Rotarians are moved by story of trip to Lourdes
Teachers tell of life-changing holiday with disadvantaged kids
The emotions of East Kilbride Rotary Club members were moved as they listened to Jacqui Nelson and Angela Quinn describe their pilgrimage to Lourdes, France.
Both are teachers at St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High School and have visited Lourdes on many occasions.
Groups from all around the world organise a pilgrimage holiday to Lourdes for disadvantaged and disabled children and adults.
Jacqui and Angela determined that their visit this year would include taking eight disadvantaged children from East Kilbride and the surrounding area.
This was an ambitious undertaking as they had to select eight disadvantaged children from all faiths and none, raise £10,000 and find volunteer helpers to make the journey to Lourdes.
Undaunted, the two dedicated teachers raised the funds, selected the children and secured volunteer helpers which included three of the school’s sixth-year pupils.
All helpers paid their own costs for the trip.
Jacqui became quite emotional as she recounted her experience while selecting the disadvantaged children to make the trip – local kids whose homes are disjointed, some with no mothers, a father out of work, no furniture in the house, alcohol issues, scarcely any clothing or shoes and never sure of when they get their next meal.
Yet despite all this, they are happy children.
The trip was organised through Hosanna House & Children’s Pilgrimage Trust (HCPT), founded in 1956 by Dr Michael Strode.
The children and helpers set out during April for Lourdes where they visited Gavarnie in the mountains, took part in torchlight processions and mingled with kids from other parts of the world to take part in some fun and games.
The Lourdes holiday is somewhere the children are not judged on disabilities or material possessions and where everyone is equal.
Closing their talk, Jacqui and Angela said that they were preparing for next year’s pilgrimage holiday, with the target of raising more than £10,000 and increasing the number of children in the group.
Rotarian David Taylor gave the vote of thanks, commenting that he himself had been involved in similar missions as a minister.
He thanked the ladies for an excellent talk and the work they were doing in the community.