thrilled to be able to visit the children, meet their teachers and tell them more about the village in Malawi where so many people are excitedly waiting to hear more news about the children of Australia.

Adelaide Central Market hosts meeting of the United Nations

backtracking a few hours, there is a story to tell!

On the morning of the dinner we played tag with mum and dad and the little ones so all those involved in the cooking etc could get into the Central Market relatively free to do our own thing without tired little legs of nephew #3 who would so much rather do baby-ccino's with gunmmin and bubba anyway.

nephew #4 was papoosed and shared between us all (well mainly virginia and poni and aunty suzie to be honest who more than happily shared his little load!) and we embarked on 'coffee' whilst waiting for the Melbourne contingent to arrive and meet us.

Squashed in together, knees around necks and shoulders to shoulders so we could sit together around 2 coffee tables built for 2 x 2, 6 adults plus baby communed over coffees, scrambled eggs, toast, mushrooms etc and balancing shopping bags etc on laps and planning our attack onthe grocers for kale, semolina and the tricker items to be sourced. Baby was passed from laps to arms, over the table, around the table and as the next person took directions, he was moved on again...oops, there nearly went the coffee and eggs...

Virginia's landlord happened to drop past and seeing her came up for a big greeting and introduction to the troop, a chat and then and 'i'll be off' after big farewells. Then a total stranger came up to the table - the lady had been at a table a few seats away from us all. Having been watching us, the carry on, the interaction with each other, the baby and generally the others who seemed to be forming the meet and greet line (Adelaide is NOT that big!!) to the table, the lady wondered if the SA Premier was aware that a meeting of the United Nations was being held right here in the city of Adelaide and that if only this type of meeting happened more often how much better the world would be.

the recovery party...

it is called the morning after the night before...the light of day that brings exhaustion and yet elation that the evening had been such fun and so thoroughly enjoyable, even for those with supposedly 'responsible'roles!

Karen took to her sick bed and the boys go stuck in to the 'tidying up' (or lizard-hunting - somehow the lizards that had been so well behaved on the tables early in the night had found themselves into all sorts of far more interesting hiding places during the course of the evening) with aunty suzie and miss virginia then pancakes when we could finally find the table!

We discussed the choice of food - it was a hit and the overall perspective was shock that what people had expected might be a bit of a challenge - the eating with their fingers ( WHAT - NO KNIVES AND FORKS??) and 'mashed potato like stodge' (ugali)that could actually be formed into a scoop for the vegetables and stew- had actually been the best fun and maybe even made the food taste better ( still being debated, i might add as some would say the food was so fantastic it couldnt be made any better)?

To hear Virginia speak and to hear her voice take up the Malawi nation song as those in the room stood respectfully with their hands on their hearts (even the children who have so completely taken the project into their own little hearts) made it seem that there are positive possibilities for the future of this world. In that room stood Christians, Muslims, Protestants, Catholics, Iranians, Germans, Australians, Africans, Indians, Asians, Buddhists, academics, tradespeople, (all of which, in the end are just 'tags' or 'labels' and do not define us) all united in friendship and a desire for a better world. Thank God.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3DGPwpeYto

for the malawi national anthem!!