100 ABSTRACTS - NUMBER 46 & FLOWER FRIDAY

Sadly the intention of me cutting the lawn did not work out yesterday - by the time I had pushed the button then lifted this handle and that handle, the lawn mower “ran away with me” so I almost ended up in next door’s garden!  Mr. HCB said that he would do it, (and I think he was secretly pleased I couldn't manage!) but I walked behind him to make sure he was all right!  I just hope that the little pollinators realise how much we are looking after them.

When we went for a wander around the garden early this morning, I found this beautiful allium, which looks like one of nature’s own abstracts - in fact, I think it looks like a kaleidoscope picture.

I’m happy to use this for Number 46 in my 100 Abstracts Challenge for the Mamie Martin Fund, which is doing wonderful work by supporting young women and girls and enabling them to complete their secondary education in North Malawi.  Here is another story of a young women supported by the Fund:

LINVELL, who is now 32 years old was the seventh born of eight children;  her parents were subsistence farmers in the district of Mzimba in North Malawi. She attended Robert Laws secondary school in Embangweni but her parents did not have enough money for fees so the Fund supported her.  Three of her sisters went to secondary school, but because of the impoverished finances in the family, none of her brothers continued beyond Form 2;  they are now subsistence farmers.  World Vision supported one of her sisters and all the sisters now work for the Malawian Government. 

Linvell studied nursing and midwifery at Kamuzu College of Nursing (University of Malawi) graduating in 2012.  When her Government loan stopped after two years, she struggled financially so her parents sold their only cows to allow her to complete her degree studies. There is a huge shortage of nurses in Malawi and working her way up, Linvell is now a Nursing Officer in charge of a maternity ward in Lilongwe, Mitundu Community Hospital. She lives in a staff house in the hospital with her husband and two children aged 5 and 2 and at present is the breadwinner for her own family, her parents and other family members and is eager to carry on the Fund vision by supporting other girls with their education.  What a wonderful role model. If you want to see and hear Linvell, do watch this YouTube video.  It is worth watching and made me feel very humble and thankful for all that we have!

It was good to meet my friend, Rachel, for coffee this morning at Jack’s, but if I am honest, I am still not totally happy with going in to have coffee, although it was wonderful to see Rachel again after so long and we had a good catch up.

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, 
     brings peace for today, 
          and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
Melody Beattie

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MaureenIles