As we approach the halfway point of our 500km journey, it is as if the whole of the riverlands has opened its arms to us and embraced us in the very fullest sense of the term. There is a tangible momentum to the run now. We can all feel it. Every step we take is now imbued with the love and support of all the kind-hearted individuals we have met over the past three days. The sometimes lonely struggle of life on the road has now blossomed into a joyous celebration of human endeavour and of our collective efforts to make a positive change in the world.
Today was truly a very special day as we visited three utterly delightful schools; Berri Primary School, Barmera Primary School and Cobdogla Primary School. Our Team Captain, Ivan Marek, captured the essence of the day perfectly when he wrote: "As each child holds the torch and makes their personal wish for peace it is possible to see and feel the truly amazing potential for humanity’s future, as these marvelous ambassadors for the years to come grow and blossom into the Australia that is ahead, through the nurturing given to them by their families, schools and communities. To quote the words of the founder of the Peace Run, Sri Chinmoy, they are truly Australia’s ‘tomorrow's sun’."
From the bottom of our hearts, we thank everyone who made today's school visits such memorable experiences.
With each new group we meet, we celebrate our unity in diversity and our collective yearning for a better and more peaceful world. The language of the heart knows no boundaries of creed or culture or of age or income. It is a language spoken by every single human being and indeed most fluently by the children of today. It is language expressed through loving eyes and smiling faces, through discovering and sharing, through seeing and celebrating the good in others.
As the Peace Run continues its journey along the Murray River, may the river of goodness within us all flow ceaselessly and abundantly. Enjoy below some snapshots from our magical day and journey with us, as together, we take the first step towards a future flooded with hope and promise.
A big thank you to Maria Rivera for all her hard work in making our visit to Berri Primary School such a memorable occassion.
Such a beautiful welcome at Cobdogla Primary School!
How is this for a welcome banner? Such beautiful doves!
Monique (on right of photo) welcomed us into the delightful school
Principal David Ness was instrumental in organising our visit. Thank you David.
Vicki (pictured centre with white shirt) put an incredible amount of time and energy into organising peace-themed activities for the children
A big thank you to Kirsty and Andy at Waikerie Holiday Park for donating a beautiful cabin on the banks of mighty Murray River. It was incredible to watch the sunset over the water at this idyllic riverfront location. Sascha, our Russian team member, was particularly delighted to the see numerous kangaroos and emus on the park grounds. We highly recommend a visit here if you get the chance!
Andrew the Waikerie Hotel very kindly donated two rooms for four of our runners. It is such a nice hotel and we enjoyed a very comfortable rest after a long day on the road.
