articles

Return to Africa

An experience of Joy:
On a wet and windy Saturday morning, nine passionate travellers emerged, some more lively than others, and met at a cold Dublin Airport to begin their eventful journey to Maseru, the capital city of Lesotho. After a quick nap the team were ready to get their hands dirty. A trip to the shops yielded the tools required to build a swing set for an orphanage close by and to paint a wall at a new orphanage, still under construction. The team jumped into the bus and travelled to both orphanages to be introduced to the children, workers and buildings. Over the course of the week the team completed and installed the swing set, painted the wall including a series of murals, ran a kids program each day, facilitated an Easter party for the children of the orphanage and built many relationships with the workers of the link where we stayed. The experience was one of joy, tears and a lot of learning. The team grew together as a unit and learnt a lot about each other and themselves. Everyone got stuck in and pulled their weight. The extra fifteen hours of travel and lack of sleep was all made worthwhile by the smiles on the faces of the children we worked with over the course of the week. Many treasured memories have been made and relationships built. I look forward to future contact with both the orphanages and the Lesotho-Durham link.
-Stephen Kennedy

Moving from knowledge to experience:
This Easter I led a team of 9 to Lesotho, South Africa to work with Me’ Neos orphanage. I went with a group from 3Rock and SU last year and had such a life inspiring time, I wanted to share that with others. For months we fundraised, made sure passports were in order and with the help of Samaritans purse, flew to JoBurg on April 15th. Over the next 10 days the team got stuck into long days of hard work. We build a swing set from poles and bolts for an orphanage of 97 children, whitewashed a never ending wall, painted murals for a new orphanage building and ran a kids fun week for 30 kids (this number grew to over 60 by the end of the week) The most amazing times were had with the children. One of the team said “I could talk to people for a hundred years about this experience, but they would never understand it fully.” Over the past year, I had shared my experience with the now members of the team, and I understand what she meant. There’s a saying ‘If you want people to build a boat, give them a longing for the sea.’ Throughout the last year I have told the team about the experience, how inspiring it was for me and how desperately these amazing children need our help. 9 people took up the challenge, raised their own funds and came back with me. They had a knowledge of what it would be like but then, had the privilege of experiencing the amazing loving children in Me’Neos care. The team had a deep longing to help these children have a full life. They have already begun to raise money to return next year. Andy remained in Lesotho to work with the Durham Link. Keep him in your prayers as he continues to work against the challenges that face these beautiful amazing children and those who work with them. Thank you to all who supported the team. Well done Phil, Niamh, Peter, Ailie, Andy, Maria, Emily and Stephen. Bring on August ’09.
-SJ