Here is a message from Sanita about her work with the kids:
"Kids who are busy doing constructive activities will be happy kids.
The enormous difference between those who have an abundance, and those who have nothing, really broke my heart here in Paternoster. There is so much poverty in this fishers village. There was really nothing to keep the kids busy or to further their education. Lots of kids were on the streets and had no dream or prospect of a better life.
I am priviledged and blessed with talented kids of my own, and know how much value the teaching of visual and performing arts added to their lives. To evolve a community and to bring back family values to a community filled with drugs and poverty you have to spend time daily to try and instill the message. My goal is to one day give these kids the opportunities that they have probably given up on, and have forgotten how to dream about what they want to do and what they want to be one day. I want to give them self worth and the want to dream about hope and what they can achieve with hope.
Music, art and dance give kids self-confidence, develop their self worth, and make them more accepting of school work, which means the kids will do better in school. They learn how to enjoy things and see the beautiful things in life, and focus on the good in life. There is nothing so fulfilling for the soul than to see the results of your hard work at the end of the day. They learn to be more civil and tolerance toward each other. For those who work hard there is even a career opportunity.
Last, but not least, we keep the kids off the streets, away from bad influences.
I've learn from past experience that utter self satisfaction is to do something meaningfull for your community and to give yourself. At the end of the day you yourself have a full life and it fills your life with happiness! "
The Children of Paternoster appreciated and enjoyed the visit of the ladies of the USA. You all filled a little heart with love and made a real difference in their lives!!
They are so proud of their bags and can't wait to fill the bags with all the wonderful things that we are going to create. We arranged our classroom and packed all the wonderful craft materials in containers. They insisted that we plan our lessons so that we can stretch the materials- they hope that it is going to be enough for all year!
They are so exited, they all arrived at my house, even in the school holidays, hoping that we could do craft projects, crochet and knit!
Our thank you letters will be ready next week, our first craft session after the school holidays.
The money is in our bank account and we are saving for the ballet or Spanish dance classes.
