However, after looking at maps, watching news and praying hard, I think I will be on my bike in the next few hours! Outside the window here now it looks do-able...really light rain...but they are calling for it to slow down by later today and clear by late afternoon.
We have a reservation at a campground in Freeport...it's about 70 miles from here. I figure if I ride half of that, then I will only have a little bit to 'make up' to reach my numbers!
Last night we were greeted at the Rice Public Library by a group of elementary school students from the Shapleigh School here in Kittery. They had done fundraising for another person who was doing work in Malawi, but they lost touch with that person, and then saw the article in the paper that we would be speaking at the Kittery Library and that I was going to be riding to fundraise for Malawi! 
The children came to the library and we all talked about Malawi a bit and their 'Make a Difference' club and I honestly don't know who was more impressed with whom...(is that correct grammar?) They were 5 5th grade girls who one day, while hanging out in their bedroom, were kind of bored and started talking about something they could do. This is what they came up with, the 'Make a Difference' Club at school. They met every week for about an hour or so and talked about how they could make a difference and what they would do, and then they implemented their plans. They held bake sales, made jewelry to sell and held a change-a-thon (where each classroom collected change). They raised the money and then were unable to donate it to the cause they had chosen, Malawi, so donated some to other local agencies with various needs. They held onto some of it and then saw our story.
We had a fun hour and a half together and talked about the possibility of them participating in a pen pal exchange this year! We were all very excited about this. Betty (above left) was very outgoing and outspoken and seems to have a strong spirit of initiative within her and the ability to lead others; she was instrumental in beginning this club.
One of the moms suggested we have a picture of them donating the check...this was the result. It looks like we are playing tug of war, but...well, it had intended to be showing extreme excitement over the gesture of the donation. We had fun!
Today holds another significance I realized when we were eating breakfast. 5 years ago today, I was in Malawi for the first time. We left JFK on Sept. 3, 2007 and arrived and stayed overnight in Johnnesburg, and then the next day flew to Malawi, which I think was the 5th!
I WILL RIDE TODAY!
More later tonight with updates about the day's events....oh, and did you notice the fundraising thermometer???!!! So close to my goal!!! Whoo Hoo...I gotta ride with all that support behind me!
ZIKOMO!
No comments:
Post a Comment