Journal Entry 21: Thank You Letter

I wrote this letter a little while ago in response to the staff and parents of the Williamsburg Community Childcare Center (WCCC). Thanks to Elizabeth and Denise, who responded to my request for a "sister school", we were able to set up a cultural exchange between the preschool here in my village and the WCCC.

They sent us an incredible number and array of teaching aides and in turn, my teachers and I sent them cultural items, drawings and pictures of our students. Most recently, I was able to send Elizabeth some video I took while presenting our preschool with items the WCCC sent. The whole exchange has been an awesome experience for me. It highlights the warmth and generosity of the average American; I find it pretty amazing that so many people - most of whom I'll never meet - contributed to a community and people they hardly know.

So while it inevitably falls short of expressing our gratitude, here's an open letter of thanks to the many people who made this happen.

---------------------------------------------
Friday, August 18, 2006

Dear Parents and Staff of the Williamsburg Community Childcare Center,

Thank you so much for your recent contributions to the Denzhe pre-school. While the country is moving swiftly towards development in many sectors, two separate worlds still exist here and rural villages, like the one I live in, can benefit from generosity like your own.

In total, we received 7 packages, including a large box of clothing, and two maps. The teachers and I looked at each item individually: the stickers; the storybooks; the alphabet and counting games and all the other incredible learning aides you sent, many of which I don’t think even existed when I was young!

Thank you, so much. The materials are already being used and I plan to visit the school on a regular basis to help integrate them further.

As I was delivering the materials you sent, I recorded my visits to the learning center with my digital camera. It was particularly touching when the teacher’s distributed the clothes you donated to some of the poorer parents. I don’t know at what point South African’s go from ebullient, effusive children to more reserved adults, but when I shut my camera off, each parent approached me and thanked you, through me, on bended knee.

I hope you’ll enjoy the videos.

I should also note that because of your donations my host mother has initiated a local clothing drive. Clothes will be collected via the local woman’s club, given to the chief and disseminated to poorer families in the village. Which reminds me of a favorite quote of mine: “A miracle is never lost. It may touch many people you have not even met, and produce undreamed of changes in situations of which you are not even aware.”

Finally, a special thanks is due to Elizabeth and Denise who made this exchange possible. Their hard work has positively impacted many families’ lives here. I hope a similarly positive impact occurs in your community.

Cheers, and with many thanks,
Eric