Report from Oliver Dason, Victoria, Canada

I was very excited when I introduced and linked Slangspruit School to the congregation at Oak Bay United Church on July 10^th. I am a member of the Oak Bay United Church and the members of the church are like my family. Before the talk, on June 30^th, I went to see Gaye Sharpe, who is our Lay Minister. I talked to her about how I started the project and I showed her a sneak peak of my presentation. After meeting and discussing with Gaye, I started preparing my presentation for the congregation.

On the 10^th of July, I gave my presentation to the congregation about the Slangspruit children. I talked about the children and the food programme, the needs of the children, how I am raising money to provide a few special meals, the Easter meal I had donated and most importantly, the differences between the meal I am donating and the usual Government provided daily meal. The congregation members were shocked by the difference between the amount of food the Government provides, which was not balanced and insufficient unlike my meal that was balanced and had vegetables and meat. I informed them that Carolyn did the shopping and she organized people to prepare the meal.

I was excited on the day of the speech. I had prepared a power point presentation and I also had a picture slideshow on my I-pad. However, when I was waiting for my turn to speak, I had second thoughts. I felt a little scared of standing in front of the congregation. This feeling almost always happens to me before I make a speech. But around the middle of my presentation, I felt much more relaxed and proud of what I was saying.

At the end of my presentation, June, a leader from VBS, came up to the front and gave me an envelope, to symbolize a cheque for the money that was raised by the youth, children, and helpers of VBS (Vacation Bible School), who held a fund raising car wash. All the money the children and the helpers raised was donated to my fund and a cheque for $193.00 will be given to me later.

At the end of my presentation, I informed the congregation that I would have a donations basket downstairs at the coffee area. I was surprised by the number of people who wanted me to continue helping and succeed in my project and gave me a donation at the end of the service. I had not expected so much money. From all the donations from the Oak Bay United congregation, I have raised $480.00. I am very grateful for the support of my church congregation.

From this event at the church, I have linked Slangspruit School to the Oak Bay United Church community.