Newsletter 2 of 4, March 8, 2010
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An Anchorage journey inspired by Three Cups of Tea to change the world one child, one textbook at a time.
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In theAnchorage library …
This week, Anchorage students will hear Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Williams and Khadra Mohammed. About the book (from the Bookcover):
When relief workers bring used clothing to the refugee camp, everyone scrambles to grab whatever they can. Ten-year-old Lina is thrilled when she finds a sandal that fits her foot perfectly, until she sees that another girl has the matching shoe. But soon Lina and Feroza meet and decide that it is better to share the sandals than for each to wear only one.
As the girls go about their routines -- washing clothes in the river, waiting in long lines for water, and watching for their names to appear on the list to go to America -- the sandals remind them that friendship is what is most important.
Four Feet, Two Sandals was inspired by a refugee girl who asked the authors why there were no books about children like her. With warm colors and sensitive brush strokes, this book portrays the strength, courage, and hope of refugees around the world, whose daily existence is marked by uncertainty and fear.
In Barek Aub …
By Nichole Hutchins, our Family Fun Night Guest, a Teacher and a Humanitarian Relief Volunteer
Upon arriving at Barek Aub for the first time, we found there were no homes or buildings. Everywhere I looked there were tents made out of tarps and sheets. The children were running around us trying to see what we were bringing. As the tents we brought for the school began popping up against the mountains in the background, the children started dancing and cheering. They were so excited to know that they would have the opportunity to go to school. As excited, as I was to help bring a school to these children, one thing stood out to me more than the excitement. The hands. The faces. The cracks found on them. These children were so dehydrated that the cracks in their hands left scratch marks on my arms as they touched me and rubbed my skin. These children and their families were placed in the middle of the desert with no clean water to survive. Despite their lack of food, water, adequate clothing, basic health care and education, these children were surviving and so excited to share whatever they had with their new friends. These children taught me much about the spirit of generosity and the things in life that are really important. Who am I to complain that a restaurant only has Coke products when these children struggled to find the water needed daily to stay alive?
