atravelynn

Everybody now!

Let's join hands and raise them high...

Oh Lord, Kumbaya.

nyama

Kumba yo!

(this is how it once was released in my country)

sunshine007

Someone's singing, Lord

DanaPhx

Lynn -

I'd love to join in, but I hate to say how many years it's been since I was a Girl Scout gt;

atravelynn

DanaPhx,

At least you made it to Girl Scouts. I was a Brownie dropout.

napamatt

Are Boy scout drop outs allowed

cw

I was a girl scout until our leader quit, and they couldn't get anyone to replace her--so I'm sort of a girl scout dropout!

divewop

Another brownie drop-out here! And proud of it!

Wingi

And another!

LyndaS

Well, I was a Brownie, and a Guide, and then later a Boy Scout Leader, Treasurer & Camp Chief Assistant for Cubs for 10 years.

And I CAN'T remember the words to Kumbaya! (The words to 'Going on a Lion Hunt - and I'm not afraid!' popped into my mind though....)

But I have a nice story about my experience in the Brownies and I think this board needs a nice story at the moment - even if it is from someone who sees the world through rose coloured glasses and thinks teddy bears have feelings.

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago - in a land not so far away (Ontario, Canada) I was a brownie. Brown Owl told us one day we could get our writer's badge (no fair, Kavey, don't tell, I know you have heard this story before.... )if we could keep a penpal for one year - well actually only from Sept. to June of the next year. I was eight or nine by the way.

I was so excited to see the huge world map that she brought in, and all kinds of addresses from all over the world from kids that wanted penpals in North America. She told us she got the names from "Teen Beat" magazine. I'm dating myself, I know.

She pinned each name up on the world map where that person was located, and then drew straws or numbers or something for the order in which we would pick. And, I was FIRST!!! I couldn't beleive, had never been first in my life for anything - and I got to choose ANYWHERE in the world where I wanted to write to someone.

I proudly walked to the board and scanned the world to pick the MOST exotic place I could think of, my eyes rested on India - oh yes I thought, I would LOVE to have a penpal from India! We were supposed to choose two, in case one didn't write back, then we would still have a chance to get our Brownie writer's badge. As I was born in England (moved to Canada when I was 4), I chose England as the second one.

And, I wrote to both - Mithoo in Calcutta, India, and Susan in Liverpool, England. I was so proud when I brought Brown Owl all the letters from the year in June - I had written tons, and both Mithoo and Susan did too. And, of course I got my writer's badge.

Oh, don't go away - it doesn't stop there!

Not only do I still write to Mithoo in India 40 some-odd years later, but our families have formed a very close bond.

We wrote through teenage heartbreak relationships, boyfriends, the whole nine yeards. We met our husbands-to-be the same year, and we married the same year. We had our sons (one each!) in the same year. And still we had not met, but we kept writing, and our lives ran paralell (wish I could spell that) through the decades. Except she had a daughter 8 years after her son, and we never did.

We met in 1996 in Hong Kong - her and her family lived there at this time. What a thrill! The following year, both our sons graduated (from different schools of course), but her son applied to the University of Washington (Seattle), was accepted and moved here. He then became my second son, as he would come and stay at spring break, and at Christmas and for a bit in the summer. He and my son became very good friends, which they remain so today.

And, her daughter now lives with us, she registered for a college here in Vancouver and was accepted!

And that's my nice story!

Thanks for posting this thread, Lynn - and thanks to whoever is still reading!

matnikstym

<i><b>Someone’s laughing, Lord, kumbaya</b></i>
Cool story Lynda! Any news on if Kennedy's daughter will be joining your family in Vancouver?

atravelynn

Teen Beat! I remember. I was allowed to buy only one in my life because it was not considered a good influence.

Lynda, Thanks for the heart warming story of coincidences and happy endings.

LyndaS

Dennis-

I'm working on finding out all kinds of info for a possible partial scholarship (a supplement only, not a full deal) to help Kennedy out with the tuition, as little did I know that a law degree was 6 years, not four! Sarah (Kennedy's daughter) is a very smart girl, she won top honours in Nairobi in English, as well as she does a lot of volunteer activities, so I think there is a good chance that I may be able to source something. I'm just starting this though, I'll keep you guys posted.

But yes, Jim and I are determined that she will be here in 2010. (hey, same year as the Olympics)

But, meantime, don't forget Dennis we are going together to the Pantanal in 2009!

joeyi

also a brownie drop out, they just didn't do as much fun stuff as the cub scouts did.

Lynn i loved your story, thank you for posting.

joyce

321go

All together:

Someone's dancing, Lord, kumbaya....

(Camp Fire Girl dropout)

cybor

Love your wonderful story Lynda.

I was a brownie and a bad Girl Scout - I think it was suggested at one point that it wasn't my cup of tea.


Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya
O Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s laughing, Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s laughing, Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s laughing, Lord, kumbaya
O Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s crying, Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s crying, Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s crying, Lord, kumbaya
O Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s praying, Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s praying, Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s praying, Lord, kumbaya
O Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s singing, Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s singing, Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s singing, Lord, kumbaya
O Lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya
O Lord, kumbaya

napamatt

Cybor

Bad Girl Scout &gt;

atravelynn

I ditched the fly up (remember that term?) from Brownies to Girl Scouts and my mom was a troop leader.

LyndaS

Sherry-

Bad girl Scout or no, you knew the words - the whole nine yards!! I think your leader was wrong - you should have gone on to take over her job!

Dennis - oops sorry I meant 2010 for the Pantanal - we're going back to Kenya/TZ in 2009!

atravelynn

Lynda, Keep us posted on your Pantanal trip as it develops!

And Kenya-Tanzania 2009, have you laid out any plans for that one?

You may have been a Girl Scout but your packing list shows you also took the Boy Scout motto of &quot;Be Prepared&quot; to heart.