Sunday, July 22, 2012

One More Way To Make Things Better.



Jody Paterson and Paul Willcocks, two former Lotuslandian proMedia (and semipro musical) types, are down in Honduras working for Cuso International.

Which is a great and fantastic thing.

But it's only the half of it.

Because now they have decided, on their own, to do something for a bunch of kids on the side.

Jody explains:

...I've spent many hours puzzling over how I was going to (leave something tangible behind) for the foster home I was introduced to back in April, Angelitos Felices. I go there pretty much every Sunday and have some fun with the kids, and I recognize that counts for something. But when you're standing in the midst of children living in a place like that - no beds, rag-tag clothes that never fit, barely enough food - you can't help but want to do better than just popping around once a week to sing several rounds of the Hokey Pokey and hand out crayons. 

The bed thing really bothers me, and I had a big plan to find hospital mattresses that would be durable, easy to clean and a better alternative than the poor little guys sleeping on the dirty concrete floor like they do now.  That seemed like something I could do that would make a lasting difference in the lives of these kids...

{snippety doo-dah}

...I think I can also scrounge around for money for a ceramic-tile floor for the big, empty room where the kids spend 90 per cent of their time. Right now it's dirty, painted concrete - hard to clean, scabby-looking, and definitely worsening the general grimness of the place. It's not like a new floor will turn anybody's lives around, but a better living environment for kids that spend so many hours trapped inside seems like a good investment...

{snippety doodle-dandy}

...And then there's short-term stuff I can help with: Swims at the pool every couple of weeks; crafts and songs; help with staples like eggs, cheese, laundry soap, disposable diapers. That's not really capacity-building, because the goods stop coming as soon as I'm no longer here. But I have a secret hope that I can rebuild some of the broken connections between the home and the Copan community along the way that will carry on once my Honduran adventure wraps up. When people see you doing good deeds, sometimes it puts them in more of a mood for such things as well....


So.

How to make it happen?

Well, Jody and Paul have set up a 'go fund me' page to raise the money...

From people like you and me.

OK?


_____
And, in addition to helping out,  if you do send a little something as a bonus you just might get your own copy of the kids doing the Hokey-Pokey, perhaps even backed with an accordian.


.

No comments: