100 ABSTRACTS - NUMBER 71

Yesterday, once the rain had stopped, whilst out clearing behind the fence and pulling up some stubborn couch grass, the middle finger on my right hand triggered and I could hardly bear to straighten because it was so painful, but I did manage it eventually, although it has been very painful ever since.  Then I cut my wrist on a spiky branch, and to top it all, when I walked quite a short distance in the afternoon, my knees were very sore - BUT I am glad to be alive and when I think of what friends of ours are going through with a very sick child, I realise I have nothing to grumble about, so sorry if it sounded as if I was whingeing.  

I am determined to get my knees working properly again, so I decided to go out for a walk early this morning, before a friend came over for coffee.  At 7.45 I put my walking boots on and went for a walk round “my field”.  It was beautiful and I realise how much I have missed doing this - so will be doing it more regularly. 

I hadn’t seen my friend, Caroline, for many months, so it was good to catch up with her again this morning and she has said she will sponsor me, so one more to add to the list, which is growing and a special “Thank you” to all who have sponsored me so far.

I took lots of photographs in my field, but I rather liked this one of the daisies in one of the wild flower beds in our garden - with just a hint of purple, which are the little thistles.  I needed to do a little fartnarkling, again using my iColorama app - and I make no excuses for that.  Once you learn how to use an app, sometimes you have to keep using it so that it becomes second nature.  

Of course, it also allowed me to use this as Number 71 in my 100 Abstracts Challenge, to raise awareness of the Mamie Martin Fund, which exists to help girls in North Malawi to get a good secondary school education and as they are flowers, it also counts towards the Flower Friday Challenge - so two-for-one again.  

The Mamie Martin Fund was founded in 1993 by Margaret and John Sinclair in memory of Margaret’s mother, Mamie, who worked to empower women and girls through education in 1920s Malawi.

While in Malawi with her husband Jack, a Church of Scotland missionary, she became aware of the need for girls and women to have access to education and she used her experience as a teacher to set up classes, with great success. Jack and Mamie are still remembered today in North Malawi and their story is vividly told in “Salt and Light”, the book by their daughter, Margaret, based on their letters and diaries.

Margaret was born in Malawi in 1927, but Mamie died in 1928, giving birth to her second child. A visit to Malawi in 1991 by Margaret and John lit the spark for this charity, which was set up in 1993 after discussion with Malawian friends. In partnership with the Synod of Livingstonia, the Mamie Martin Fund has supported more than 650 girls through their secondary education in Malawi. These girls are already passing on this benefit to the next generation and to Malawian society, a lasting legacy in memory of a remarkable woman.

Last night I listened to extracts of the book, read by Mariot Dallas, one of Jack and Mamie’s granddaughters - and they were very interesting.  

It is a privilege to be involved, albeit in some small way, with this Fund and to know that our efforts and yours, if you have sponsored me, are helping to educate girls in Malawi, and I’m sure that Mamie would be delighted to know that her work continues today.

“Do more than belong: 
     participate. 
Do more than care: 
     help. 
Do more than believe: 
     practice. 
Do more than be fair: 
     be kind. 
Do more than forgive: 
     forget. 
Do more than dream: 
     work.”
William Arthur Ward

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MaureenIles

P.S.  I'm sure you will all be delighted to know that six months from today, it will be Christmas Day - let's hope it will be a better Christmas than last year!