So, Christmas at the farm.... where do I start? Christmas was crazy busy, but also the best Christmas I think anyone
could have. It was quite an experience to share it with all these kids from various countries, some of whom had never seen
one before.
We had a great Christmas; on Christmas Eve afternoon we went into
Melbourne and brought the kids to see a Polar Express display. Next we went to the Crown Casino (which had a great
light and sound show). There was a huge crowd around the place but we managed to have a good look at everything. It was quite
bizarre spending Christmas Eve flying around Melbourne, pushing wheelchairs and carrying kids, in the Australian heat. In
the evening we went off to a children’s mass and then to an Italian restaurant for a bite to eat, where the
owner himself serenaded us.
After that, we all went to a boulevard in Melbourne where all the houses are lit up... quite
spectacular.
The next morning, of course, was when the real fun started. After getting home and putting
the kids to sleep, we put a huge sack of gifts at the end of the little kids beds. You can just imagine the screams and laughter
when they woke up. It was great to see them all having so much fun and appreciate it all so much.
We had some Albanian kids arrive the day before Christmas Eve. A 15 year old boy who will be
here for a year having surgery on his legs, a 13 yr old girl who has been here many times before for ongoing surgery, and
another girl who was back for more treatment.
On New Years eve, we brought the kids to see the fireworks in the city, and then drove off
to Mornington. This is a beach resort about 1&1/2 hrs from the city, where everyone from the farm spends their annual
holidays. So we spent the first 3 weeks of January here.
We
all have many happy memories of the three weeks, as always Moira managed to cram in quite a lot. We did everything including
picking strawberries, riding a ferry, attending the Mornington Races and going for long walks. We also managed a spot of sailing
and even had time for a few movies. It was a fun few weeks here, things werent quite as hectic as the farm for the volunteers.
And the kids obviously loved it. The people of Mornington were great to us, loaning us bikes for the kids, and so much more.
During
the Mornington break, myself, Emmet and Wilma hired a car and drove off on the "Great Ocean Road". This is a famous drive
in Australia that stretches along the coast for a few hundred kms. So we stopped along the way to chill out in small coastal
towns and take pictures of the beaches and sea pillars and so on. We spent 3 days away, staying in motels where it suited
us.
Moira
went to Indonesia for the last week in January, to Aceh to meet up with doctors, surgeons and nurses who are trying to cope
with the aftermath of the tsunami.
So,
the 31st of January arrived, bringing my leaving date with it.... it was like an execution date that I had been
dreading for so long. The tradition at the farm when someone leaves is that we have dinner and then speeches. Everyone
says what they have to say to the person leaving, and vice-versa.
By
far the hardest thing I've ever had to do was say goodbye to everyone there and get on the plane the next morning.
I
will be back there, it's just a matter of when. So some of the kids will still be there, but most will have returned to their
home countries by the time I get back.
I
have so much, much more to say about my time at the farm, but the internet isn't the place. For those of you who know me from
home, when I get back, there's a few things you should do:
Ask
me about EVERYTHING.
Ask
me about all the kids.
Ask me about their spirit.
Ask me about the little things they do and say.
Ask
me about the things that made us want to laugh.
Ask
me about the things that made us want to cry.
Ask me about the best bunch of people I ever
worked with.
Ask me about the operations.
Ask me about the hospitals.
Ask me about the happy times.
Ask me about the worries and fears.
Ask me to show you my photo album of all the
kids, and the commentary that goes with it.
Even better, come into my house & look at
ALL my photos on my computer.
Even better still, come into my house &
watch the home video I made of my time there.
After all that, ask me
do I still feel humbled by the kids and the experience I was so lucky to have for 6 months. The answer will be 'Yes'.
