Well, I haven’t blogged for a while. As usual this not because there hasn’t been anything to blog about– but rather too much!
I just got back from a momentous two days in the mountains. Packages or books have arrived from Lorraine in Canada and Jane and Claire in Australia. With the help of Laura from Spain and Irina in Manila we got half of Lorraine’s books up to Sagada. It’s truly an epic collaboration! Laura and I then made the journey to the school together.
What a luminous pleasure to deliver the books.
The staff had been delighted the day before to receive Jane and Clair’s books (and photos of their “jolly” visit teaching there). In the big box we brought up, there were dozens of awesome quality books. Thank you Lorraine!
I spent the day visiting each of the classes and reading stories. The students gathered round in ecstatic silence round as I flipped through “The boy who fooled the giant”, “Thumbelina” and “Little Red Ridinghood”. These kids have never seen beautiful books like these.
There was a moment when I looked up from my reading to see three dozen wide open eyes staring with rapt attention at me and the pictures. I breathed deeply to take it in. Wow. What a beautiful and fufiling moment.
After several classes, my voice was getting a little dry from my animated readings. So, I decided to try something else. I brought the entire box up and handed the books out to all the pupils. Amazing! Despite the random distribution, the kids fell I to a rapt silence— they devoured with their eyes and fingers the beautiful pictures, words and photos. I might as well have been handing iPads out to a class of Canadian students!
Another box awaits in Manila, Ray has a big crate coming from Manila, and I just got a message from my Mum that she can send some too.
Slow and steady the collective intention blossoms!
