Tuesday 25 October 2011

Mille ringraziamenti!

The kindness of others never ceases to touch our hearts at the Happy House.
Our friends around the world show their love and support for our family in so many ways and every single gesture of generosity is appreciated more than we can ever say.
Our most recent visitors are a group of Italians who when they visited earlier this year promised they would be raising money for us when they went home knowing that we needed to convert the former chicken house into our Little Chicks nursery school.
By moving some of our nursery classes into Little Chicks we are  able to open our first primary class.
So just imagine when how delighted Giancarlo Cariboni, Maurizo Ongania and Grigi Giuseppe were when they returned with the cheque to find the work almost completed.
Sue trusting they would be true to their word managed to divert some funds to get the work started as a interim emergency measure -  the education officer is insisting we move all our children up a class now, instead of in January, because their education is so advanced.
The lovely Italians, who live near Lake Como,  with the help of so many of their friends in from their village  raised the money with one big festival day when they cooked more than 400 meals .They were overjoyed to  hand over the proceeds to Sue and thrilled by what has been done with it.
And to celebrate Sue organised an official opening to celebrate their wonderful contribution.
"They arrived to us singing Welcome, they all came in the banda, then different children took each one by the hand and we went round to Little Chicks all singing Jambo, Jambo Bwana.
"We had put ribbons across the doors so they all had to cut a ribbon, to lots of clapping and cheering. They all had more than one tear in their eyes. We went back to the banda the children sang more songs and then recited Everything I need to Know.
"I had the bright idea of asking the mum of Malec, one of our pupils, who is an Italian,  to come and translate she was delighted, so that made it even better .
"Our cook Roger is excelling with his very creative cakes now, so a good time was had by all.
"It was a very happy occasion."
Many, many thanks to all our Italian friends for their wonderful fundraising effort and to everyone who supported them.
* See tomorrow's blog for more pictures of Little Chicks.