Here are (left to right) Nayeli, Allison, Ronald Alonso, Gonzalo posing at the end of the school day last week. They explained to me in very serious tones, when I asked what was going on with all the stripping off, that it was to keep their uniforms clean. Sometimes, they leave them in the school building, sometimes they carry them home in a plastic bag. 3 of these children now have godparents, being amongst the poorer of the poor children who come to Saxlingham St Mary’s. Ronald Alonso hasn’t forgotten his shoes, he just doesn’t have any others apart from school shoes and “those are just for school”, he told me, in a tone that implied it was rather obvious and why was I asking!!
The 20 mothers and fathers who were there digging and lugging sand the other week to form this “terrace”, are now awaiting the plants and “trees” (the children are VERY excited about this and assured me that they would be “picking oranges and everything miss”, very soon!). Well there will be fruit saplings….but first we have to wait for the donation programme, just started by the local council, to actually give us some plants and then we have to wait for them to grow….so it might be a little longer than the children think, but at least they will know where some of their food comes from!
If you would like more information about being a godparent or a volunteer here at Saxlingham St Mary’s then please write to me.