Tuesday 18 November 2014

An update - 18th November 2014



Our current total stands at €5,379.00.
Thanks to you all!
We hope to get to €6,000 before Christmas.

About twenty-five hardy souls braved the elements ten days ago.
The rain drummed down on our attic window in the early morning but mercifully stopped for about 90 minutes around 11.00 am as we were heading off on our walk.

Tea and cakes were provided at both ends of the pilgrimage courtesy of neighbours and family.
Our thanks to the Quakers in Monkstown for lending us their facilities.

(Wo)man of the walk was Irene who arrived in good time who wisely took a 30 minutes head start (she had walked from Blackrock first, after all!).. Irene taught in Sierra Leone many years ago after war broke out in neighbouring Nigeria where she had been working.

There is a nice photo in the Medecins Sans Frontieres blog of Irene and myself before we head off.
website: http://www.msf.ie/event/padraic-murrays-family-and-friends-walk .

There have been great advances in fighting Ebola since this blog was first launched.
Governments around the world have reacted with purpose and generosity.
Fear and panic has been replaced with a resolve to deal with the virus.

We still hope for a breakthrough vaccine.
We daily remember the hundreds of volunteers, overseas and local, who are risking their lives at this very moment.
We are pleased that the Irish Government and the Irish people have reacted with such enthusiasm.
We wish Bob Geldof and company well.

We think of the victims. Those who die a terrible death and the happy ones who survive.
We and they are in debt to Medecins sans Frontieres and others who toil in the field.

We wish the volunteers well and hope we can find a way of acknowledging their great work.

Over and out.

For now!

Wednesday 5 November 2014

Midweek update 5th November 2014






 
(view over Clew Bay from Croagh Patrick)

We have all been in training during the week for the Saturday walk.
Some neighbours are joining us on the walk.
Some are baking cakes for the walkers.

We had a great surge in offline donations yesterday.
And a very generous second donation of €250 from a founding supporter this morning.
Thanks to you and to all who have given!

I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support.
Everyone, but everyone applauds the work of MSF.
We keep the MSF volunteers (and other charities too) daily in our thoughts.

Logistics permitting, we will have cake and coffee at the end of the walk too.

Roll on Saturday..............