Little Lions (OT, emotional and photo heavy)

15 years ago

Our son works for OLPC, One laptop Per Child, and helps distribute special computers to third world countries, among other things.

Today he sent us a message with photos of distribution of these special computers in Rwanda by a friend & colleague of his, saying they will help

"little lions to read, create & roar."

Some of you know that years ago my husband and I taught school in Nigeria with the Peace Corps. These photos my son sent could well have been my school! Perhaps my emotions are running too high these days, but I am just so proud of my kids and how they lead their lives!!!!

So join me in watching these photos:

Dancing and celebrating at the school-

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Carrying the boxes into the school-

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Stacking them in the school

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In the classroom

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Their first attempts at graphics.

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And this one really gets to me because my son drew a very special bike picture way back when he was in grade school.

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But the biggest tear jerker for me was this one...

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What a guy....

'bug

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Comments (13)

triple_creek
15 years ago
Bug thanks for giving us some insider views to this program. It's good to see the computers in use and appreciated. Your son is indeed doing a good thing. I understand completely about the lion picture. Norma
woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada
15 years ago
That's a son to be proud of for sure!

I couldn't help but notice the creative art work on the walls in the background. And if that was kids first attempts at graphics on the computer, they're going to be good! Is it a very artistic culture - i.e. were those painting by local artists or the (imported) teachers?
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Hi all! It's so nice to be back and have a bit of time! Ryan, Liza, I called the tulips, Easter tulips, because they were purchased for the table for Easter! I really have no idea what the variety is, sorry for the confusion. Ryan, I'm just getting back into Orchids, I had to leave a large amount of them in NJ with the woman I sold the house too, our home up here is just kept to cold. In NJ I had a conservatory added to the top floor of the house and it was a great place for orchids, bannanas, and other tropicals. I'm trying phals again this year but think the sun/plant room may be too cold and don't know where I'll move them too, maybe my home office. The cattleya, dendrobium, and some other hardier varieties do fine with some drops into the upper 30's but the phals really suffer. Liza, I battle with squirrels here when it comes to tulips, the little buggers like to behead them and leave the flower at the base of the plant. Alana, I spent many hours annoyed that the Zombie could look wistfully out the window and I couldn't! LOL Cindeea my dear!!!! that phaius orchid was huge, the spike was almost 28 inches tall! the leaves are just as tall but spread. It's a ground orchid so you probably could grow it where you are! Logees sells them.
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Full_Bloom
15 years ago
((Bug)) you have every reason to be proud of your kids...they *are* amazing, caring, generous, involved people and you should be a little proud of yourself too; after all you raised them! :-)

Thanks for sharing the beautiful pics!

I'm off on Holiday, so I best get packing...

Ei
prairiemoon2 z6b MA
15 years ago
Really, really happy for you Gardenbug, that you are able to focus on your children and what they are about in the world as a comfort to you right now. They are doing amazingly well when you stop and think of what young people are up against in the world today. They also still need your support and being needed is...well...'a necessity'. :-)
veronicastrum
15 years ago
Beautiful!

And amazing to consider how universal is the basic drawing of a house or a flower.

What a great antidote to a day of dismal business and political news here.

Thanks so much for sharing.

V.
dodgerdudette
15 years ago
Wonderful Marie. How proud you must be of the work done by your DS. How easy it is for us to forget how fortunate we are to live where we do.

Kathy in Napa
saucydog
15 years ago
It is so nice to see the end result of a great idea! So often we are left to wonder.

What a beautiful bouquet in the celebratory picture. Pride would be the word I would use to sum up that photo!

Thank you for sharing and for bringing up such a caring set of children :)

Saucy
deanneart
15 years ago
Just wonderful! YOu must be so proud!

Deanne
michelle_zone4
15 years ago
Thanks for sharing this special part of your life 'bug. The project seems to be a success and you have every right to be proud of your son. The art work on the walls is amazing and I can see why then lion picture is so poignant.

Michelle
gardenmin
15 years ago
Gardenbug:

Thanks for sharing this. Your son is doing wonderful work and would probably enjoy a documentary called "Hole in the Wall" about an experiment in providing slum children in India with computers and access to the internet (he may know about it already). A description can be found on the site linked below, and the documentary itself is available in most libraries.

Don't quite know how to express this or even if this is the right time and place: I am a lurker on gardenweb, and have enjoyed all the pictures you have posted over the years, of gardens and families. I have wanted to tell you how sorry I am about your little lion, but did not want to intrude on your grief. Please accept my condolences.

gardenmin

Here is a link that might be useful: Hole In The Wall
gardenbug
Original Author
15 years ago
Gardenmin, any time is the right time. Thank you.
But do join us, don't be shy!
chelone
15 years ago
'bug, you have much of which you ought to be very, very proud. Kindness, compassion, and a deeply held sense of decency is the core of a "stand up", "grown up", wonderful human being. You and Ric have imbued your kids with those things and the world is a better place because of it. Those are wonderful shots and I'm glad you shared them with us. We're all "in this together", after all.

Gardenmin... when are you going to start chatting with us? Yeah, it can be a "tough room" at times (what room isn't, after all?). But good, decent, fun-loving gardeners are always welcome. (One of my very favorite relatives was, Aunt Minn. She played the piano when Dad went to "dancing school").
flowerluvr
15 years ago
Bug, thank you so much for sharing that. You and your hubby raised a wonderful family.
Brenda

Little Lions (OT, emotional and photo heavy)

Comments (13)

triple_creek

woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada

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