by Beth McMillen

Never underestimate the power of children when they take on a powerful cause.  The students of Bradford Heights Elementary School in Downingtown, PA, have taken on the enormous task of putting a well into a village outside of Timbuktu, Mali.  Teachers, parents, & students have taken up the challenge and have committed a year to raising as much money as they can to help put a well in the village of Elbadach.  Right now the women of the village walk 2 hours in the morning to get water and 2 hours back home to get water for their families and then in the late afternoon turn around and do it again.

The children of Bradford Heights have given up their pennies, nickels, dimes & quarters, placing them into a wishing well that has been in the school since last March and they will continue their water drive until March of 2010.  They have come closer to their goal with 2 large fundraisers.  Last spring the students walked carrying water jugs just to help them understand more clearly what it might feel like to do this every single day for something as basic as a drink of water.  On November 13th, the community & students participated in an art auction with work donated by local artisans.  It was a great night as the students provided entertainment & served as hosts & hostesses.

All of us with Compassion Corps are truly thankful & encouraged by this school’s heart for those in such need.  Thank you Bradford Heights!  Keep up the good work!

by Beth McMillen

A stroller you say?  Who cares about a silly stroller ~ all wheels, bulky & hard to handle.  Yes, these are true statements but let me share with you my story ~ my journey.

I’m known as a jogger’s stroller.  Not to boast, but I am a  costly accessory because of my 3 big wheels  & a nice big seat area so the child I carry can be comfortable & safe while Mom or Dad go for a jog. I was lovingly purchased for a family here in the US  & I did my job well.  We traveled many miles through parks & neighborhoods.  I sometimes was so good at what I do that the little one would be sound asleep by journey’s end. But children grow up and eventually I was benched.  The little one that had been so comfy in my seat was now much happier running on his own, so my busy days came to an end.  Until….

I was called into duty again, but not here.  My owner found out that some children in Morocco were in need of my services.  You see, in a poor village in the mountains, there is a wonderful school that is helping to give hope to children with special needs.  For a long time these kids had no chance to learn or exercise or do pretty much anything.  Now they go to school and the children and their moms are so happy. Some of the children can’t walk at all and their mommies have to carry them for several miles to get them to school.  The roads are bumpy & they get heavy snow in the winter.  So, when my owner got the request for big-wheeled  strollers that could be put into action, she heeded the call!

I took a long, uncomfortable airplane ride & was stuffed in a van for almost a whole week, driving all over the country.  But soon I ended up with the .people who would escort me to my new home & my thankful owner.  Today I carry a precious child to a place of learning & laughter & love.  What could be better than that?

by Lois Wallace

The Marabout’s youngest wife offered us cakes she had prepared on an open fire as our team sat with her husband and 30 young boys given into his care by their families. As is usual in the Senegalese culture they earned their keep by begging during the day, and in the mornings and evenings memorized the Koran. They were thanking us for the sleeping mats and mosquito nets we had been able to give them for the room they all occupied in an abandoned building.

Later we heard lots of laughter as we took pictures of the boys and then showed them.  Like boys anywhere their main interest was to see what weird faces they could make and have us capture in a photograph. As we left, we glanced into the building in which they used to live. The bare cement walls and floors littered with rubble and rags made the stark room we had just helped to “furnish” look home-y. How glad we were that we could give them a little extra special love that day.

Several of the young men with whom we worked in Senegal were once street boys like these, but through the compassionate help of our partner agencies, they have been able to learn trades and acquire vital life skills. It was so encouraging for us to hear their stories of transformation!

Some of these young men now meet in a small group in one of the villages we visited. Young boys played the drums along with Pastor Joel’s guitar to lead the exuberant singing and dancing. Our team had worked with medical personnel from Barthimee Hospital for 2 days of medical clinics in their village.  The people suffered from many diseases that could have been so easily prevented or cured if they had access to clean water and medication. We learned to sing songs in Wolof and we all gathered  in a circle, holding hands in loving friendship.

On the first day at the clinic I recognized several ladies from a nearby village that we had visited the previous year. One older lady with cataracts was a courageous woman of peace who helped others in her village to let go of prejudice and to accept the compassionate help we were offering to them. Now there is a small group meeting there for developmental instruction, hoping for partners to help them build a meeting place and secure a grain mill that would lighten their heavy workloads. The ladies and I communicated without language how good it was to see each other again. Later, the next day, our team bounced our way to her village in 2 little horse-drawn carts. We wanted to show them that we cared about their needs, and, as workers and finances became available, we would help them.

At this time in Senegal there is an openness to cooperative initiatives that is sometimes met with suspicion in other countries of Northern Africa and seeds of peace are taking root there. The needs are great, and we are hopeful that more workers will join the effort. May we whose cups are overflowing with blessings of money, medication, education, technology and resources be willing to share these things when that involves us giving or going, praying or partnering. May we surrender our lives so that much can be accomplished through us for their sake.