Well, today was the big day. The day I get to meet my two sponsored children, and the chance for all of us to participate in the sponsorship party with all of the 300+ children sponsored through FreddyLink.
When we first arrived, all the children and their families were waiting for us. There were so many, it was really hard to get a picture of them all at once! It really touched my heart to see them all in one place. These 300+ children and their families, this is what FreddyLink is really all about! It was so amazing to see that we in Fredericton have made such a difference in the lives of all these children. I struggle to find the words to describe how it felt in that moment. These are the precious moments that life so worthwhile.
The 300+ children sponsored by FreddyLink
It was so exciting to meet my two sponsored children, Obenky and Luckenow, and their mothers. We had a translator so we could communicate during the visit. Obenky is 10 years old now. He was so very shy! Such a cute little fellow. Like me, he is the youngest of a large family. His mom tried to get him to speak up, but without much success. Hopefully he will enjoy his gifts when he gets home. Luckenow is 16 now, and speaks English quite well. He talked about his dream of being trained to do electrical work. Both Obenky and Luckenow have brothers or sisters who are sponsored, but I did not get to meet them. It was so touching to be able to meet them in person, to meet their moms, to find out more about their families, and to hear what they like doing.
My sponsored child Luckenow and his mom.
The children then put on some performances. They did a wonderful job. The singing was beautiful to hear. We also heard some of the children report on progress in Cobocol in the areas of education, health and economic development. Then, they announced that we Canadians would be sharing some of our culture with everyone. We proceeded to get all the children up and we all did the Hokey-Pokey dance together – it was awesome!
I will never forget this day!
