Recycling for Refugees
Fourteen children joined.
The big kids were at school swimming, so it was a chance for the littler people to have a go. Think they were Grade Twos mostly, but I didn’t ask, all I needed was their names, and I write them down, ask them to spell them out, say it’s for the newsletter. They’re always excited by that.
We all need acknowledgement; children are no different.
We found a spot out of the wind.
Tipped over the tubs, discussed the materials – glass, aluminium, plastic – and I asked the children to sort them, and off they got to it. A frenzy of activity. Many hands, light work, et cetera. All of us finding a pleasure in finding an order.
They opted to count the glass first, so that’s what we did, and I suggested we lay the bottles out in a line, and that’s what they did, made this long necklace, like a string of glittering diamonds, then I asked them to count them, and off they got to it.
A murmur of numbers, each with their head down, pointing, adding, concentrating.
Did they think when they came to school this is what they might be doing? Life, it’s an adventure.
When each had finished, I recorded their totals.
Doing a confirmation count, I grouped the bottles into sets of ten, demonstrating here was another way of doing it – another method of calculating – planting the seed of an idea.
They then counted the groups, multiplied them, then added the leftovers.
Ninety-nine!
Percy got it right!
Quincy and Isabella got 98 - and four had 97, and the others were a bit further off, but it didn't matter, we had fun, got there, to where we needed to be.
One of the children then suggested we count the cans in groups of ten – great idea! – so they all got to work making piles of ten, like gathering Easter eggs, making all these little collections, using the space, each contributing, using their bodies and minds to tally-up what the SKiPPS community have kindly and thoughtfully brought into the school.
Last night I transferred $48.80 into our fundraising bank account, for an Afghan refugee family – a widowed mother, her five children – arriving in Melbourne next week, to which our group have committed to supporting for the first 12 months of their new life. They come with only their bags, and likely much trauma and uncertainly, but also with hope.
I added the children’s names to the donation. Thank you Alice, Raph, Mia, Ines, Goldie, Yarra, Rohaan, Sylvia, Isabella, Lekisha, Percy, Quincy, Reshiel, and Charlotte.
Thank you for helping me, and your parents, to help others, people we don’t even know.
May you always remember this act of kindness.
Your names can be read here - Shout For Good – along with so many other generous SKiPPS families.
If I could give you all a hug, I would.
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Jo Jo waved to me across Fitzroy Street, walking back to school in pairs with their swimming bags, wet towels. I called out his name: “Go, Jo Jo!”. He smiled, sheepishly.
Knew what I was up to. Head down, going through the recycle bins across the road, pulling out cans and bottles, doing the work.
He always joins in the counting.
I’ve wondered often about his parents, how they came to make a boy with such kindness, generosity.
He knows of the joy of childhood.
The great adventure it can be.
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For any parents who might be interested, I’ve been writing a nightly diary – Sixteen Days of Giving – and posting it on my Facebook page. It is about kindness and generosity, about getting ready to welcome a refugee family, about me and my two boys, about trying to make a difference.
It is also a very public thank you – an acknowledgement – of all who’ve helped.
Between now and when I wrap it up on Sunday night (the family arrive on Monday), there’ll be a good many names of SKiPPS people I’ll be thanking. Have just added the Liddeaux family to the list.
And I’ll be in today, counting cans with children.
Dugald Jellie