Thank You God

Mrs. Thetis Katsouris and Self Help African Women showing off one of their blankets presented to the Jairos Jiri Association in Gwelo.  Girls include:  Gertrude Mundenda, Vongai Mbadzo, Isabel Chileshe, Noreen Phirie, Rosemanry Makleka. Margaret Phiri, Jane Sunga.

Thank You God

Mrs. Katsouris was not successful in teaching the finer points of traditional Greek embroidery in the heart of Africa.  Changing tack to teach basic knit and pearl in manageable assignments of small squares, was very successful.  By the approach of winter the Self Help girls had made six blankets.  It was decided to make a donation to a worthy cause: the Jairos Jiri Association in Gwelo, forty miles away, was chosen.  The white community donated a bundle of clothing to fit all sizes and shapes, nursery rhyme books and some pictures to brighten the walls.   Mom and the instructors also packed a big box of sticky buns given by Midlands Bakery.

Thank You God

The Jairos Jiri buildings were prefab, built hastily origionally to house ex-soldiers who had TB. The windows were wide and the floors were concrete.   Now it housed the deaf and blind children drawn from the huge Tribal Trust Lands of the Midlands.

The staff of the deaf children had not received professional training.  These dedicated elderly women taught them parrot fashion.

The blind children sang and the deaf children stamped in rhythm.  The walls reverberated with the blind children’s welcome song Thank You God for Making Us Whole.  It moved the visitors to tears. It was day of celebration that became an annual event.

Mom decided to bring together the deaf and blind from Jairos Jiri and the Loreto Mission at Gokwe, 60 miles from Que Que.  They would camp together at Echo Park.   It would be a challenge.