Mothers overboard - We Did It !

A parenthesis of joy in Egypt
Wednesday 13 May 2020 02:00
Sister Elisabeth Noirot
We did it

After our appeal for donations on the platform of the Rosalie Projects and thanks to the great generosity of the donors, we were able to accompany as planned the very poor mothers of Koussieh on holiday in Baltim for 5 days!

36 mothers and 18 children under the age of 12 were able to benefit from these few days of break in their difficult daily life.

To give you a glimpse of the living environment and the courage of these women, here are the short stories of 3 mothers who benefited from the project:

Omo Kyrillos, 54 years old and mother of 5 children has been a widow for 15 years. She has struggled all her life to raise her children in the most dignified conditions possible. It was the first time she left her house and saw the sea! Since then, she has never stopped talking about this event that made her so happy and gave her a beautiful moment that she would never have known without this project.

Omo Joseph, 62 years old and mother of 6 children, two of whom are handicapped, also saw the sea for the first time and remains just as much marked by this stay. She keeps in her heart the memory of incredible moments in an atmosphere of joy and relaxation during which she was able to forget her so difficult life. She often tells us about the very good meals they had with fresh fish or meat every day. She does not stop giving thanks to God for these holidays.

Omo Karas, a 35-year-old widow with no children, lives alone. This time of community allowed her to share times of play, walks, bathing and exchange with the other women. A few days that gave him the chance to recharge his batteries and make him want to bounce back after a period of depression caused by his isolation.

The days were punctuated by walks along the seaside, times for sharing and a gentle and simple life to take the time to get together.  A real cheerfulness reigned in the house. The women were able to swim for the first time in their lives for the majority and the children present were able to share peaceful and joyful moments far from the problems of everyday life with their mother.

This project had a very strong impact on these women, they realized that they were valuable to other people and that they also had the right to moments of happiness without feeling guilty.

Since our return, at every meeting, visit or weekly meeting, many of them have told us about these beautiful moments they experienced in Baltim. They express their gratitude for this stay which represented the first outing of their lives.

A huge THANK YOU to all donors for their generosity and unfailing support!

Take care of yourself during this special time