This is a very special week for me - a dream come true!
Our first group of volunteers (five of them) are down in the islands working their magic and scouting out future volunteer opportunities for themselves and others.
I have been working for almost five years (twelve trips altogether) to prepare for this week by remodeling the Diocese of Kingstown Pastoral Centre as a place for them to stay and setting up programs for people to follow in my path.
Everything is now in place to see even more action.
THEIR FIRST REPORT
getting there
Saturday 7-13-19
Susan Sherman makes it through customs.
Arrival from Miami at the new SVG local airport parking lot.
Unloading at the Pastoral Centre - their home for the week.
Fixing dinner in the newly renovated Pastoral Centre.
Dinner is finished. Processing the details of the trip down. That's Collin Jackson, a local Catholic school teacher, on the top right.
Meeting Bishop Gerard County for first time, introductions all around and time for celebrating.
A REFLECTION FROM FERGAL
Fr Ron,
Five weary heads have gone to bed completely exhausted. They have had a
preliminary introduction to your selfless involvement down here and I
have no doubt but that they are privileged to be part of it. Your ears
must have been burning tonight as we discussed how such a crew with such
diverse backgrounds could sit around a table relating how we all were
here in a small island in a remote part of the Caribbean wining and
dining with a bishop and talking about an absent Fr Ron who was
completely oblivious that he was being discussed and yet was foundational to
the event.
It was intriguing to listen to each one respond to my simple
question as to how they happened to be on the island of St Vincent in
this specific point of time. I listened and learned. What intrigued me
as the stories were narrated, is that nothing dramatic occurred that
warranted such a concentration of what can be termed as a 'quiet energy
driven desire to be involved' that seemed to pervade all of the
individual narrations. No great demands were mentioned, no heroic
sacrifices were stated as being essential. Yet behind it all there
emerged such undramatic comments as Fr Ron 'mentioned this', 'suggested
that', 'proposed the other', 'asked my opinion' etc. etc. You have
unceremoniously, doggedly and unobtrusively achieved so much down here
and I am so thankful to be able to assist and be involved. Long may it
last.
Fergal
THEIR SECOND REPORT
a day of rest - the calm before the storm
Sunday 7-14-19
Sunday Mass at Cathedral of the Assumption in downtown Kingstown.
Lunch on the beach - Fergal, Karen, Susan, Beth, Collin, Bishop County, Tim and Paul
Fergal and Karen - a dynamic duo
An after-Mass swim and lunch! That only white guy out there swimming is fellow-volunteer, Fergal, from Ireland. He has been to visit in Louisville twice. We started volunteering about the same time. He makes it fun!
Volunteer Tim Tomes resting up after Mass this morning. I let him know that tomorrow is a work day for him. I think this photos is one of those "rub it in" shots that people on vacation send back home! If anyone deserves a trip down there, he does!!!! He has been so helpful over the last few years with our mission projects!
Karen taking in a little paradise!
Beth and Dr. Paul chilling on the deck of the Pastoral Centre
Double trouble - Tim and Karen
End of day #2 - sunset from the balcony of the Pastoral Centre
THEIR THIRD REPORT
doing what we came here to do
Monday 7-15-19
GROUP ONE
Visiting The Island Health Facilities
Sandra Davis and Donna Bascombe showed them around and introduced them to people.
Milton Cato Memorial Hospital in Kingstown, SVG
Karen meets one of the scales she sent down from Louisville's Supplies Over Seas
FROM SUSAN AND DR. PAUL SHERMAN
Paul and I are so grateful for this opportunity to visit this island paradise. Bishop County, Fergal and the Bishop's staff are treating us with great hospitality.
Saturday evening we attended Mass at the Cathedral of the Assumption in downtown Kingstown. The parishioners welcomed us warmly.
Visiting Milton Cato Memorial Hospital today we saw first hand that medical supplies are greatly needed. Several people expressed their gratitude for the containers sent from SOS. The hospital administrators and doctors are anxious to work with Karen Crook tomorrow to request more supplies.
GROUP TWO
Computer Camp on the Island of Bequia, next island to Saint Vincent
Saint Michael Church, rectory and parish hall overlooking the bay
Looking down from the church onto Port Elizabeth
In spite of the wet, worrisome weather, our Summer Computer Camp in Bequia, made possible by Fr. Ronald Knott and his benefactors of The Second Wind Guild, kicked off to a great start.
Beth Kolodey, and the fifteen (15) children and one persistent dog (Cash) who managed to brave the stormy weather, made exciting progress on the website "SCRATCH". After Beth guided them through sign up and a few basic tutorials, the enthusiastic 9 - 14 year olds wasted no time in bringing to life the contents of their imagination.
Over the course of the next four days, the St. Michael's R. C. Church Hall would be a flutter of activity while the children learn to use coding to create animations, games, short videos and so much more.
We pray for sunnier weather tomorrow which would hopefully bring the remainder of our registrants.
Enjoy the pictures!
Warmest regards
Shanda, Youth Minister
(the photo of Fr. Ron and Shanda Boyer is from a former trip)
(the photo of Fr. Ron and Shanda Boyer is from a former trip)
Volunteer, Beth Kolodey, working her magic.
"Cash," the dog, monitoring things!
Some of the snacks we sent down: ice pops, tootsie roll pops, cookies and cheetos. I hope they think to offer "Cash," the dog, an "ice pop!"
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