January 2010
Hello to all our Magical Fairies and Friends of Magical Moments
MAGICAL MOMENTS – JANUARY 2010
Our best wishes to you all for 2010. The beginning of a new year brings opportunities for fresh resolutions,
dreams and aspirations – the possibility for new opportunities and adventures, a chance to find new paths for
new journeys. May this year bring us all abundance, a year filled with love and laughter, joy and celebration.
The magical workshop officially re-opened on 18 January, with our fairies returning energized, with re-charged
wings - ready to fly and spread the magic of love and playfulness ….
Here are some of January’s Magical Moments to share with you – for a glimpse into some of these magical
moments click on SLIDESHOW to view photographs from this month’s e-newsletter. [Once the slideshow
opens, press F11 to enlarge the screen, give it time to upload.]
SALEM’S SANCTUARY – HILLBROW – SALEM’S BIRTHDAY PARTY – MONDAY, 4 JANUARY 2010
Salem, an 11 year old girl living in Hillbrow with her mother Naomi, have come across children living in the
neighbourhood who are extremely neglected, most underprivileged and some who are living in dire
circumstances. They have befriended these children and look out for them, often taking them to their home to
be fed, bathed or just a safe place to take refuge. The concrete “flat-land” is not safe for the children and during
the weekends and holidays they gather in her bachelor flat to play and perhaps have a meal. Naomi reaches
out to these children in her personal capacity and both her and Salem have played a pivotal role in the upliftment
and transformation of some of the children.
Salem, our Shining Star, turned 11 years of age today, celebrating her special day with 12 of her little friends
from Hillbrow. As always, shrieks of joy on arrival with lots of excitable welcoming New Year hugs from the
children. A celebration for all of them, who are so eager to escape their confined space in Hillbrow - to run
and play and scream without reproach, this time in the McDonald’s playground in Rivonia (their wish for a
party place). They rushed from the private party room into the play area, returning for their Happy Meal
lunch, cutting of the birthday cake, songs and gifts and back again.
She was delighted with her gift, the classic book “The Little Prince”, a bunch of her favourite flowers, Roses
and gifts from McDonald’s as well. Salem handed out the party packs to all the children, much to their
delight too.
For days afterwards, the unrelenting excitement from our littlest guest (2½ years) screeching “me, me, me”
rang in our ears! Like a little ricocheting bullet, he hurtled from one activity to another, loving the chance to
be released from the captive environment and limited space of his home inside a shop in Hillbrow, to the
freedom of a playground – to do what children to – play, laugh, scream, have fun – under the watchful eyes
of caring fairies and much older play mates. Shrieks of joy. At the highest level.
Thank you to Susan for generously and kindly making and delivering a beautiful Barbie cake for Salem to
take home to share with everyone and to Magical Fairy Michelle for joining us and helping make this day
memorable for Salem.
Thank you letter from Salem, after her 11th birthday party at McDonald's on 4 January 2010.
Dear Magical Moments
I thank you so much for what happened yesterday on the 4 th January. It was the first time in my
life to celebrate my birthday in that way. It was a great surprise for me. May God grant you
mercy to continue to do good. Thank you for the book “Little Prince”. I’ll start reading it from
today. I’ll tell you about it.
I love you from the bottom of my heart. I have the good thoughts about you. But now I am still
young, I will never forget you as long as I live.
Thank you very much.
That’s your baby
Salem
Last year, Salem was given the opportunity to make a wish following a donation from a donor who wanted
to spoil her. Her two wishes were for assistance with her education and food for the children. Both wishes were
granted and more!
Salem started Grade 8 (high school) this year, a few days after her 11 th birthday and we are proud to have
nominated her as our first Shining Star Foundation recipient.
Then, the following day, Tuesday, 5 January we met Salem and her mom Naomi in Sandton City. After
showing them around the Sandton library (their first time in a library), we meandered through the Square
into the shopping centre. After a lunch of their choice in the food hall, we headed off to a large supermarket
where Salem weaved through the aisles on her Retail Therapy excursion, filling the trolley with any food or
groceries that she wanted for her “Sanctuary”, to be shared with the children who frequent her home. They
were both very delighted with this luxury shopping trip, an unrestricted opportunity to buy niceties and
necessities.
JS MPANZA PRIMARY SCHOOL – SOWETO – LUNCH TREAT – WEDNESDAY, 27 JANUARY 2010
A primary school situated in Diepkloof, Soweto. Currently, 305 children are enrolled, many from financially
impoverished and disadvantaged backgrounds, some orphaned and vulnerable. All receive food from the daily
feeding scheme provided by the government, usually a staple starch.
The procession of fairies arrived at the school in Soweto and immediately set to work, after all, the principal
had told us to “make it snappy”. We had a short time to prepare the lunch treat, to be given to the children
during their short morning lunch break. A light drizzle ascended on the school and we served the children in
their classrooms, each being treated to a freshly made hot dog, crisps and a Bratz magazine (kindly donated).
As some of the children had not come to school due to a service delivery strike in the area and the persistent
rain over the past few days, with left over treats, we headed off to a day care centre around the corner and
came across an oasis of colour in the bleak surroundings of a hostel (housing area) – a day care centre in a
converted container – and on entering, the 30+ little children were absolutely delighted with their surprise
treats and unexpected guests.
The heavens opened and the fairies scurried off, the balance of hot dogs being distributed along the way and
the last few to very hungry tummies – a group of children patiently waiting in their late transport vehicle
outside Witkoppen School, that was to take them home to Diepsloot. Another unexpected surprise.
Over 350 hot dogs and treats were handed out to hungry tummies on this dreary grey and wet summer day.
Thank you to our team of fairies who came along to help prepare and serve lunch Bev, Corné, Carla and
Louise and Old School au pair fairies Christopher, Bianca and Maaike.
And that’s not all …. We are pleased to share with you that Koketso has commenced her much needed therapy
sessions as part of the Heal a Child campaign; and groceries and food items were purchased for Lulamani
instead of Christmas gifts in December – much needed as the children returned to the day care centre in
January and the pantry was bare.
Thank you to our Ambassador fairies who continue to spread the word and bring amazing people into our forest
and to the fairies who accompanying me on long and adventurous journeys searching for and assessing new
beneficiaries.
January’s “Gratitude Wheel” [where we thank and acknowledge financial donations - a wheel because
“what comes around, goes around” – what comes in to Magical Moments from you goes out to uplift both
the children and many others through the gift of giving …. and so the wheel turns – continuously in motion,
no beginning and no end, a circle of giving and receiving ….] Without you, there would be no magic.
Our deepest gratitude to you all for filling our Cookie Jar – a magnificent start to a new year.
Willy Robinson
Help the Children (Italy)
Conclude
U-care
A very generous friend who wishes to remain anonymous
Shaun Pollak
SSEM Mthembu
To all the Facebookers, please add Magical Moments as a Cause and invite your friends to do the same.
Please click here.
There are hundreds and hundreds of stunning photographs of our events. It is so difficult to select just a few to
share with you in our newsletter. Please browse our Magical Moments Website - photos from some of the
events have been posted. The photos tell the story – use your imagination – just add sound and share in our
“Extra-ordinary days” – days different from yesterday and different from tomorrow – days filled with fun and
laughter, colour, treats and love. The “essence” of Magical Moments. Pure delight!
Enjoy the photos and share in the magical moments!
With our hugs and kisses and magical wishes.
Ilana Friedman, Fairy godmother & all the magical children
“There is something very special in each and every one of us.
We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference.
And if we can become aware of that gift,
We gain through the strength of our visions
The power to shape the future."
[Excerpt from The Starfish Story by Loren C Eiseley]
"When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping
about, and that was the beginning of fairies."
J.M. Barrie - Peter Pan
MAGICAL MOMENTS
"Celebrating the niceties in life & not only the necessities"
Tel : 083 324 0320
Fax : 086 671 3562
Email : dreamtime@mweb.co.za
Website : www.magicalmoments.co.za
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