Ishayhayi Beach

Yesterday, the Ishahayi Beach School Foundation took a trip out to the beach school. I always look forward to going out to the school because I love to see all the children with their beautiful smiles.:) When we all first got on the boat to get out to the beach we had to to don our beautiful face masks. The harmattan ( which is supposed to be over by now....mentioned in a post several months ago) is very think right now. The dust in the air is just hanging there and it is like a blanket keeping any other pollutants in the air as well. so, the ride was really interesting while we were all wearing masks an life vests to get out to the beach.

When we got there, the children were so excited to see us as was Lady Salami and all of the teachers at the school. We brought first aid supplies. There is a nurse on the foundation who was going to give a lesson on first aid for cuts and wounds...but she was sick yesterday. So, I volunteered to teach the teachers at the school what to do to take care of cuts if they happen at school. I couldn't believe how much fun i had. There were a few teachers who brought in notebooks and took notes on what to do. It was so humbling for me to listen to questions the teachers asked and realize they did not know how to handle situations that you and I would take for granted...but they really didn't know what to do. I really felt like I helped them yesterday. Lady Salami was so grateful to us for bringing the supplies that she had a few children from school cut some mangos down from the mango tree nearby and she also had a few boys us machetes to cut coconuts for us to take with us. ( I hope the first aid kit won't be used too soon!!!) On the way back home on the boat, some of us were talking about what a great visit we had out to the school. One of the ladies brought up the fact that it was so neat for the children to see that Lady Salami gave us the mangos and the Coconuts because they could see that the first aid supplies were not a hand out...but that they could also give us something. When I got home yesterday, I realized that the children had given me a happiness that can only come from doing something for another person...and I hope they could see that seeing them smile made me smile also. And everyone knows that a genuine smile is something that is priceless.:)