WALKERTON – On Saturday, Oct. 22, Molly’s Team cheered Joe Meyerink on as they watched his golden locks fall to the floor at Walkerton’s Side Street Styling.
Joe’s goal was to surpass his father Gerry and mother Darlene’s previous shave-off contributions raised to help families in Guatemala who are living in extreme poverty.
In doing so, the team is keeping Molly’s big dream alive to help children and families in developing countries. Team efforts and her dream would not be possible without the guidance and support of the Arms of Jesus Children’s Mission out of Pickering, Ont.
Molly, who passed away at age 10 and a half, knew there were children in our own community as well as developing countries who had much less. She always stressed the need to share, and would be proud of everyone at the shave-off – Joe, his family and the talented Trish who is ensuring Joe’s hairdo transition looks great.
Molly’s Team will be travelling to Guatemala in February 2023 and the funds from the event will be used towards furniture and outside stoves for some of the four houses the team will build.
The first house is named Steven’s House in memory of Steven Ottewell, who fought a courageous battle with cancer at age 16.
Two of the other three houses are in memory of John Hunt and his family (Hanover, Carlsruhe). The Swans out of Formosa proudly raised funds to build a house that will be named after their “Formosa Swans.”
The other wonderful contributor is the Lion’s Club out of Wingham, who also raised funds that will be used toward meeting the needs for the four families receiving homes.
The team is well aware of the reality that one-third of the world’s girls do not get the chance to learn how to read or receive an education. Little girls in developing countries are destined to gather firewood all day so the team has worked diligently over the past 15 years raising funds for school needs and learning materials – with the hope to make the world a more just place where girls have the opportunity for an education as well as boys. If girls have the chance to become more visible in developing countries, they will be the ones who can bring about social change – benefitting themselves, their families, communities, and entire societies.
The team is excited to help their social workers who travel for miles to see the families, to make sure things are OK in the family unit and ask about needs, medical and physical, as well as feed families who are living and eating at a dump site. In the past, team members were invited to meet with the top officials in Guatemala and with the people of four villages, and provided large bags of food for all families – people who earn about $1.25USD per day for their labour in the fields, picking coffee or farming. There are 18 elderly grandmothers who are raising their grandchildren – they sleep on rags, and the team members are getting them new bedding and pillows, and hopefully a bed to sleep in.
Many grandmothers start walking at 3 a.m. to reach the team, and were thrilled with a little luncheon of fries, coffee, and a hamburger – something we take for granted, and they might never get.
None of this would be possible if it wasn’t for the support of our village – that is all of you, for your encouragement, and love. Heartfelt thanks from Mollyann MacDonald’s Team.
