Update 22/03/2010

Matt Marshall :: Monday 22nd March 2010 :: This Story

Devastating news: there were no chickens, just envelopes of money which will be used to buy chickens, along with a few bikes, water filters and tables for some of the nurseries and a whole load of shoes! It was quite manic with all the different people coming and going and getting different things - trying to name each person in each photo has proved a bit of a nightmare! But it was brilliant just to spend a whole day giving; being here on my own it's been easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of need i'm confronted with, with very little to actually give. So Saturday was a great chance to see Ocean Stars' money doing what it does best; some of the tables even went to Eruvil nursery whose need we established last year which really demonstrated the direct action the charity is able to take.

Today it was back on the road - about 2 hours on the back of Ranchan's motorbike each way - to visit Tirrukovil nursery. This was the first project I visited in Batticoloa last year so it has stayed in my mind when I was thinking about coming back. I was relieved to see that little had changed - the freedom and joy with which the children play is a real testament to the two teachers' abilities. In the end we spent almost all morning playing with skipping ropes, the parachute and blowing bubbles. Then it was time for the children to have lunch and go home - yet another round of goodbyes. I have 6 more nurseries to visit and a whole host of sponsored children and their families - Ranchan will keep me busy until I have to leave I'm sure!

Thanks for reading and sorry to disappoint on the chickens front