A Note from Betsy

My favorite magnet from Alice in Wonderland reads,
“There is no use trying,” said Alice; “one can’t believe impossible things.”
“ I dare say you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”—Lewis Carroll
I have discovered that the Queen was correct. Since our trip to Mercy Care in March, many impossible things are happening.
Standing in the animal orphanage in Nairobi, I dreamed of bringing all the students to this magical place. A seven year old named Megan raised a $1000 to make that dream a reality.
Wayne and I watched as students danced for us, a number of them barefoot and we dreamed of shoes. And 10 suitcases full of new shoes arrived from the Hollar family for us to take to the children.
We stood in the dark classrooms and dreamed of computer labs and science labs.
I stood in the one latrine that serves our school and dreamed of more latrines.
Wayne and I watched the children eat Saturday lunch, knowing that our funds for Sat. lunch were going to run out in May. (Feed the Children-- bless them—feeds the students 5 meals a week.) You know what we dreamed.
I listened at the students tell me that their only sports area was the small cement square in front of the school. We dreamed of a grass covered playing field for soccer games.
I looked at classrooms with VERY FEW BOOKS and I dreamed of every student having a reading and a math book.
And we came home to your amazing generosity. Working with the Lynchburg Rotary, we wrote a grant and raised $25,000. We have already had it matched with $12,500 from the District Rotary. This trip we will be working on the dream to get another $25,000 from Rotary International. Our dreams of labs, latrines, sports field and books may soon be a reality.
Many of us have dreamed that Patrick would get a visa and be able to come to Virginia and share his story. Three applications were turned down. On attempt #4, the violence erupted and Patrick was consumed with trying to get food to the teachers and children, not paper work. I believe that God gives us dreams and I am in absolute awe at all the “impossible dreams” that He makes a reality. If I were a betting woman, I would bet on Patrick arriving in Lynchburg this fall. God Bless!
Betsy Garrard