From Coronation Park to Central America

ALL set for Honduras this June is Elsie Normington. She hopes to meet lots of children when she is there and wants to take little gifts for them. Elsie, who is usually to be found organising events for the mature (not to say elderly) down at Merkinch Community Centre, is appealing for some small, light items she can take as presents.

She will be carrying these in a backpack, so she suggests suitable things would be: yo-yos; small cars, teddies or balls; beanies; hair baubles or scrunchies; Scottish tea towels; pictures of Scotland; T-shirts with a Scottish design, light tartan material, etc.

“Please remember that I will be travelling to some extremely remote parts of the country and my luggage space will be very limited,” she said. All donations should reach Elsie by the third week in May – you’ll find her at the Community Centre, or if she’s not around ask for Rose.

This is not Elsie’s first visit to Central America for though she has not been to Honduras she has travelled to Guatemala – but her husband George is more familiar with the country, having been several times.

On the last occasion he returned with a moving story of a disabled boy in the village of Pallassio who lacked the most basic amenities. So vivid was his description of the conditions he and his family were living in that when the congregation of the King’s Fellowship, where the Normingtons worship, heard it they held a spontaneous collection there and then, kick-starting a fund which amounted to a thousand pounds.

The Honduran family has been able to build a house, and the Normingtons aim to bring home photographs to show fellow worshippers what their contribution was able to achieve.