Message from Philbert!!!

To all the kids at high flyers!

  I just thought that I would write to all of you to let you know how I’m getting on in India... I’ve only been out here a month but it feels like a lot longer! I’ve already been to so much places in a city called Chennai, I’ve been to some very nice parts of the city, but I have also been to many very poor places which take up a lot of the space in the city.

  I am now living at a very nice place called Elim children’s farm. It is a huge place with lots space outdoors for all the children to play in. There are three different orphanages here, one for boys and two for girls, overall there are almost 90 orphans here. Each has very few possessions- their school clothes, maybe only two or three changes of clothes, their school bag and schoolbooks- that is all of what they own to themselves. All of these children are just like all you, the same sort of age, the same sense of humour however they are very very poor, they do not have a family and they often have very sad stories about their past before they came here. This place is pretty amazing as when these children had nothing it took them in and gave them a family and education. As well as the children in the homes there are an extra 100 children who come from the poor neighbourhood which our school is in, so it is a very busy place!

  As I told you all before I left that I bought them a garden trampoline so I can teach them a little bit of trampolining out here. It took me a long time to build it and I also now need to dig a big hole to put it in! So far each day I am teaching English, Maths, Art and P.E from 8.30am until 4pm, and as well as that all the children as desperate to have a go on the trampoline... and there being 90 of them I work very hard after school as well so they all get a little go, so if you think that I am normally sweaty at training you should see me out here in the heat teaching 90 children!

  I hope that everything is going well for you all at the club and outside the club as well! I miss you all and I am looking forward to seeing you when I get home! Before I left I heard some of you saying that you would stop doing moves when I go... but I hope by now you have noticed that I am not a big part of your moves... you guys CAN do the moves without me! (I also hope that you older girls have got a grip as well in my absence.) And I must admit I miss being called Philbert or any other strange names you have for me, as out here I’m either called Anna (which means big brother) or Mr.Spencer.

  On the next page I have just put some of the photos of some of the children here at this place and some of the trampoline being in use!

See you when I get back, enjoy the photos!

Phil xxx