Update: August, 2003
A quote from Anita Goulden's notebooks: "Working with prisoners, the sick, the poor and abandoned taught me many things. The course of humanity is determined…by what takes place in the human heart: your heart and my heart."
Message From the Chairman
The purpose of this newsletter is to let you know about the 2 Christmas cards we have chosen for this year.
But first, I should like to give a warm welcome to 2 new Trustees, Sallie Morgan and David Thomas. Sallie and her husband Dick are retired teachers, and wonderful supporters of La Sendita, organizing donations of money, clothes, games, recreational equipment, and many other things. They have visited Piura several times, and we are delighted to have them linked even more closely to La Sendita. David is the International Director of Lloyds TSB. Currently based in London, he has long experience of Latin America and other parts of the world, and of playing an important part in both national and international NGO's. He brings valuable professionalism and expertise to the Trust.
Secondly, a long-standing and regular supporter, Wendy Sturgess in Somerset, has written to me about our volunteer Administrator Annabel Buchan, and has very kindly agreed that I may reprint part of her letter here. In thanking Wendy, I should like to add only that her sentiments are of course shared by all the Trustees, and, I believe, by everyone who knows Annabel.
After mentioning Annabel's dedication and human skills, Wendy writes: "To me she is the A.G. Trust. I get letters from…other charitable organisations…but there is never the warmth or personal touch which Annabel manages to convey. That is all the more remarkable because I suspect that she is unpaid…[she is! RB] It is evident that she is very busy indeed [also true. Annabel is involved in several kinds of voluntary work] but she always returns telephone calls made to her answer phone and manages …little thank you notes which convey warmth and spontaneity. I have never met this lovely lady yet I feel I know her personally. She gives off that one-to-one feeling, which must be very rare in voluntary organizations, and she makes me feel that my small fundraising efforts are really worthwhile. If you can over-rule her editorial decisions and get this unassuming and conscientious lady to include a piece about herself, that would be lovely…she deserves lots of praise and appreciation."
Well, it was extremely difficult to persuade Annabel to allow me to include even this short piece of praise, and I could only get her to agree to write about herself at some time in the future. But I hope that the words above will serve to remind all of us of the efforts of the many hardworking volunteers and supporters - like Wendy, like Annabel - on whom organizations like ours depend. Thank you all for everything you do for the Trust. Please continue to help us if you can.
With every good wish, Roger Brown.
News From La Sendita
I thought you would also like to hear how La Sendita is progressing since the death of Anita Goulden so here is a brief résume: Paly Fernandez is running the home and the school very well and is being supported by a Committee made up of local people. We hope to see it broadened with further suitable talents. 50 children live in the 2 houses 35 of whom are disabled. 250 children attend the school. A physiotherapy unit and 2 class rooms have been put up on the adjoining land which are a great help. The piece of land which was donated by a local agricultural cooperative outside the town is working well, but the donkey is now pregnant! The land gives employment to some of the older children. All the children are well and Pedro Pablo has had the operation on his leg but it may be necessary for him to go to Lima later in the year.
Two gap year students visited La Sendita in June and had a wonderful welcome. They visited the school and said: "we sat in for a few minutes on one class of slightly less disabled kinds and then one of the primary school classes for the poor kids from the shanty towns around Piura. The teachers were wonderful and they seemed quite used to having visitors. The nurses in the home were also fantastic. We were introduced to Rosemary, a physically disabled teenager, at the home who is a budding artist. They have a room in the school which they use as a gallery for some of her work and it is really very good. We were both given a small painting each as a gift and we both bought another as a means of giving small cash donation."
Christmas Cards
These were a great success last year so we thought we would have 2 to choose from this year. One of them is a Peruvian-style nativity scene painted by Pedro Pablo who has been at La Sendita for several years after falling from a horse and badly breaking his leg. Until Anita rescued him he had received no medical attention and his leg was extremely unhealthy. With your help his thigh bone was removed and surgical nails were inserted to support the thigh but this has led to a permanent disability. He is undergoing a series of operations to straighten and lengthen his leg.
The other one depicts a shepherd with a llama by Miguel who was rescued by Anita as a young child from his abusive father. He is very creative, resourceful and a keen chess player. They are both very attractive. A request form is attached so do fill it in and send it back to me as soon as possible. I will then know how many cards to get printed. I will send them out towards the end of October.
Donations
Thank you to all of you who have sent donations - both large and small. It is wonderful to know that there are so many of you who support the Trust. We have received several generous legacies as well.
Annabel A Buchan, Administrator.