Answering the call to  love God’s children at Malabar RC Primary

On August 18, Fr David S Khan, Vicar for Education and CEO of the Catholic Education Board of Management, issued a letter to all Catholic primary and secondary schools entitled, ‘Love God’s Children’.

Fr Khan also stated in an August 24 CN article that: “God’s children are not only the little ones….we are God’s children, so we have to love God, we have to love neighbour and we have to love ourselves” .

This call of love to neighbour and love of God’s children by Fr Khan occurred at Malabar RC Primary.

The school has been repainted, and the pupils’ washrooms refurbished after approximately 25 years. For the “love of God’s children”, the school has received overwhelming support and generosity from both the public and private sectors aka ‘neighbours’.

It all began on July 12, when the school kept a fundraiser party at Sensational Sammy’s RestoBar, Arima. The school’s Principal (Ag) Michele Carter personally contacted parents and requested their support in the purchasing of tickets. The response was tremendous and resulted in the desired funds being raised. However, the journey to creating an aesthetically pleasing and comfortable school had just begun.

The repainting of the exterior required more paint than initially estimated.

Along came another ‘neighbour’ in the form of Curepe Colour Paint Shop and Republic Bank Ltd who partnered with the acting principal, staff, parents, and pupils to ensure that there was sufficient paint.

Curepe Colour Paint Shop, along with other paint shops, then acquired and donated several gallons of paint towards the interior. Graduate interns from Republic Bank contributed physical labour by painting the staff room, library and Standard 4 departments.

Another ‘neighbour’, the Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT), Maintenance Division, Arima, St George East district, provided five painters, led by Ryan Garrick, who embarked on the task of repainting the school’s exterior without any cost to the school. Employees from other MoWT departments also assisted by providing free labour for plumbing and tiling.

This massive outpouring of love for God’s children continued as auxiliary staff members Allison, Ann-Marie, Jennifer, and Shelly-Ann, volunteered to paint some interior areas, going far beyond the call of duty. Some teachers also painted their classrooms using their own funds.

A parent, Dharamraja Balkaran, also collaborated with the school to give generously in time, treasure and talent to ensuring that the refurbishment of the pupils’ washrooms was one of excellence.

On behalf of the parents, staff, and pupils of Malabar RC Primary, I thank Almighty God for the great work He has done and to all those who have kept Christ’s commandment to “love one another as I have loved you”. In so doing, these contributors have acted as Pilgrims of Hope and have fulfilled the Holy Father’s wish of expecting the faithful to exhibit tangible signs in this Jubilee Year. – Michele Carter, Principal (Ag)