Courage – Cynthia Reyes

Childhood, Children with disabilities, Courage, Inspirational, Joyful Moments, Kindness, The Gift of Mobility

Inspired to Act

April 5, 2019 Cynthia Reyes

What makes a person decide to step up and help someone far away?

Last week, I promised to tell you about my son-in-law’s recent experience.

Tim is based on the west coast and manages big projects in the corporate world. A year ago, Tim had a skiing accident that injured his knee and required major surgery. It left him struggling to get around. Then something else happened.

The story and photos Tim shared with our family are so moving that I asked him to tell you the story – his story – directly.

A GIFT OF MOBILITY

by Tim McCarthy

Recovering from a broken knee and the installation of three pins was not fun.

Then my uncle Jack McCarthy told me about CanUgan, a Canadian-based charity he supports.

Blog Photo - CanUgan - Jack with Mayor & Dep Mayor of Kasese — **Mayor**
Kabbyanga Baluku Godfrey Kime, with Jack McCarthy &
**Deputy Mayor**
Baluku Peter

Its mission is to provide medical assistance technologies to people with disabilities in the Kasese District of Uganda.

When I learned about the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities there and CanUgan’s focus on building local capacity, I felt compelled to support through fundraising. Months later, my uncle asked me to come with him to Uganda to see for myself.

Blog Photo - CanUgan - Women with crutches and cane

In Uganda, Robert, a local board member in the Kasese district, told us about a 12-year old girl we would meet: Katisume Florence.

Four years prior, when she was just 8 years-old, Florence contracted fistula and lost the ability to walk. Her parents carried her short distances around the yard. She would also drag herself on the ground, sometimes in the mud.

What would a 12 year old who had undergone such adversity be like? Hardened? Broken? Sad? I didn’t know what to expect.

We arrived at Florence’s home early in the morning. Word quickly spread that “mzungus” (foreign visitors) had arrived with the deputy mayor, Peter. A crowd formed around him as he introduced us to the community and Florence.

Blog Photo - CanUgan - Florence 1

One of Peter’s fellow board members brought a wheelchair, donated by our local partner organization, KADUPEDI, and presented it to Florence.

She was confused at first. Apparently she had no expectation that she’d ever receive a wheelchair even when it was 20 feet away from her. She approached the chair hesitantly. Peter quickly instructed her on how to pull herself up. She nodded, gave it a moment’s consideration then pulled herself up into the seat.

She smiled. Peter tapped the side-bars on the tires and reminded her to use them to propel the chair forward and backward. Her smile grew and she started rolling, picking up some decent speed before stopping about 20 feet later.

She received some instruction on turning, and she turned herself around. She sped back towards us and went 20 feet in the other direction before turning around again. As she made her way back to us is when I took the picture.

Blog Photo - Florence — Katisume Florence

At the time, I was inspired by her courage, determination and sheer joy at being able to move independently.

It was days later, when reviewing the picture, that I noticed the terrible sores on her knees. It was only then that I really stopped to think about how painful and miserable the last four years’ struggle must have been for this child and her family.

I was inspired and humbled.

Tim has a strong social conscience, but as you can tell, his experience in Kasese was profound. He has raised $3,000 in donations for CanUgan’s 2019 operating year. Such donations help provide individuals with items from hearing aids to wheelchairs.

Blog Photo - CanUgan Boy in Transport device

To donate: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/canugan-disability-support/

A Good Home, Clematis, Courage, Friendship

Life Changes

May 17, 2016 Cynthia Reyes

Blog Photo - Blue-Pink clems

I’m praying for two women I’ve never met in person.

They are in my blogging community. One in Southern Africa, one in the United States. Each was bereaved recently.

I’m also praying for a blogger and his beloved wife in England. She has been undergoing cancer treatments.

Some people may be surprised that we care so much when another blogger hurts. But we do, especially when someone has a health scare or experiences a loss.

Blog Photo - Garden rain cu of lavender blue clematis

Through blogging, we get to know each other’s stories. We read about each other’s lives, families, dreams, disappointments, and triumphs.

We rejoice over the good times: a daughter passes her exams; a parent’s health improves; a husband gets a better job.

So why wouldn’t we also hope and/or pray that a blogger – or a spouse – will triumph over a serious illness?

Blog Photo - BLue clems and Salvia

Why wouldn’t we feel a terrible sadness when the husband of a blogger-friend dies suddenly?

Bloggers know that life changes when we least expect it. That the challenge is to learn, accept, adapt. Which is so easy to say, and so hard to do.

Blog Photo - Blue clematis2

There is such pain in the world.

But also, such hope. Such kindness.

And such courage.

We see that every day in each other’s blog posts.

And we know that, sometimes, just taking the next step is an act of courage.

Dedicated to the persons mentioned in this post, and to all who currently feel buffeted by life’s strong winds. All these flowers are for you.

Blog Photo - Pink Clematis

Photos by Hamlin Grange

A Good Home, Architecture, Canada, Couples, Courage, Following your dreams, Home, Homes, House cleaning, Interior Design, Kitchens, Libraries, Life in canada, Restoration, Restoring old houses

Drum Roll, Please! John’s House Pt. 6

May 2, 2014May 2, 2014 Cynthia Reyes

Ladies and gentlemen!

— Drum roll, please —

The Library is now complete!

The ceiling is done….

And the walls are painted.

Even the floor has been swept.

And with that, all of the repairing, re-plastering and repainting of the rooms has been done. Year One of John Garside’s incredible 3-year mission to restore his large old house, coach house and grounds in Prince Edward County, Ontario, is almost over. And this means that he and his wife Ann can finally move in.

(Gee whiz – I feel like stopping everything right now and having a celebratory drink myself – and it’s not even my house!)

But before we get too excited, I have to tell you there’s still a bit more to do.

Like putting in the baseboards (skirting) around the newly installed floors on the third floor.

And removing all the scaffolding and tools from inside the house.

And paint cans from the kitchen.

And then the big clean-up.

All that before Move-In Day on May 7.

But even during the push to finish it all, John’s feeling delighted with what he’s accomplished – by himself.

“For example, the quote I got to repair the plaster ceilings and crown moldings was $5,000 a room. Instead of going down that path I invested in $50.00 worth of materials (per room) and did it myself. The results are truly amazing! Even the local contractors are impressed!”

He still arrives at the house a little after 7 each morning and works steadily till 4 p.m., stopping only for a light lunch.

“All is on schedule and all deadlines will be met! Ann will be arriving on Sunday (May 4) to help with the final cleanup of the house just before the movers arrive on Wednesday. Great happiness!”

When I told you that John was doing all this work by himself, I wasn’t joking. His wife Ann, a partner in an accounting firm, has been in Toronto, more than two hours away. This is the busiest time of her work-year – tax season – and Ann’s been working flat-out at her job. She hasn’t been to the house since mid- February, when she made “a flash-visit”.

So how does this work for them? How does Ann know she’ll like what John has done?

“Lots of pictures are sent each day to provide Ann with the state of affairs at 27 Centre Street,” John explains.

“Does she trust you THAT much?” I ask John cheekily.

And he replies: “That is why I send the pictures each and every day . . . Feedback is always good!”

On reflection, I’m really liking the sound of this arrangement: Husband does all the hard and dirty work, while wife stays away from all the chaos and white dust, returning when the work is done.

Hmm… Ann, you’re a girl after my own heart.

Way to go, Ann!

Ooops! I really meant: “Way to go, John!”.

Photos by John Garside

A Good Home, Architecture, Canadiana, Canadians, Country Living, Couples, Courage, elderly Parents, Flowers, Following your dreams, Garden, Home, Home Decor, Inspiration, Interior Design, Life in canada, Lifestyle, Photographs, Prince Edward County, Renovating, Restoration, Restoring old houses, Spring Bulbs

Almost There – John’s House Pt. 5

April 24, 2014April 24, 2014 Cynthia Reyes

Ever get the impression that this blog is my way of living vicariously through others? That I write stories about people who do things I wish I could do — or used to be able to do?

If so, you’d be partly right.

But what John Garside is doing – almost entirely by himself – blows my mind. And now, as he nears his self-imposed deadline for moving Ann and himself into their house in Prince Edward County, I find myself holding my breath every time a new email comes from John.

Will this be the email where John finally confesses that he needs a break from all this work, and that – promise or no promise – the idea of moving in this spring is ridiculously un-do-able?

But it never is. Not when he has to repair major cracks in the coach house foundation (below). Not when he undertakes the delicate restoration of original ceiling medallions. Not even when he is clearing out the basement.

A lot of the work has been onerous. As for the basement, John says it “was very crowded — 100 years of clutter — and cut up with old wooden partitions etc. This was totally removed by me. 6,300 lbs. of stuff!!”

Right now, John’s working on finishing up the library.

The more John restores the house, the closer he feels to it, and the more he learns about its past. He’s made a few intriguing discoveries. Like the original signatures of the first owner and his young son, written in concrete.

“William W. Bedell,” explains John, “was the father. Willet V. Bedell was his only son. The boy would have been only 7 or 8 years old when he did it.”

Sadly, Willet died as a young man. It was during the First World War, “on a Troop Ship in 1917 en route to France”.

The second family to own the house were the Wards, though John doesn’t yet know who exactly “Envers” was. There’s still a lot to learn about the home’s history.