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| From Philippines 2012 |
The Most Valuable Gift of All From a Bedkit ...
Sharlene Tayag (shown in the photo at right with Tom Chudleigh) received a Sleeping Children bedkit in 1998 when she was 7 years old. Included in the bedkit were pens, pencils, and books. She recalls being the only student in her grade to have them. With these tools, she discovered that she loved to write. Sharlene remembers smiling in delight when using her school supplies and so the spark of confidence and curiosity was ignited.
Thirteen years later, in the village of Arayat, Sharlene returned to a Sleeping Children distribution site as a volunteer with the Kiwanis group. Identified as a previous recipient, I was elated to meet her. She told me that she has completed her fourth year of a College Agricultural program and will enrol in an Animal Science program in June. Sharlene has been attending school on a full scholarship. I asked how well she did in school? Top of your class? 1, 2, or 3? She was rather humble in admitting that she finished second in most of her classes. We can all imagine as a parent how proud we would be to have a child finish top of her class. As a SCAW team member we shared in being proud of Sharlene's success and felt we may have played a small roll in allowing her to find her talent.
As we reflected upon Sharlene's presence at the distribution in Arayat, we wondered how many other children were about to embark upon the most valuable gift of all from a bedkit ... the inspiration to be all that you can be.
Maryann Vernooy
for Team Philippines 2012
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