From Thulie in Clooney Parish

Life is still good after two months and learning as fast as I could.

Work is piling up every day and my child protection and safeguarding teacher is really working me. And you cannot see it when she is giving you the skills because she does it in a nice and enjoyable way.

I told myself that I will try to get everything to every corner of mind by hook or by crook

We have gone through the safe guarding and protection manual and after that we had to do a few visits in centers that work with children. Visited centres are Sure Start at Ebrington centre, where the parents spend some time with the children and meeting other dads and moms and child minders. They learn more from others and have fun with the kids. We also visited Derry View centre which cares for abused kids and I found that the children’s speech wasn’t good. They could do a lot more with action than talking.

After that we then did evaluations on Child protection in parishes that includes the parish of Aghnaloo, Balteagh, Carrick and Tammlaghtard in Limavady and Urney and Sion Mills in Strabane. Last visit was in Belfast at St Anne's Cathedral to meet the child protection officer and who shared more on child protection and Safeguarding for children and adults.

  School visits 

Schools that I have visited are Lisnagelvin primary and Ebrington primary. The schools have monthly assemblies which are conducted by the priests from all the churches. I was given an opportunity to run the assembly and have a little talk about my country. The All Saints youth worker has a class with P5s after assembly, and we were able then go to class and have a lesson with them. I also had the opportunity to attend Scribblers, an out of school club, which helps children with their home work and behavioural change

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Thulie's first week in Ireland

I received this trip to Ireland as a surprise from Bishop Ellinah and Us in Ireland. At first I didn’t have much time to think about it because it was more of a short notice as I was supposed to have an international passport and a visa.

Had a safe trip from Swaziland to Johannesburg, from Johannesburg to Abu Dhabi, and Abu Dhabi to Dublin.

Then – magic.

The moment I saw Ireland’s lush green landscape from the airplane’s window, I sensed I was entering a world that was unlike anything I had experienced before. When I walked outside the airport and the sea breeze hit me; I was enchanted. It’s raining almost every day and cold even though they say it’s their spring for me it’s the coldest winter I have ever experienced.  I arrived on Tuesday and it’s now a week since I came, and for me to survive the three months I have left everything behind me and let Ireland sink into every pore of my being. 

My first stay was in Dublin at a Theological College where I spent two nights. Then went to Mohill on a Thursday and I also spent two nights. Mohill is a very quiet place mostly owned by farmers and stayed at Jan and Linda’s house, Inis d’ór. Then on Saturday I went to Northern Ireland where I will spend the rest of my stay. I was welcomed by All Saints rector Revd Malcolm Ferry who was really nice to me. My first night was at Mervyn and Rhona’s house then on Sunday I went to church at All Saints. Later on that day I moved to my house at the All Saints centre which is attached to the parish office.

Ireland engages every one of the human senses unlike no other. The landscapes, the food, the drink, the people, and the mystical energy of Ireland has created a festival for all of my senses and will keep me enraptured for the rest of my stay and life. This is a learning curve that I never could have imagined.

On the 1 April I went to one of the primary schools for a school assembly and it was really amazing and the children are fed from morning, break, lunch and some with dinner. I could say like in a five star hotel.  

Church in Ireland is like their second home they do all sorts of activities you can ever think of and have a lot of fundraising strategies with very little money. Activities engage everyone from two weeks old to the eldest and it’s funny to see gogos dancing.  Children are a priority, they have a safe guarding policy which is not only meant for the children but also the people in charge like the priests and teachers.

I was not expecting what I found in Ireland. I have seen with my eyes the most beautiful things on Earth. I could go blind today and have memories to satisfy me for the rest of my life.

The people are as mesmerizing to me as the perfect landscapes. The absence of arrogance in the Irish people left me falling in love with everyone I spoke with. The open hearts, the transparency, the pure intentions; at first I thought it foreign and odd. Then it dawned on me that this is the way humans are meant to treat each other. This is how God intends us to love one another.Looking forward to learning more that I can bring home with me.

Thulie