Wednesday, December 15, 2010

'BUCKETS OF LOVE' AND THE MARIST ETHOS


Buckets of Love fits squarely into the Marist ethos, says Micaela Arendse, 12, a Grade 6 pupil at St Joseph's Marist Brothers Junior School, Rondebosch, who came along with her classmates to CWD to pack Buckets of Love as a special service. She said her Catholic education has taught her that she is lucky to have what she has because others have been there to help her. Micaela feels privileged to be able to make a difference for someone else, even if it is just over Christmas.
Classmate Thato Menu, 13, agrees with this, adding that “sharing is caring”. Packing buckets, he said, falls within the five Marist values – love of work, the way of Mary mother of Jesus, simplicity, presence (being there for others) and fostering a family spirit (or team spirit).
Cassidy Jacobs, 14, in Grade 8 at St Joseph's senior school, who came to pack on a separate day, said that helping someone else definitely makes her feel good about herself. Fellow packer, Tristan Nathan, 13, in Grade 8 said he likes the idea of disadvantaged people having a taste of good food at Christmas, while Robyn Brink, 12, in Grade 7 at the junior school, said she was there to give others a meal. She said that as a Christian, she was taught to give something back to God, especially by helping others any way she can.
Seventeen-year-old Jamie Joshua, who's in Grade 9, believes that everyone must simply have food over Christmas -- there's just no alternative! He also believes in the importance of having a proper value system, which includes showing people that one cares for them.
Zulfa Arendse, 15, in Grade 9, said she also believes in the principle of feeding families who are unable to fend for themselves, and now for a slightly longer time, particularly because hunger is a big problem in South Africa. She believes this is one small way to address such problems. "Very often, the smallest gesture can be the most significant contribution," Zulfa said.

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