Sunday's Children
A Sunday in Jamaica is a lazy day. Breakfast is late and unhurried. Then maybe back to bed. Dinner is early and unhurried. And early to bed. Not this Sunday. On this Sunday I get to meet the reason for Mangia876. At 5 p.m. I went to meet the girls of the St. Andrew Parish Church Girl's Home. And I was so excited. We had already done all the work, raised an amazing amount of money and now I was back in Jamaica ready to give it away. And so armed with money, muffins and a laptop full of Mangia876 event pictures me and four amazing friends members headed out.
When I got there I confirmed what I had long since suspected. It isn't about the money. It is about the children.
Most of them are wary at the start. Not everyone greeted me with smiles. But the youngest one did. She is absolutely beautiful and her smile is wide and welcoming. She is going to be a doctor. Some walk by and I know they are pretending that they don't see me, know who I am or why I am here. And I wonder whether I would not have done the same if I were living here too. Here is clean. There is a huge tv room with a number of long sofas and a large screen tv now loudly playing that American perennial Seventh Heaven but here is home while not being home. And I get the feeling that they might feel I am just one more in another line of strangers who will parachute into their lives for a day, leave my cheque then disappear. I know I am not that but I want them to feel that.
So I tease, cajole and we talk or sometimes just sit together so we can get to know each other. And I saw simple generosity. One friend wanted pomegranates and climbed up to pick a few but they were only dried husks. Her disappointment didn't last as one of the girls went and climbed another tree and brought back four lovely specimens.
We talked. About the careers they are going to have. And I could see personalities, even the twins who look somewhat alike are unique in expression. I have no doubt the funniest girl in the room will be the actress she has set her heart on becoming. When two told me they wanted to be executive chefs I could see them working with our own Chef Sabrina Gidda creating wonderful recipes at Mangia876 and in their own restaurants. I can see their futures. But I know all futures are only possibilities until they become real.
But I could also see that I was wrong about what I said at the start the work has only just begun. It is going to take work to make all our dreams real. Will you help?