Charlie McGrath will take the scorching heat in Kenya in his stride.....by Bernie English

AFTER 41 years of firefighting in Kilkee, Charlie McGrath will take the scorching heat in Kenya in his stride. Charlie will be retiring as station master this coming December, having spent his whole life in ther service of the community.
But far from taking a well-deserved rest, Charlie’s first plan is to get on a plane and travel with the Building of Hope volunteers to make life better for the children at the School for the Blind and Visually impaired in Migombani.
A Kilkee man born and bred, Charlie will celebrate his 60th birthday in January with his family before jetting off to Kenya in February with the last group of volunteers to make the building ship-shape.
After the last project in which volunteers built a polytechnic in the parish of Cranny priest, Fr Martin Keane, the Clare building vrew was so moved by the plight of the blind children that they vowed to come back and help.
The project in January will replace their comfortless living accomodation, bunks with no sheets, broken showers, filthy toilets and open-fire cooking area with bright, modern facilities.
“I’ve always wanted to do something like this,” Charlie told The Clare People. “Now is my chance. A Friend of mine went on the last project and he came back and told me all about it and I said, right, that’s what I’m going to do now that I have the time and the chance.”
Charlie has attended more than 3,000 fires in his time with the service and seen his fair share of tragedy. But that hasn’t stopped him wanting to make the world a better place and so he’s off to Kenya.
“I’ve never been to Africa before so I’m really looking forward to it.
I’m not a builder but I’ll be painting and helping finish the project in the last group going out,” he said.
To kick off his fund-raising Charlie has organised a great night of music and dancing in Garrihys of Moyasta.
Pj Murrihy will be providing the music on the night and there are lots of great spot prizes. Doors open 9.30pm and entry to the fun night in a good cause is just €7.

Gerry O’Malley fundraise for 2012 Project......by Bernie English.

Fr Martin Keane from Cranny takes a close interest in everything that goes on in his Kenyan parish but the organisers of a special fund-raiser for the Building of Hope are a tad relieved that the latest project there does not directly involve him. “I’m not sure how appropriate it would be to hold a Vicar’s and Tart’s night for a project Fr Martin is closely involved with,” said Cree volunteer, Marion O’Malley.
When Gerry O’Malley came back from the last Building of Hope project in Kenya in Fr Martin’s parish, his wife Marion and their friends didn’t expect that he would be so moved by the plight of children he saw at another school there.
“People would ask him how he got on, probably expecting him to say ‘grand’ but instead it would become and hour long conversation – it was so interesting. I’ve never seen him so affected by anything.” said Marion.
After returning from Kenya and the building of a ploytechnic for Fr Martin and seeing conditions in the nearby School for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Migombani, Gerry from Cree and two other volunteers, Michael Lillis also from Cree, and Michael Haugh from Doonbeg had all become firm friends. The three were determined to go back and make life better for the blind children.
A project like Building of Hope was always something Marion wanted to do and the three veteran volunteer’s sheer involvement and conviction that the children need a new home got Gerry’s friend, Paul Rees from Kinaboy and pal, Tina Fitzgerald from Ennis involved.
The six decided they would club together in their efforts at fundraising to reach the ambitious target of €18,000 between them and so began a series of Thursday night planning meetings.
Their first fundraiser wsa golf clasic held in Eniis Golf course on May 14 and a night of fantastic music and dance was held with the Kilfenora Ceili Band and friends at the weekend in the Auburn Lodge.
Both were a great success.
“We’de really like to thank everyone who helped or supported us. It was agreat night and people were so generous,” Marion said.
But the push dosn’t stop there and now the six amigos are planning two golf Four Ball outings, one in Spanish Point and one in Kilrush on June 18 and July 16 respectively.
And going from sport to having great sport, they are also planning a Vicar’s and Tart’s night in the Claremont Disco in Lahinch on July 29.
“Tina’s husband, Ger Fizgerald is giving us the disco and there will be music in the front bar as well on the night. We asked all the younger crew what sort of theme we could have for the night to make it a bit of fun. We got a lot of suggestions like a beach party and one of the young ones suggested the Vicars and Tarts and everyone thought it would be great fun.”
On the night, Willow in Ennis have kindly sponsered a Guess designer handbag for the tartiest tart and a Ennis Fuji Center are sponsering a digital camera for the vicar with the shiniest halo!
Tickets for the disco and registration for the Four Ball are available from Mc Carthy’s garage Milltown, from Marion at 086-2600844, Tina 085 -7645910, or by contacting any of the volunteers.

Geoff Fitzpatrick Volunteer on Project 2012 - Likoni School for the Blind.

Why I am doing the Building of Hope Project 2012 – Geoff Fitzpatrick Volunteer Kenya 2010
Sometimes in life you get a chance to do the right thing. A chance to be brave and to make a change. To change your life, and the lives of other people for the better. You can walk away or take a chance.

In 2010 volunteers from the Building of Hope project had a chance to do the right thing. We travelled on 3 flights from Shannon and Dublin. We were tired, jet lagged and grumpy when we got to the welcoming party at Migombani. As we got off the bus, we saw the Likoni School for the blind. We knew it was the school because it was written on the wall but also because we saw the blind kids behind a wire fence, listening with intent to all the commotion and noise. They listened to the strange foreign voices, absorbed the smells and reached out to touch hands. The volunteers took photographs and moved along with the welcoming party.

A week later as we boarded a bus home, weary from the day’s work. Olive suggested we call into the Blind School. The buses drove in and we got off. The school was a number of concrete buildings, run down and sad. The classrooms were sad. The bedrooms were sad. This was no place for sighted kids let alone blind kids.

We walked along a pathway to the assembly hall at the back. As we approached there was a hushed silence. We walked into the room and were hit by a train of sound, kids clapping and singing as loud as they could.

“We welcome, we welcome, we welcome, you today”. A hundred thousand welcomes. The kids poured out love and joy as we walked into the hall. They sang songs - soul songs. Songs of hope. We clapped and we cried - tears of joy and tears of shame. In all this darkness there was hope. Our chance had come and it was time to do something.

Olive Halpin made the call 6 months later and now we are going to make it happen.


More info on out web site:www.buildingofhope.org

TO ALL IRISH PEOPLE,

Hallo all of you!!!!! "This is from Migombani, in Mombasa, Kenya"

Well, it has been quite some time since we communicated with you.

First, I would like to take this opportunity to honour our Heavenly
Father for the gift of time, and each and every second of life that
'HE' gives All of us its sure precious and profound.

We the Migombani Christians thank the LORD for you all Irish people and especially those who shared their precious time and resources in making the Polytechnic what it is today.

Particularly, we recognise your exemplary executive team who work tirelessly to make your dreams of assisting the needy in Africa come true.
A BIG THANK YOU, to you all, you are all great people with good hearts, you mean so much to us.

Now, I believe many of you have been wondering what became of the polytechnic that you generously build for us. All has been well and we have worked tirelessly in conjunction with our Parish Priests Fr. Sean, Fr. Fred and of course the overall Fr. Martin Keane. I want to break the ice by informing you that, the Principal is in place at the Polytechnic and he is doing a fantastic job with 30 students now training for Information Technology (I.T) it is so wonderful that it is all systems go studying computers at the Polytechnic.

Currently, we are recruiting a qualified Tailoring/Dress making
Instructor / Teacher and we have received a few applications. We have
Done many adverts for same and it is our hope that, the tailoring
(Diploma course) kicks up after Christmas holidays because of the many
Students who are enquiring on the start date for Tailoring/Dress making course. The plan is that, when the tailoring students are in place, they will
Start by preparing the order sheets, mattress covers and school uniforms for the school for the blind. It will be a very busy time for all those who will be involved. This really lifts out spirits to remember that were it not for your generosity towards the Migombani Community at large, this could not have happened. I feel obliged to say once again THANKS A MILLION DEAR FRIENDS.

After that brief note, it is our sincere hope and prayer that the
LORD ALMIGHTY will continue being faithful to all of you and will enable you to come back for your second PROJECT at the school for the blind. Can’t wait to see you all once again! The re-union will definitely have a good impact because this time round most of us will meet some familiar faces.
God bless you very much and more so May the LORD bless the work of your hands.


On behalf of Migombani Christians,

Lucy Mwaura

Photo Exhibition Dunnes Stores Mall, Ennis, Co Clare

A very successful photo exhibition was held in Ennis on 26th. and 27th. August, 2010. We were privileged to have home with us in Co Clare Leon our photographer from South Africia and he attended the exhibition and met many of the volunteers who took part in the 2010 project in Mombasa. We also brought the exhibition to Lissycasey church where again many of the volunteers and locals turned up to show their support. Fr. Martin who is currently home on holidays at this time celebrated Mass and met the local volunteers from Lissycasey. The exhibition gave the people of Clare an opportunity to see at first hand the work of the volunteers and view photos of the completed building in Migombani. The final leg of the exhibition will be in Fr. Martin's home parish of Cranny, Co. Clare on Sunday, 5th. September where Fr. Martin will again celebrate Mass in his home parish and get an opportunity to meet with the Cranny volunteers.

Thank You from Migombani

Hallo people of Ireland,
How have all of you been doing since you left Migombani - Mombasa, Kenya?
I hope and believe that all of you have been well and that you didn't have any problem body-wise for the hard work you did in Migombani.
Anyway, we have been out of communication but I want to break the silence, by saying that we were very grateful for your sacrifice in building the wonderful Polytechnic for us.

To be sincere, this Polytechnic will always remind us of your kindness and generosity to the needy, you really built a lot of HOPE in so many people, in kiswahili we say:- "Mulinjenga Matumeini kwa watu wengi". In deed, the community and people of Migombani can not find a better word to express their appreciation for your sacrifice. All we can say and do is to continue praying for you people of Ireland, that our HEAVENLY FATHER, may open the gates of blessings to you so that you may continue with the good work of helping the needy.

Surely, we cannot forget to send special thanks to your humbled Bishop Willy, Fr. John, Jim, Dr. Rory, Maureen, Ann and of course the Project Co-odinator Madam Olive to mention but a few. All in all, you are just wonderful people humbled like your Bishop Willy, and you do not know how much we miss you.

The Polytechnic has been rather quiet with Mr. Mwangi doing a few chores here and there. When we look at our Nursery school Kids, they are very confortable all because of you, they have mosquito nets on the windows, fans in classes, not forgetting the painting- with this we ask the good "LORD" to remember all of you in a big and special way, blessings in abundance.

We hope to keep in touch and even long to see you again. We love and miss you and hope the "BOND" created between you and us will last for ever and ever. May be I will get a few email addresses of the project commettee members so that you can chat..
For now I have Simon Sunguri's email which is :-[ ssunguri@yahoo.com] Lucy's is:- [mwauralu@yahoo.com.]
ONCE AGAIN GOD BLESS YOU ALL IN ABUNDANCE,
Bye for now
Lucy Mwaura

Easter Message

Sisters and Brothers,

My warmest greetings and good wishes to each of you from Mombasa, Kenya. As I write this I can picture so many faces of you the volunteers who came to Mombasa with the Building of Hope in January/February this year. As I conjure up so many memories I also warmly remember the thousands of supporters for the Volunteers and the project who gave us so much help. It was just an unbelievable experience for so many.

“We plant seeds that one day will grow

We water seeds already planted

Knowing that they hold future promise

We cannot do everything .... This enables us to do something and do it very well ..

We may never see the end results.....but we are prophets of a future not our own”

This is part of a prayer by Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador written a short time before he was assassinated 30 years ago for his stand on justice and human rights.

Those who came and the many who supported them must know that in the above quoted prayer you are prophets of a future not yours but for sure a future for our many young people. You have brought the parish of Migombani and the young people a bright new Easter gift......to help them rise from their poverty to a new life of Hope.

As I most sincerely thank each and every one of you who came to Mombasa and the many many supporters, parishes, and of course the leaders of the Building of Hope: - our good and dear Bishop Willie, Olive Halpin, James Lynch, Maureen McCarthy, Ann McGrath and Dr. Rory O’Keeffe,and Dr Tony Cox. I wish each of you the Peace and Joy of Easter. Be happy knowing you have done a wonderful work never to be forgotten. You have truly made “the kingdom” (of God) present for so many.

Go raibh mile mile maith agaibh...............................Asanteni sana

Fr Martin Keane

Mombasa