I listened to a
really interesting program on the radio the other day which examined whether sponsoring children was a good or bad idea.
I know many people who sponsor people; including some whose blogs I follow
MckMama, and
Angie who have been to visit the children they sponsor.
This is Tenzin;
He is a Tibetan boy in exile in Dharamasala in India. We pay for his schooling in a Tibetan school.
I feel that it is important that the Tibetan people have a chance to retain their cultural identity, to speak in their own language, to know and express themselves through their music, art, and traditions. And most of all, I believe their message of peaceful, non-violent opposition is worthy of much more attention than it gets from the wider world. (If you would like to know more about the situation in Tibet, I would urge you to read the book
For Tibet, with love: A beginners Guide to changing the world by the lovely Isabel Losada. It's a good and very easy read!)
However, I don't send cards or presents to Tenzin, nor do I write to him.
I'm now wondering whether I should.
What do you think? Should we just give money to communities, rather than singling out individuals? Or, having made a commitment to an individual, is it then our duty to give not just financially but to make a personal connection? Should we be going to visit our sponsored children? Or is that simply creating an unnecessary carbon footprint, and when we get there using up precious resources which the local population need?
What really is the best way to help?
We visited Aunty Sox in London, who took us to Chocodeli which is one of the best chocolate shops ANYWHERE! Here we are pondering which ice-cream to have:
The train that you can see above Ken's head was actually moving round the shop - how cool?
So pretty!
We also decided that the tents could use an airing!
So, to check we had all the bits and pieces, and that nothing was broken or damaged, we set them up on the lawn.
I should really have chosen a dark night with the rain lashing down. Some how it seemed just too easy pitching the tents in the back garden on a sunny summer's day!
So you can imagine her excitement when we found out that the Cotswold Wildlife Park now has giraffes!
The low tide was quite early in the morning. The weather was really good, these photos are just taken early on, before the sun came out!
Phoebe found LOTS of dead crabs! I have high hopes of a career in pathology for her!
There was lots of shell-seeking and rock-pooling!
The rock pools were full of surprises!
Because the whole beach was covered at high tide, the beach was washed clean every day.
And, of course, we'd swim!
The sea was lovely and calm - but COLD!
We've just come back from holiday in Ireland. This was taken on the little private beach below the house we were staying in. The sea was cold, which is why Ken's wearing his wetsuit, but strangely still, like swimming in a lake.
And I'm beginning to think my children may spend too much time in the car anyway!
Everything is becoming a boat at the moment. But this does seem to be a game they can all play together.
I went to the end of term/Goodbye assembly. Lovely! These things always make me cry!
