Tikhtak

World To Rights project write-ups and resources

Over the last few weeks we have been to Guildford, Chester and Wells cathedral to work with schools    on our World To Rights project. You can find out how we got on as well as see pictures from the events by clicking on this link to the WTR's blog.

Also we have developed resources to go with the project which include assembly material, a full Lent course based on a jigsaw puzzle called "Love to pieces" and downloads from the World To Rights performance. The latest uploaded resource is based on the recent blockbuster Slum Dog Millionnaire, with a "Who wants to be a millionnaire" game on child rights. Throughout the year this will be added to so keeping checking it out. You can access this all free of charge by simply  clicking on this link or logging on at the World To Rights Website. This week we will be going to Worcester and Winchester Cathedrals.

Guildford Cathedral - First week of our World To Rights tour

Today we finished our first week of our CMS World To Rights project which kicked off at Guildford Cathedral. This project is to commemorate 2009 as 50 years of the UN Charter for Child rights. Each day we have worked with over a hundred children from local schools exploring the rights of children through drama workshops, which culminate with a performance at the end of the day. Each day we have had a good audience of parents and cathedral visitors, with the day rounded off by showing the Dvd that we made in Manila about street children there.
The workshops explore Victorian England and travel back to life of children in a Cotton Mill, a Victorian Circus and pick pocketing on the streets of London. The play kicks off in a modern day class room, where the children have been given an assignment to look at Children’s rights in Victorian England. As each child shares their story the stage comes to life.

At the end of the play the children in the classroom are surprised by special visitors who judge which child has understood children’s rights the best. Two surprises are in store for all. The visitors reveal themselves to be children from the Mill, Circus and streets of London who had their rights taken from them and secondly the child considered the weakest in the class stuns his class mates. When asked to make his comment, he stands up and puts on an item of clothing from each of the historical visitors. He then points out that children are at the centre of this story and no right is more important than another. It is children that matter

All our costumes made by a training project in Bangladesh that trains women previously trafficked to get back into employment through tailory skills.  Thanks to Anita’s Mum we have a wonderful backdrop to create our stage. Pictures from this week will be available once checked through by the schools and you can view them by going to our WTR's blog. Next week we are at  Chester and Wells Cathedrals.

Life in Pakistan and homeward bound

In this final week of our time visiting family in Lahore we managed to get out of the city for a day and visit family in the country at Martinpur. It was great to see a green and dust free Punjab from the pollution of Lahore. Martinpur was the family home of Irfana’s Dad and it was great to see village life and learn a bit about the history of Martinpur. Martin was a Presbyterian missionary who came here in the late 19th century, where he set up a church and many people converted to Christianity. The legacy is that today it is an entirely Christian village and we experienced this first hand as Zaburs (psalms in Punjabi) echoed out over loud speakers, where normally you would hear prayers from the mosque. Another legacy was that many low caste members of the community  were able to get an education and many Doctors, Teachers and Politicians have come from this town. Irfana’s Dad is living proof of this

Over this last month I have tasted a little of what the people here are having to deal with 24/7 day to day. The credit crunch has really hit Pakistan badly and everyday has been characterised by hourly power cuts with no electricity for long spells in the day, and gas and petrol shortages. There is a lot of discontentment generally with the government and of course rising tension with India and with the conflict in Palestine. On a number of days Pakistai fighter jets have flown over the city as a kind of show of intent
Last week also saw five bomb blasts at theatres in Lahore, more as a warning to create fear. Thankfully there were no casualties. In spite of this backdrop we have had a very enjoyable stay and actually sitting in candlelit darkness with family and friends, chatting has created some special memories and some good conversations.

Yesterday we took Zara to Lawrence Gardens and she had a great time playing in the children’s playground. Like many things in Pakistan the park is a real family affair and many families from the old crowded part of Lahore come to Lawrence gardens on a Sunday to picnic and hang out. This meant Zara had lots of children to play with and adults too. I was really impressed with the way the playground was designed and many of the climbing frames, swings, roundabouts and slides were adult friendly too so everyone was playing together. To see a selection of all our pics in Pakistan go to my flicker

Tomorrow (Tuesday) we are flying back to the UK and my attention will be turning to our CMS World To Rights tour. We start on Tuesday in Guildford and the tour will go through until June.

Life in Lahore - A Mela, A Zoo and A Convent

 At Christmas and New Year in Pakistan the Christian Communities come together and organise Mela’s as way of celebrating together. This is similar to a church fete with stalls, competitions and a few fair ground type rides. Zara enjoyed playing on the swings and riding on a carousel. Not far away from us was a pirate boat ride, which rocked back and forth like you get at Alton Towers or somewhere like that. However on this one children and adults were standing, hanging off the sides and it looked like any went… What a ride! Then to my surprise my name was called out over the microphone and I was ushered to sit on the main stage in the VIP chairs. So much for being the inconspicuous Englishmen! Basically I was to present prizes for races children had done earlier. There was a bit of a scramble for places as three or four voices kept claiming “I was first, no I was first you were second.” Zara has continued to get to know her new bike which she had for Christmas and she loves to ride it around Irfana’s parent’s back courtyard. This week we had a trip to Lahore zoo with family. There had been a lot of work done on it since my last visit over a year ago and the animal enclosures were modern and spacious. We had a really good time negotiating the best route round, having a train ride and eating ice cream of course. Today we visited Irfana’s convent school where she both attended as a pupil and then Teacher. It was nice to see Irfana being reunited with teacher friends and Nuns who had taught her. Tomorrow we are travelling a few hours out of Lahore to Martinpur to visit family there. It really is now the back straight of our holiday as we return next Tuesday. Check out .