BIBLE STUDY
Bible Study Group meetings will take place on Wednesdays 1st, 15th and 29th June. We meet at 2.30pm. at Oakhurst (behind Kingshott School) home of Margaret Edmonds. We will be starting a new study of the First Book of Samuel. Refreshments are served after the meeting. Come and join us - all welcome.
For further information please contact Margaret Edmonds (01462-452340) or Clare Larsen (01462-453541).
ST. IPPOLYTS FUND RAISING EVENT
FLOWER FESTIVAL - 27th 28th and 29th August
A Flower Festival is planned for the August Bank Holiday weekend with a theme of illustrating the names of pubs using flowers and props. The pubs can be local, one that you have visited or one that has an unusual name. We also wish to involve our parish community groups and to offer them publicity at the festival. You do not have to be an excellent flower arranger, just keen to be involved and to create a fun and interesting display. If you would like to participate, the fund raising group has lots of ideas if you are unsure of what to do.
To for more information, or to offer help, please contact Mary Hooper (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
Mary Hooper
COFFEE MORNING - WITH PLANTS!
At the home of Audrey and John Burr
15 Grange Close, Hitchin SG4 9HD
10.00am. - 12 noon on Thursday 26th May
In aid of Send a Cow
Please come - and bring your friends and help rural
families in Africa to grow their own futures
Audrey Burr
CHRISTIAN AID - TEA AND CAKES
Sunday 15th May - 2.00pm. - 4.00pm.
As you know we are no longer doing a door-to-door collection for Christian Aid in St. Ippolyts so I thought I would have a “Tea and Cakes” afternoon.
Everyone is invited to 1 Ash Drive to enjoy a slice of cake, a cuppa and (hopefully) some sunshine in the garden to raise some money for this very worthwhile charity.
Donations of cakes or raffle prizes would be very welcome, just let me know what to expect! I look forward to seeing everyone.
Barbara Thomas
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (07443-228468)
VOLUNTEERING IN GHANA
In 2005, after many years wondering about it, I decided at last that I wanted to volunteer abroad. So I started looking into it. Eventually I found a company where you could go for 1 month or 3 months. I decided on 3 months as I thought that one month would not be long enough to contribute anything.
They had placements in various parts of the World and all looked tempting but eventually I chose Ghana and the start date was January 2006. I set off with a mixture of excitement and terror! I arrived in Accra and was met by a driver. Besides myself and two others from the UK the other volunteers were all from America.
I had chosen to go to a small fishing village called Woe. We were taken by local bus to the school where I was volunteering with 3-4 year olds. The children were great and all happy to come to school - they usually arrived at school before the local bus got me there and ran to meet me and drag me into the classroom. Depending on what they were learning, we were either in the classroom, or if they were being read to, outside under a large tree for shade, usually after lunch. They were taught in a mixture of English and their local dialect.
The way of life was simple - no television, usually not enough signal for a mobile phone, no internet access so I couldn’t send or receive emails and it was total bliss!
Five of us decided to take the last two plus weeks off and hire a van and driver to take us round Ghana. This was amazing - seeing so many different aspects of Ghana from region to region, punctures galore from going down potholes, different dishes, staying at a game reserve where one elephant would come every morning to drink from the fresh water swimming pool, the monkeys who stole all my washing off the line and strewed it all around the camp, hearing the local folklore handed down from generation to generation but never written down, the vibrant colours of their dresses and outfits and above all, their innate friendliness, kindness and interest in us.
A remarkable 3 months and if it hadn’t been for my two lovely dogs and obvious commitments back home, I would have been very happy to stay far longer!
Clare Reid
