tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34554867722279734722024-03-14T02:25:48.947-07:00Mercy Beyond Borders BlogSister Marilyn Lacey, rsmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07165830174942513149noreply@blogger.comBlogger375125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-11281839107149075192017-05-11T04:00:00.000-07:002017-05-11T04:01:03.876-07:00Vegetarians, Avert Your Eyes!<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you enjoy beef, and especially if you like it rare, you might want to consider moving to South Sudan. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meat your meat</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I took this photo in Uluah Refugee Camp. A bare stretch of dirt baked by the sun, transformed for a few hours each week into an open-air butcher shop. An enterprising group of refugee women have pooled the small business loans provided to them by Mercy Beyond Borders. Working together, they purchase a cow, slaughter it, and quickly sell every last piece except for the head. The head stays, in order to prove to others that this is not a cow stolen from someone else. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unsold meat hangs from a tree</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The women make a tidy profit, and they're proud of that. "Do you ever quarrel among yourselves over how to run the business?" I asked them. They looked at one another and replied, "Quarrel? No, we share the same goal. We work together so we can succeed!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-81308736657854947472017-05-04T04:00:00.000-07:002017-05-04T04:00:00.267-07:00Something "Fishe" Here...<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">One of the joys of travel lies in chancing upon the occasional quirky sign. At my overnight lodging in Entebbe (before heading north to the refugee camps along the South Sudan border) each of the guest rooms had the name of local flora or fauna. This was definitely my favorite.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwK1N1YQn4a37Gf1H4Ek1sWaC_vyfq4yMFbS6C-nFgWK8jOERveETTSSucjWKnydgYFY84pX59rPZ8QlB7UzTxQNngNkoLrfp5kCAXycNA5y82ZcjZlv7o-3LrSkuFIatURwDhiejsorNV/s1600/Fishe+Agle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwK1N1YQn4a37Gf1H4Ek1sWaC_vyfq4yMFbS6C-nFgWK8jOERveETTSSucjWKnydgYFY84pX59rPZ8QlB7UzTxQNngNkoLrfp5kCAXycNA5y82ZcjZlv7o-3LrSkuFIatURwDhiejsorNV/s400/Fishe+Agle.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Little known fact: in ancient Rome, writing contained no spaces between words. (As if Latin were not difficult enough to read...) In Entebbe, creative spacing is apparently the order of the day!</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-30606563675198836402017-04-27T01:30:00.000-07:002017-04-27T01:30:11.008-07:00Where are we now?<span style="clear: left; display: inline !important; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqvmWXF799jWUXN4qTpn06nzIEbNyLNDoj9ELPyVvTLA1hkOMY7L4aJPQOhedNuaP0Rl6MXuQpJGezqUWHRtPmNLFmWJBajym3zsCdz9lOzf3lRumN_x_U-40mjaDp6eK4QSwkYqxBRQBs/s1600/Raila+and+Lugani+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqvmWXF799jWUXN4qTpn06nzIEbNyLNDoj9ELPyVvTLA1hkOMY7L4aJPQOhedNuaP0Rl6MXuQpJGezqUWHRtPmNLFmWJBajym3zsCdz9lOzf3lRumN_x_U-40mjaDp6eK4QSwkYqxBRQBs/s400/Raila+and+Lugani+3.JPG" width="300" /></a></span><br />
<span style="clear: left; display: inline !important; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Our weekly blog has moved to a new platform! Find us now by clicking <a href="https://medium.com/@mercybeyondborders">here.</a> Or on the Mercy Beyond Borders website <a href="http://mercybeyondborders.org/voicesstories/">here</a></span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-85916853141980903622017-04-20T04:00:00.000-07:002017-04-20T04:00:02.926-07:00Like Family<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YywF7tfqI91R2xZ9DPiHMrciD0ueptmHyzFmzOjvSV17oUiptYvrC1bHoztAG_WsF2khpyGF16mLYQD3dUfCanT00T4xzgBdVI3t5y88w43yCLTeMbEfNBpJ1tUhGIjo1DRy10FtggSp/s1600/IMG_9405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YywF7tfqI91R2xZ9DPiHMrciD0ueptmHyzFmzOjvSV17oUiptYvrC1bHoztAG_WsF2khpyGF16mLYQD3dUfCanT00T4xzgBdVI3t5y88w43yCLTeMbEfNBpJ1tUhGIjo1DRy10FtggSp/s400/IMG_9405.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Meet Gail Grady, the energetic interim Director for Mercy Beyond Borders in Haiti. She's a full-time volunteer, exuding compassion and warmth. Her favorite thing is hiking up into the mountains -- and I do mean hiking: those ravines are steep and rocky. She visits the homes of our Scholars. She greets their relatives like long-lost family. She shares their sorrows and their laughter. She's remarkably at home with them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">By spending time with the families of our scholarship recipients, MBB learns a lot. We meet their extended families.We see generations living under one roof. We see how much they care for one another. We see the hard work by which they coax fruits and vegetables from barren soil. We see how they share with their neighbors. We see the richness of the culture and the resilience of the people who stand up again after every natural disaster that knocks them down. We see the sacrifices they make to send their children to school "in town."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">We also see the fascinating mix of voodoo and Christianity. The music. The dancing. The value placed on rituals and prayer. The faith that undergirds their daily struggles. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Most of our staff in Haiti are themselves Haitian. For us who are not, home visits are a wonderful way to connect. Time spent in the mountains allows the Haitians to educate us.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-83345122601728897882017-04-13T01:30:00.000-07:002017-04-13T01:30:52.017-07:00Out of the Camp and Into the Classroom!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJ92_kI_xVhCDmOqEDRe0hQJH_IqkShYpit2M_AHsJcCa63PJmoIiURUBag-REoK-LcBDVPlXFk4VaTrGjrHwbGxPV3ELhMTyDDKg6P9Pe_Nu4N-lnfPWf5thJRUxJ4WWg58buqPrzXPX/s1600/Becky%252C+Priscillah+%2526+Nancy+at+OLM+Kakuma..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJ92_kI_xVhCDmOqEDRe0hQJH_IqkShYpit2M_AHsJcCa63PJmoIiURUBag-REoK-LcBDVPlXFk4VaTrGjrHwbGxPV3ELhMTyDDKg6P9Pe_Nu4N-lnfPWf5thJRUxJ4WWg58buqPrzXPX/s400/Becky%252C+Priscillah+%2526+Nancy+at+OLM+Kakuma..jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What do Becky, Priscilla and Nancy have in common? They are all refugees living in Kakuma Refugee Camp, the desolate desert home for 200,000 refugees, with thousands more arriving every week from famine-stricken, violence-riddled South Sudan. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">All three are from South Sudan. All three have been selected by MBB to receive high school scholarships. All three are enrolled at OLM girls' boarding high school in the town outside the camp. And all three are EXTREMELY HAPPY for this chance to continue their education, thanks to generous MBB supporters like YOU. </span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-38108386494749332142017-04-06T01:30:00.001-07:002017-04-06T01:30:07.793-07:00WATER -- The Hard Way<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCrakADFz0N6xVAv9Qy_-cC7I4oxyLmfhG9lyc-cAS7YIE7Zrh1yZMRIj5MFCxd7HNjC_5F59TabvXtq0SVl32LRhpPOquLM6vwFs5PCri1prhYQG0xTV0fqi9keRw07nojfnPxdFDXH_/s1600/Uluah_girl+w+green+bucket3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCrakADFz0N6xVAv9Qy_-cC7I4oxyLmfhG9lyc-cAS7YIE7Zrh1yZMRIj5MFCxd7HNjC_5F59TabvXtq0SVl32LRhpPOquLM6vwFs5PCri1prhYQG0xTV0fqi9keRw07nojfnPxdFDXH_/s640/Uluah_girl+w+green+bucket3.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"World Water Day" showed up on my smartphone calendar two weeks ago. At that time I was in the Ulua Refugee Camps in Adjumani, northern Uganda, the overcrowded and temporary home of 800,000 South Sudanese refugees. I was taking the photo of this young girl. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Look at her face, dripping with sweat. Look at the size (and imagine the weight) of the bucket she carries to her family's hut several times each day. She is about 6 years old. She doesn't take water for granted. She doesn't waste a drop. She knows that without water, she cannot drink or cook or bathe. Without clean water, she and her family will not survive. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1.8 billion people worldwide lack access to uncontaminated water. In today's world, "I thirst" is not only a biblical reference; it's a global crisis. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-63256990617504430822017-03-30T01:30:00.000-07:002017-03-30T01:30:16.317-07:00Square Roots Make You Squirm?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6shQBMxJ4YPPlp1eY-WKD2RYO_lcob2oI4t7FI47ElgGJ2EOo1yOmiz_SRluQzhgJ5mRVhDMeFGoeH3UXiPrEwmN55SYv2fBBJVVHCQuWlxNqc66GnO3BikcrRiBfT4vNp9xfRHcMFHAs/s1600/Math+Lesson.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6shQBMxJ4YPPlp1eY-WKD2RYO_lcob2oI4t7FI47ElgGJ2EOo1yOmiz_SRluQzhgJ5mRVhDMeFGoeH3UXiPrEwmN55SYv2fBBJVVHCQuWlxNqc66GnO3BikcrRiBfT4vNp9xfRHcMFHAs/s400/Math+Lesson.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">MBB is aware that girls often regard math classes as daunting. Those classes can be especially difficult during the girls' transition from small primary schools in the mountains to the larger and more competitive high schools in Gros Morne town. To ease "math anxiety," MBB provides weekly after-school math tutoring sessions for its Scholars. In groups of twenty, they practice lessons at the boarding lodge with a skilled math instructor. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The extra help boosts the girls' confidence in tackling square roots and other math mysteries. We hope it also boosts their exam scores! </span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-7163566988367716612017-03-23T01:30:00.000-07:002017-03-23T01:30:33.387-07:00Surveying South Sudan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVeghgxPzIxa20yU03BygfzG_WMd2_fiwY8ud91qVmFZi_f5reSqACEPAEOHel9AKy5GfmbEh_BDqIWCAQySoAdZ1Tkbz85_NaqrAphfbQ6yEDBmj41cz4vyfrPSKB4-vfwvezJLeuzBls/s1600/Alice+Pipoma+L+surveying1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVeghgxPzIxa20yU03BygfzG_WMd2_fiwY8ud91qVmFZi_f5reSqACEPAEOHel9AKy5GfmbEh_BDqIWCAQySoAdZ1Tkbz85_NaqrAphfbQ6yEDBmj41cz4vyfrPSKB4-vfwvezJLeuzBls/s640/Alice+Pipoma+L+surveying1.jpeg" width="384" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Alice studies engineering on an MBB Scholarship. Here she is (wearing a yellow hard hat) practicing the art of surveying. She's surely one of very few South Sudanese women -- if not the only one --in her field. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Why has she chosen engineering? "I want to build up our new country," says Alice. "We need roads and bridges and schools."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">S.Sudan has only 50 miles of paved road and hardly any bridges. Look at the picture below. To cross this river in a vehicle, you must wait for the water level to recede, then inch across the uncertain riverbed and drive up the precipitously steep bank. On one of my trips to visit MBB project sites, I myself was in a Land Rover that nearly tipped over backwards when climbing this particular riverbank. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVZ2kZjD0ZsJmfLKiqetjeDXdfER5efcs6MCkOpiwL1zRFiVm1JkI5IF3BxQt23Eal9DYfd8X4jM-VtzL0IhzronJe7xYBNPgZSLRPWq47WJWPaxA2OpVz0_9SAfJGmG9ujEaV61W7YKu/s1600/Yes+the+car+crossed+this+river.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVZ2kZjD0ZsJmfLKiqetjeDXdfER5efcs6MCkOpiwL1zRFiVm1JkI5IF3BxQt23Eal9DYfd8X4jM-VtzL0IhzronJe7xYBNPgZSLRPWq47WJWPaxA2OpVz0_9SAfJGmG9ujEaV61W7YKu/s400/Yes+the+car+crossed+this+river.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In summer when the riverbeds dry up you see the tops of huge trailer trucks embedded sideways in the sand, half-buried metal skeletons unearthed by erosion. Flash floods also claim lives every year, as walls of water roar down from distant mountains, catching people unaware. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Alice, we can hardly wait for you to put your engineering skills to work!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-88095613247183276142017-03-16T01:30:00.000-07:002017-03-16T01:30:08.026-07:0080 preschoolers : 1 teacher.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOLJkRoU8QbG6T6kqM-IoFC4EVqSTUePy7gfTVYudjL1BcI1LEK4JCkzh7eXw04WDHjHGdMUn8AYSD5NBAQpmWcuXHzArKCXH4NVtWqI5HJltIAssGMmS_r7_Sr8AqhU7gjNtpMRWNv5B/s1600/Shanas+teaches+beneath+tree-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOLJkRoU8QbG6T6kqM-IoFC4EVqSTUePy7gfTVYudjL1BcI1LEK4JCkzh7eXw04WDHjHGdMUn8AYSD5NBAQpmWcuXHzArKCXH4NVtWqI5HJltIAssGMmS_r7_Sr8AqhU7gjNtpMRWNv5B/s400/Shanas+teaches+beneath+tree-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">An 80:1 ratio. Sound impossible? Shanas makes it look easy. She has 80 lively preschoolers all morning, but no classroom large enough to hold them. No problem, she teaches them beneath a tree on the school grounds. Shanas is a gifted teacher who can hold the attention of squirming children for hours. I've seen her do it, and I marvel. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We proudly claim Shanas as an MBB alum. She is one of the first to have graduated from our scholarship program. The fact that she has chosen to return to her alma mater, St Bakhita Girls Primary School in South Sudan, makes it even sweeter. We love you, Shanas!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-21244141134116957552017-03-09T01:30:00.000-08:002017-03-09T01:30:14.811-08:00The Domino Effect<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQnviSPTK0b_6rCgthDsXmFGoYWKMf359vjmplnanKKBHFy7uGCm3If2Hwdv5HaDlUCEK_HRtQ1TyK79azMjdN2LBeuXcWDNusT92Zaja5ZvvjHTCnfVFX_4e4RIDGZ76mO4egDgDvCQt/s1600/Dominoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQnviSPTK0b_6rCgthDsXmFGoYWKMf359vjmplnanKKBHFy7uGCm3If2Hwdv5HaDlUCEK_HRtQ1TyK79azMjdN2LBeuXcWDNusT92Zaja5ZvvjHTCnfVFX_4e4RIDGZ76mO4egDgDvCQt/s400/Dominoes.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mercy Beyond Borders currently has nearly 300 young women on full scholarships to high school or universities. Each of them volunteers monthly in her local community. That's one of MBB's core values: Compassionate Action. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here we see three Haitian scholars visiting a residence for abandoned elderly in the town of Gros Morne. The MBB volunteers interact with the men and women residents, some of whom are disabled, others afflicted by mental illness, others lacking any other place to live. The volunteers sing with them, dance, play dominoes or cards, help them exercise, and most importantly, listen to their stories. One thing leads to another. We're all connected. Joy spreads. Call it the best kind of "Domino Effect." </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-41721477829430854282017-03-02T01:30:00.000-08:002017-03-02T01:30:32.344-08:00A Rare and Unusual Scene<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fxymIAyKZ675G8WOHieJ5XZ2HKVIe-PckTjy7AuIhSWQ9Vm8TujsGijB-_4RwjFV8W32QByWutsLGkvu211zegvWvvPs9NXOL4Z9STErC5Pxad_wRV6rUJwvbQyRmv1xxp1izvS657xB/s1600/Ibaba%252CMiriam%252C+Nalilimlim+and+Longole+play+at+SBGPS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fxymIAyKZ675G8WOHieJ5XZ2HKVIe-PckTjy7AuIhSWQ9Vm8TujsGijB-_4RwjFV8W32QByWutsLGkvu211zegvWvvPs9NXOL4Z9STErC5Pxad_wRV6rUJwvbQyRmv1xxp1izvS657xB/s400/Ibaba%252CMiriam%252C+Nalilimlim+and+Longole+play+at+SBGPS.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The scene:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Four girls relaxing during school recess. To be more specific, four young girls playing a version of "jacks" without stones or bouncing ball. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What's so rare and unusual about that? Let me count the ways: </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1. These girls are <b>enrolled in school</b>. It's very rare for girls in South Sudan to be in school.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2. These girls are <b>relaxing</b>. Not hauling water or collecting firewood. Not scrubbing clothes. Not cooking. Not carrying younger siblings. No, these girls are enjoying some "down time" with friends. Back in their villages, you would rarely see a female --even a very young one -- relaxing.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2. These girls are <b>playing</b>; yes, actually playing. If you traveled around S.Sudan, you would think that play is reserved only for boys and men: they wrestle, engage in sports, sit around playing dominoes. Girls work and work and work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">MBB delights in supporting girls' education. For girls in S.Sudan being in school means much more than classroom learning. Being in school gives them a chance to be children, to recognize their dignity, to develop into whole persons. And it's wonderful to see them play!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-22498040661214954212017-02-23T01:30:00.000-08:002017-02-23T01:30:20.805-08:00Tibetan Prayer Flags? Not exactly...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpT3VwtXalBNGxAv-lkn8XIbLKZJHJyIIco-_K8DLoxEAWPGcLXW_qRf074n6ZLKcHYfyScdNAKP-IK_BgS_DZ3YOm_IQ8IhB_PhQq_f5OWKCLK2Mg9MkjCdsC_w8DYr9Alvk6cXDaN4N/s1600/NOT+Tibetan+Prayer+Flags.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpT3VwtXalBNGxAv-lkn8XIbLKZJHJyIIco-_K8DLoxEAWPGcLXW_qRf074n6ZLKcHYfyScdNAKP-IK_BgS_DZ3YOm_IQ8IhB_PhQq_f5OWKCLK2Mg9MkjCdsC_w8DYr9Alvk6cXDaN4N/s400/NOT+Tibetan+Prayer+Flags.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">No, they're not Tibetan prayer flags catching a breeze from the Himalayas. They are the stuff of ordinary life in Haiti: bright-hued clothes hung out to dry on an unfinished roof beneath a sultry sky. But who's to say these splashes of cotton and color are not prayer flags, after all? Today they flap on a line atop one of our MBB Scholars' Boarding Lodges. Tomorrow they will clothe our MBB Scholars as they walk to school, learn new things, share meals and grapple with homework. Simple, humble, uncomplicated pieces of clothing. They teach us how to pray. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-62038397314905291732017-02-09T01:30:00.000-08:002017-02-06T16:11:52.016-08:00World's Youngest Old Woman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTrw7JXIdmwV4FFxTtflmCo4jtpgZPsqidPpvjHBym29cUkQjPCXKn3gxHHnJry0Kslyz1neN1_sb0on3TWVWL1WLEATBDHCAbtorwlrXFtGiZDvIO5MTkbay0AV81FbzcMmn-d9MxVoL/s1600/Abuba+is+her+name%2528meaning+old+woman%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTrw7JXIdmwV4FFxTtflmCo4jtpgZPsqidPpvjHBym29cUkQjPCXKn3gxHHnJry0Kslyz1neN1_sb0on3TWVWL1WLEATBDHCAbtorwlrXFtGiZDvIO5MTkbay0AV81FbzcMmn-d9MxVoL/s400/Abuba+is+her+name%2528meaning+old+woman%2529.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hey, you: OLD WOMAN! This girl's name is Abuba, which means Old Woman.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We don't know why her parents gave her such an unusual monniker. We do know she's happy to be studying at St Bakhita School in South Sudan with hundreds of other girls supported by Mercy Beyond Borders. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Let's hope she stay healthy and lives long, thriving and growing into her name!</span>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-88561629956190181262017-02-02T01:30:00.000-08:002017-02-02T01:30:13.859-08:00Putting the LUG in Luggage<span style="font-size: large;">As you read this, I'm packing to fly to Haiti. If it were just my own stuff, I could go with a back-pack slung over my shoulder. But no, I dare not arrive to Gros Morne without supplies for our Mercy Beyond Borders projects! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMUXQzjvIsfobdTAIMfECs5DsPIwdmU7Oyq3rMIO32msCA0MWGpH44fWpLhXOjiJeJ6UX-MSMcaUakgDCVnKdxGatT6YQEHarCuv53_gFzrB6GXE2lhiqxc5fbKzkTykwTCsgw2-oWPeSU/s1600/lugg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMUXQzjvIsfobdTAIMfECs5DsPIwdmU7Oyq3rMIO32msCA0MWGpH44fWpLhXOjiJeJ6UX-MSMcaUakgDCVnKdxGatT6YQEHarCuv53_gFzrB6GXE2lhiqxc5fbKzkTykwTCsgw2-oWPeSU/s400/lugg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So I'll be hauling suitcases filled with donated sewing supplies for our Women's Center, toner and ink cartridges for the local MBB office, computer accessories, special requests by volunteers working there, etc. etc. And of course, a package or two of sweet munchies for the wonderful MBB staff. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'll head for the airport murmuring heartfelt thanks to whoever invented rolling suitcase wheels!</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-46406447397678926022017-01-19T01:30:00.000-08:002017-01-19T01:30:08.140-08:00Raise High the Roofbeam!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEdlVUWOmWSqDmT_cWfy8N7y6X16yexJVk9_sBn50RzQs5xMpQppnyEE6zQKuvLkGqKJ7G5AkkkAkSg5LKEXRRMSZvIij1ff4C8umlcnbmI93uyHJzPIHcJtl_T6XVIIaL3YWt3EtV928/s1600/Haiti_classrm+constr+at+StGabes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: large;">St.Gabriel's, the only all-girl primary school in Gros Morne, Haiti, is definitely pressed for space. The 120-year old school building is hemmed in by adjacent properties. Its 600 girls pack the classrooms to overflowing. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEdlVUWOmWSqDmT_cWfy8N7y6X16yexJVk9_sBn50RzQs5xMpQppnyEE6zQKuvLkGqKJ7G5AkkkAkSg5LKEXRRMSZvIij1ff4C8umlcnbmI93uyHJzPIHcJtl_T6XVIIaL3YWt3EtV928/s1600/Haiti_classrm+constr+at+StGabes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEdlVUWOmWSqDmT_cWfy8N7y6X16yexJVk9_sBn50RzQs5xMpQppnyEE6zQKuvLkGqKJ7G5AkkkAkSg5LKEXRRMSZvIij1ff4C8umlcnbmI93uyHJzPIHcJtl_T6XVIIaL3YWt3EtV928/s400/Haiti_classrm+constr+at+StGabes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There's nowhere to go but up!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDlUryR5VDtioDa4MJkJYPEJCkmQscEQGrKhyphenhyphenVTyc87b-mZhxtaKQtasZWaJmudyyHgOUDftIlTAcEodmramPWPc_NT41J3XneeUi1F6bPCllQaNX2kj8aisI9iAOq1vtIjPNG4BdhRvJ/s1600/Haiti+mason+at+work_StGabe.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDlUryR5VDtioDa4MJkJYPEJCkmQscEQGrKhyphenhyphenVTyc87b-mZhxtaKQtasZWaJmudyyHgOUDftIlTAcEodmramPWPc_NT41J3XneeUi1F6bPCllQaNX2kj8aisI9iAOq1vtIjPNG4BdhRvJ/s400/Haiti+mason+at+work_StGabe.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Mercy Beyond Borders provides a modest maintenance grant each year to the school. This year they're using the money to construct two new classrooms on the second floor. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's been fun to watch the rooms take shape at the hands of the skilled Haitian masons. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYGgllH8bBamNc3VdbBsGNm4uxWlC921yusckmFv2hkekDlC3J-wBTtwf1AEZaE_k0bpfeQsgB4RHpGAxmNqqrM2LAuyNm2zaD8pWgrFpuLJ2CdPlKyh_TdvQBCK06-XHw8H505KrRry7X/s1600/St+Gabe+Cnstrctn+outer+view.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYGgllH8bBamNc3VdbBsGNm4uxWlC921yusckmFv2hkekDlC3J-wBTtwf1AEZaE_k0bpfeQsgB4RHpGAxmNqqrM2LAuyNm2zaD8pWgrFpuLJ2CdPlKyh_TdvQBCK06-XHw8H505KrRry7X/s400/St+Gabe+Cnstrctn+outer+view.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Stay tuned! Many of the 6th grade grads of St Gabriel's qualify to become MBB high school Scholars.</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-85988242636058283482017-01-12T01:30:00.000-08:002017-01-12T01:30:03.759-08:00From Drought to Drench<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">California has it all: coastlines, mountains, deserts, forests, farmland, cities, sunshine, rain.... What? RAIN? Yes: that almost-forgotten-phenomenon-that-falls-from-the-skies has reappeared with a vengeance over this past week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Rain, glorious, rain sloshing in our streets, causing mudslides down our hills, turning brown landscapes to green overnight, and washing away worries of drought. Of course, rain invites children into puddle-stomping fun (after all, kids under 5 here have barely ever seen rain). The storms create havoc, however,</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLBDWJjvnYsai9cuMKbdkXl2oYmEIOx2pN0h3kBfekOR2gnnfEgo7F-4NnrcXuiLoPj-2WdsVcxhPVIERNzYiJEzBlwoyjed4ljK3psGe5_b6yx_QD7zX3dWmGOeJH_np3NDygrhDI1rh/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLBDWJjvnYsai9cuMKbdkXl2oYmEIOx2pN0h3kBfekOR2gnnfEgo7F-4NnrcXuiLoPj-2WdsVcxhPVIERNzYiJEzBlwoyjed4ljK3psGe5_b6yx_QD7zX3dWmGOeJH_np3NDygrhDI1rh/s320/images.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> for the rest of us navigating the crowded freeways and back roads of the SF Bay Area.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I do not scare easily. After all, I travel in war zones. I co-exist in S.Sudan with men toting AK-47s. But last night I was scared while driving in the Bay Area along a stretch of rural road known as Niles Canyon. Threading my way along the 2-lane road in the midst of a downpour, with a steep cliff on my left and a tumultuous river on my right. Trying to see past my windshield wipers. Startled by granite boulders as large as suitcases crashing down from the cliff and tumbling across the road in front of me. Unnerved by seeing several damaged vehicles stopped on the right shoulder, evidently already hit by rocks. Nervous about the uprooted trees cascading in the swift current just a few feet below the level of the road. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLFa86wGe48YdzZAUmTqPzeoL5WMs5WoKEw0iU1lZBO2SnKN9StLQt9NSfeg76JM8icXxtD2_1pah_iYHVIxSf0OVTDIR487xzxyRWHSPHoXV3yc76Xl6I_BM0QgQ0aiPCGpPuXDlxH12/s1600/mudslide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLFa86wGe48YdzZAUmTqPzeoL5WMs5WoKEw0iU1lZBO2SnKN9StLQt9NSfeg76JM8icXxtD2_1pah_iYHVIxSf0OVTDIR487xzxyRWHSPHoXV3yc76Xl6I_BM0QgQ0aiPCGpPuXDlxH12/s320/mudslide.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUKB2IDHXs1mVfoy48ouZB0KqBwdmmFkB9Xi-rZatTX-xU4x0frjpiMbET5b72StTwUKrpzWXNO67L9xiVq_Z7x1SuglBL2lAv-V9cQhgneLoVUtTWW2FR3SzEuLHNydUIg3frAPg6Er6h/s1600/river+yesterday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUKB2IDHXs1mVfoy48ouZB0KqBwdmmFkB9Xi-rZatTX-xU4x0frjpiMbET5b72StTwUKrpzWXNO67L9xiVq_Z7x1SuglBL2lAv-V9cQhgneLoVUtTWW2FR3SzEuLHNydUIg3frAPg6Er6h/s320/river+yesterday.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Well, there was no place to turn around, so I just kept driving. My knuckles were white when I reached my destination. After breathing deeply for a while, I was able to give my scheduled presentation to a parish group. You can be sure I drove home by a different route!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-35203553236411098922017-01-05T01:30:00.000-08:002017-01-05T01:30:05.593-08:00Enthused about the New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA23Ythd6e1FgQ87q-avBQPZqxffKrgRARbvIoc84Uvu_Qxdk-0FdgMochdvE1e36g4WE23Jrf88AazYm4J35-jEmMAf8K0JlBTBaEFG7SOpHGpe0yqXI3UNMGooiinCE_LBsKqz2G4E-R/s1600/Exuberant+Haiti+Scholars.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA23Ythd6e1FgQ87q-avBQPZqxffKrgRARbvIoc84Uvu_Qxdk-0FdgMochdvE1e36g4WE23Jrf88AazYm4J35-jEmMAf8K0JlBTBaEFG7SOpHGpe0yqXI3UNMGooiinCE_LBsKqz2G4E-R/s400/Exuberant+Haiti+Scholars.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What better way to start<br />the New Year<br />than with the exuberance of youth?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />These are a few of MBB's 142 Scholars in Haiti.<br />They have good reasons to rejoice:</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">They are in high school</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: large;">(Haitian females average 2 yrs of schooling).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">They have full academic scholarships</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: large;">(most families cannot afford tuition).</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">They live in MBB Boarding Lodges</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: large;">(their family homes are in the distant mountains).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Their future looks B*R*I*G*H*T...</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">(they'll escape Haiti's 80% unemployment rate)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>They have<br />YOU<br />supporting their dreams!</b></span><br /><br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-581754177745272242016-12-22T01:30:00.000-08:002016-12-22T01:30:09.176-08:00Can My Grandmother Come to School with Me?<span style="font-size: large;">Catherine is 10 yrs old, a student at St Bakhita's in South Sudan. Her Christmas wish is that her younger siblings and her grandmother could come to school with her, because there is "no food in the villages." Read her own words....</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsbQb0cuVE-Qy2LjvNmPyD1mHH9U-CDw9V36Hl71EEQ6EqSqI7wEwRVQXLQOmWILCbbUNh03vehrdKfWue_zDf1GWHOo3WvfqZtBZqYfVBSoFK1bs4Ut_Y-yr-z7pDrQiGhP089pND_0N/s1600/Sweeping+outside+typing+class.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsbQb0cuVE-Qy2LjvNmPyD1mHH9U-CDw9V36Hl71EEQ6EqSqI7wEwRVQXLQOmWILCbbUNh03vehrdKfWue_zDf1GWHOo3WvfqZtBZqYfVBSoFK1bs4Ut_Y-yr-z7pDrQiGhP089pND_0N/s400/Sweeping+outside+typing+class.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">I am in 2nd grade at St Bakhita Girls Primary School. I come from
a village 200 miles away from here. This school is a good place to be. There is
education, food and even caring, loving people.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When I first
arrived here I had nothing except only one dress on my body; no books, no
nothing. Now I am better: learning in class, eating porridge every day and having many
friends. Also, every month Sr. Susan distributes soap to us girls and I can
get some every time. I really thank God. I am in Typing class on
the computer, too, one of the projects funded by MBB. I am happy for all that!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When I was
in the village our life was not easy because my mother died, leaving three of us
very young. My father is a soldier at the front line. He could do nothing for us. Me being the elderly child among my
three siblings I decided to take up the responsibility to take care of them;
otherwise we were going to starve. Every morning I woke up in the dark and went to the forest searching for firewood, wild fruits and
vegetables. This was our source of survival. Though I was just 8 yrs old, I could
do more than a big person could do. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When my father saw me working he became happy and proud
of me. He decided to send me to school while taking my 2 younger siblings to my
grandmother. That is why am in St Bakhita’s today. I study very hard so that in Future I can lift my family from this poor condition if God
keeps me and them alive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When the
school closes for Christmas, I will go to look for my family because I miss them so much. If
there is a possibility I will request the school to allow me to bring my younger
siblings and my grandmother to school with me so they might get some food to
eat as I continue with my studies. I
know there is no food in the village because I heard people have moved to
other places because of hunger and I wonder how my family is surviving there by
now? I pray let God have mercy on them and me and keep us all safe as I travel this long difficult journey to reach them there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-18557810966312862752016-12-15T01:30:00.000-08:002016-12-15T01:30:22.594-08:00Check the Fine Print<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlumN7zZz8yfNSXgLZ_ZGNiDotafjXsG6Da4mdgjGWIubQKVvdxZEw1xy_UfHjauwqM954GvD8wI9SH4A9Z2xtuKt_iI0dACVsWacKTAjEDSZiPtULuStnc3Xm6UvZIcGEe_kTAZqvpTiF/s1600/Give+me+a+pen+not+men.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlumN7zZz8yfNSXgLZ_ZGNiDotafjXsG6Da4mdgjGWIubQKVvdxZEw1xy_UfHjauwqM954GvD8wI9SH4A9Z2xtuKt_iI0dACVsWacKTAjEDSZiPtULuStnc3Xm6UvZIcGEe_kTAZqvpTiF/s400/Give+me+a+pen+not+men.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Can you see it? On the bottom left side of the pink poster? In the blue ink? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It says, "GIVE ME A PEN, NOT MEN." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Girls of South Sudan marched through towns to raise awareness of their desire for education. They are begging parents to allow their daughters to enroll in school, stay in school, and defer early marriage for the sake of their health and future.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mercy Beyond Borders couldn't agree more!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-48655523843056077202016-12-08T01:30:00.000-08:002016-12-08T01:30:37.823-08:00Hey, That Looks Like Me...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGfNqgXZX6fc-GzOqYprHBqab5EBTwSRE8oc3mMFcCbePJ37GzLwFjLMJHdf-sYbJ5TizaaNl4DeheBXy0-WhyGZEzJGrMqFFvOlkyKHlgAiMl043SeDIFxL5-86bjgiidTWwfzd2JBeO/s1600/Woman+shown+in+canoe+mural.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGfNqgXZX6fc-GzOqYprHBqab5EBTwSRE8oc3mMFcCbePJ37GzLwFjLMJHdf-sYbJ5TizaaNl4DeheBXy0-WhyGZEzJGrMqFFvOlkyKHlgAiMl043SeDIFxL5-86bjgiidTWwfzd2JBeO/s640/Woman+shown+in+canoe+mural.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Colorful new murals painted by students onto the walls of St Bakhita School last month are drawing a lot of attention from the local community. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here's a Toposa woman on the school campus marveling at a canoe in which her likeness sits holding a baby. The canoe is decorated with the flag of South Sudan, a country that remains tragically divided by ethnic conflicts. St Bakhita School is one of the few places where girls of many different tribes live and study peacefully, side by side.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-27982198800759106172016-12-01T01:30:00.000-08:002016-12-01T01:30:21.032-08:00Recycling Genius<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oDhG8h1uRoWWMAgX4OoS9EffQ-6YDJ4XtgGPC3zx2NAMD75qUKxkNnpDOOZZs8BchV5RWwbXjoC8bLkbjY2lS8PQs2fJA2kaBDkBCA63_fLa6Px8iTAd7gyCk2WDl9xvgzIWU0ZfYOPq/s1600/IMG_8004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oDhG8h1uRoWWMAgX4OoS9EffQ-6YDJ4XtgGPC3zx2NAMD75qUKxkNnpDOOZZs8BchV5RWwbXjoC8bLkbjY2lS8PQs2fJA2kaBDkBCA63_fLa6Px8iTAd7gyCk2WDl9xvgzIWU0ZfYOPq/s320/IMG_8004.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">One of the sorry realities of many developing countries is the amount of litter everywhere. Walking along a city street or a country path, you see a landscape marred by discarded plastic bags and plastic soft drink bottles. Rarely is there any organized trash recycling. Few people seem to value keeping their surroundings beautiful.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">A group in Port-au-Prince is modeling something better. They use discarded soft drink bottles -- yes, Fantas and Coca-Colas -- to create houses! They cut the bottom third from the soda pop containers to embed in concrete walls. The bottle bottoms allow colored light to filter into the rooms, giving an almost stained-glass radiance to the otherwise dark interior. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqy3xB1j1nEizTXJlNpPwbWvDC-DeFkNqPlIQPmt4iZHDI6tzBVRdd3tNFjf-znZ-aiOqiJQeuOdL0LMUP4Ocn8fVX0PfwBblhN6egDIUFyRO0aie162cjwixwBrjPhe0Q5Ee7P4MVAJu/s1600/IMG_7998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqy3xB1j1nEizTXJlNpPwbWvDC-DeFkNqPlIQPmt4iZHDI6tzBVRdd3tNFjf-znZ-aiOqiJQeuOdL0LMUP4Ocn8fVX0PfwBblhN6egDIUFyRO0aie162cjwixwBrjPhe0Q5Ee7P4MVAJu/s400/IMG_7998.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">These artisans have even managed to make a toilet cubicle look more like, ahem, a throne room!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Really, it's ingenious. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Next time you are in Port-au-Prince, check them out: <br />the Haiti Communiterie Hostel, near the airport.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHyhBK-f94G9fH8ZHTU-YeIRoVxnPKEltXify3kQ_AwSuY9IEM0gOKPr5qGdgosygSO9VO3JazJx6DQhyphenhyphenbckVantevAvVfDOQecGQS-qUKse0NLAep0FXAsfcCt5aJlbjnJGyVXZrts3Ix/s1600/IMG_8005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHyhBK-f94G9fH8ZHTU-YeIRoVxnPKEltXify3kQ_AwSuY9IEM0gOKPr5qGdgosygSO9VO3JazJx6DQhyphenhyphenbckVantevAvVfDOQecGQS-qUKse0NLAep0FXAsfcCt5aJlbjnJGyVXZrts3Ix/s400/IMG_8005.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-75776378340062398452016-11-24T01:30:00.000-08:002016-11-24T01:30:00.151-08:00How do you say THANK YOU?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcEImDAv5RH0QRtL1-6cbNEe_nxAUAnZssH9QwAHIG4ZyQLILJ-8w-pljN-QjeDVhSh1UZLZEQuBa4aoyx-9FiOb_JfX87YHW0uoKHztijGgU9x04HO9KTrSYYeutPenW8hC57MfrAsVH/s1600/Nerlinda+Merilus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcEImDAv5RH0QRtL1-6cbNEe_nxAUAnZssH9QwAHIG4ZyQLILJ-8w-pljN-QjeDVhSh1UZLZEQuBa4aoyx-9FiOb_JfX87YHW0uoKHztijGgU9x04HO9KTrSYYeutPenW8hC57MfrAsVH/s400/Nerlinda+Merilus.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Nerlinda, one of MBB'S high school Scholars in Haiti, wants to THANK YOU personally on this Thanksgiving Day:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In Kreyol: <b>MESI ANPIL</b>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In French: <b>MERCI BEAUCOUP.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In English: <b>THANK YOU, WONDERFUL DONORS</b>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Nerlinda lives with her mother, step-father, brother, sister, niece and two cousins. There is no electricity but they do have a bathroom inside the house where they
can take a bucket shower. She appreciates all
that MBB does for her: a free academic Scholarship; weekly Computer Classes; and annual Summer Leadership Camp. "I feel so blessed and thankful," she says. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">To pay it forward, Nerlinda
tutors young children one weekend per month. "As she began a lesson," says Gail Grady, MBB's Interim Director in Haiti, "I watched as Nerlinda sweetly put her arm around this young boy's shoulders and
pulled him closer. It is very natural
and common in Haiti to see people walking hand in hand or arm in arm; women
with women, men with men, teenage boys with teenage boys, older siblings with
younger siblings. This desire for a physical connection is something I very
much admire."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Nerlinda dreams of becoming a
pediatrician. For now she intends to plant trees in the community of Gros Morne. In the future, when she has money, she hopes to open a free hospital to treat children who cannot otherwise afford care. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Her message to MBB supporters is simple: "THANK YOU for this scholarship that keeps me in school. I hope you continue so that other young women in Haiti have this same chance.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-24445142380251824532016-11-21T22:00:00.000-08:002016-11-21T22:50:48.767-08:00Who Let That MOUSE in Here?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBHERk08fuDmfSnxYP18AU0NcJINq0TIl5Z9agGTx6-ORbYYGj_F-JEJsLY2lyXM7QKAMtbtsFXPzcruC1Fcz_KDez2mGN1sq_k4UPFGM-zgfr2U5a3MnVHsWbui6zGEhQxbW8WWVV4o9/s1600/Mural_Micky+Mouse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBHERk08fuDmfSnxYP18AU0NcJINq0TIl5Z9agGTx6-ORbYYGj_F-JEJsLY2lyXM7QKAMtbtsFXPzcruC1Fcz_KDez2mGN1sq_k4UPFGM-zgfr2U5a3MnVHsWbui6zGEhQxbW8WWVV4o9/s400/Mural_Micky+Mouse.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A group of South Sudanese artists brought Micky Mouse to St Bakhita Primary School last week. What a hit! After receiving quick lessons in color and form, the girls dipped brushes into paint and brightened up the the walls of their school, inside and out. The artists mentored them as the students completed 21 murals in 5 days. And what fun it was! Even in the midst of a war zone, we all need beauty as much as bread. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-45716618063639579382016-11-10T01:30:00.000-08:002016-11-10T01:30:00.145-08:00High Fashion in South Sudan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-EXDLxpuMyUP6r99ausq-b33QVAIt9E2iYwQ1UFAxhdxQ_47RSABMXmnu_EmvyLOeAWgrk-m_tuTbB1z44tfJ8J3T_I2u4XPe-VJk1amnULWbmlW6Ji82YCZ7dw_XtGQ7pQr3v6fUApnV/s1600/John+wears+Bottle+shorts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-EXDLxpuMyUP6r99ausq-b33QVAIt9E2iYwQ1UFAxhdxQ_47RSABMXmnu_EmvyLOeAWgrk-m_tuTbB1z44tfJ8J3T_I2u4XPe-VJk1amnULWbmlW6Ji82YCZ7dw_XtGQ7pQr3v6fUApnV/s400/John+wears+Bottle+shorts.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Yes, South Sudan is riven by a violent civil war. Yes, people are distressed and displaced. But you can't stop ART. We all need beauty as much as bread. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Look at John! He may be diminutive but he's definitely spirited. He has fashioned for himself a colorful belt of discarded bottles to decorate his ragged shorts. Call it ingenuity. Call it performance art. Call it proof that creativity flourishes even in the worst of conditions... Thank you, John!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09066793349441459770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3455486772227973472.post-20723923666505536012016-11-03T01:30:00.000-07:002016-11-03T14:46:57.880-07:00What is THAT?<span style="font-size: large;">Every person I have met in South Sudan cares deeply about things that grow. They know all about planting and tending and weeding and harvesting. They know exactly when the rains should come, and they know hunger when the rains fail. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Shanas, one of MBB's Scholarship alums who is now a teacher in South Sudan, came to Calif recently to meet with our Board and donors, and she was enthralled by the produce markets. "What is that? How does it grow? What is the taste? How do you prepare it? Is it bitter or sweet? " Wrinkled acorn squash fascinated her.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkWKb2B15QUR5vAOGifrmIzLe74aEnFrtHjf72v2EFXN_ygJj8_yNla7Wcm5MOmLfDbBfr9DXprYDtCBIpvZ5pH7Z4dpBGYN7DnLKje3eBIjQrSawsvr8NyAAxXZmUwRjwN_4b-dsgMSPG/s1600/Shanas+explores+farmers+mkt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkWKb2B15QUR5vAOGifrmIzLe74aEnFrtHjf72v2EFXN_ygJj8_yNla7Wcm5MOmLfDbBfr9DXprYDtCBIpvZ5pH7Z4dpBGYN7DnLKje3eBIjQrSawsvr8NyAAxXZmUwRjwN_4b-dsgMSPG/s320/Shanas+explores+farmers+mkt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And when she saw an apple tree, she was almost too excited to talk. "Oh, I have heard about apples, but never seen such a tree!" </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5DzM6pJO3QC6X0rPfiEt5mmHGrqutttpBy5f6DOPYeT-RYO3LSZNoc74nNMIkv6fv_kIqlCShUop7-xZFx5mxscDXyYnS6K6PtHMSS1UPVhC4fWxDQ1_fkfIUN2bOuqgwFl_ve5rZY85s/s1600/IMG_8522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5DzM6pJO3QC6X0rPfiEt5mmHGrqutttpBy5f6DOPYeT-RYO3LSZNoc74nNMIkv6fv_kIqlCShUop7-xZFx5mxscDXyYnS6K6PtHMSS1UPVhC4fWxDQ1_fkfIUN2bOuqgwFl_ve5rZY85s/s320/IMG_8522.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: start;">Her companion, Sr Sue Claire from St Bakhita School, was equally</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: start;">impressed.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpROFiBANvcZLyXwmkpRtYr7KB2z-D0L4Z3dnsOShGqct-bhumci1_xflPZvNRp-45KZwHPzxQOQZIXtyf-jtK3r6Bdg6bwGLNxwLgVMF90XzZ6C8ywyCHqLU9eRS7EfevEpiSkaaRaTWw/s1600/IMG_8524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpROFiBANvcZLyXwmkpRtYr7KB2z-D0L4Z3dnsOShGqct-bhumci1_xflPZvNRp-45KZwHPzxQOQZIXtyf-jtK3r6Bdg6bwGLNxwLgVMF90XzZ6C8ywyCHqLU9eRS7EfevEpiSkaaRaTWw/s320/IMG_8524.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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