The Christmas party: singing that raised the roof! speeches, prayers, thank-you’s, and good-bye’s!

The gogos’ party took place inside the centre which had been transformed with white curtains & blue swags clothes-pegged in place, and a 10 foot pine tree decorated very effectively with balloons. An African Father Christmas passed out gifts to each and every one. This year the gogos received battery-less flashlights which operate with a shake.

Outside was the children’s party, music system blasting away, a decorated throne for Father Christmas under a growing tree also decorated in balloons, and general happy pandemonium.

Food parcels organized for distribution

Rev. Ginny Uren-Viner, with Ruth Magagula, Milly Chiloane, and Joy Burton took on a mammoth task of organization. They have worked tirelessly to make not only this party, but the entire project, a resounding success.

The 100 calendars from Grannies à Gogo, signed from so many Vernon area people, were a huge hit! They loved all the photos of themselves and carefully studied the photos of our group. They profusely thanked me and I made sure that they understood there are 150 members in Vernon who raise funds and love them, supported by a whole community.

Beauty Manzini presented Grannies à Gogo with a gorgeous Christmas banner which she made by hand using the paper piecing method. It will make a wonderful raffle item or perhaps a drawing card for our Pot-Luck and Auction. Regardless, what goes around, comes around, and all funds raised will all go back to the gogos.

This is the last of my blogs of this trip, as Ken and I head to Pemba in northern Mozambique for a few days, then to Washington, DC before home. Vernon’s Morning Star newspaper will be publishing two further articles; watch for them over the Christmas season.
“Salani kahle” ~ Susan