Rotary Fellowship in Spain

Rotary Fellowship in Spain Mar 2016 Fellow Club Member Jim Haines returns with a Banner

Subject: La Linea/ Gibraltar visit. March 2016.

 On a fine Saturday morning in March, Jim and I boarded a coach in Guadalmina, Spain, along with 39 other Rotarians and guests. We were heading off to a Municipality called La Linea. This is the poorest area in Spain, with a very high proportion of unemployment, Homelessness, and People with mental Health and Addiction issues. This visit was organised by The Rotary Club of Guadalmina. This group meets every Thursday in a Restaurant called El Cortijo de Romano, which is near San Pedro de Alcantara, a beautiful part of Spain, just outside of Marbella. Jim goes to the Meetings when we are there, visiting. On one such visit, the Group hosted Jim, Brian P and our President Geoff!!  Jim and I decided to join them on this visit, as we were privileged to be visiting a Project in La Linea, which the Group supports. The Project is called HOGAR BETANIA. {Bethany Home.} The founder, Ms. Begonia A, runs the Hostel which cares for homeless men and women. In recent years, the Project has found an increasing number of Homeless women, and indeed, whole families living on the streets. Addiction, Family breakdown and Job loss being just some of the factors that trigger Homelessness. Hogar Betania also provides food to about 520 very poor Families, and tries to get the young folk into Apprenticeships. This is a long term and extremely ambitious Project, and as the Photographs show, is ongoing. The Guadalmina Club has provided an Industrial size Dishwasher and Freezer for the Kitchen, a 3 metre high Security Fence and 40 lockable Fire doors for the Bedrooms. They are also supporting the installation of Solar Panels, to minimize the Heating Bills, and maximize the use of the beautiful weather!! La Linea is a city of 66,000 inhabitants and unemployment is 46%. People are allowed to stay for 12 months, and Counselling is available for both drug and alcohol addiction, and after 6 months, the clients get help with obtaining employment, both in La Linea, or elsewhere.  After a lively talk by Begonia, and coffee and very nice biscuits, we were shown around the Home and garden, where they grow their own veg!! At Lunch time we then re boarded the coach, and headed to the Border, as La Linea is 5 kms from Gibraltar!! We then walked across the Border, Passports at the ready!!! Some forget... not today though!! We headed for the Ship called THE SUNBORN, which is where the Group had Lunch together. It is a Hotel/ Ship, and is very grand!! Begonia and her husband, who is a Police Officer, joined us for Lunch, on the Ship. The journey on the Coach was hilarious, as the Organiser, a very humorous Norwegian, had us in hysterics with his humour and entertaining Raffle draw. Another Norwegian guy, handed out his health Remedy... Honey... surrounded with Rum!! And another member of the Nordic Group, a Finn, got up out of his seat, and entertained us, in Perfect English, with some very funny jokes!! It was such a joyous day, and the Group made us so welcome, and we felt so privileged to be part of the day. It was great for me too, as my dear dad was stationed in Gib before the war, and during the war, with the Duke of Cornwalls’ Light Infantry, before he was stationed with the BEF, in Dunkirk.  ‘’Hatred paralyses Life; Love releases it. Hatred confuses Life; Love harmonises it. Hatred darkens Life; Love illuminates it.’’ MARTIN LUTHER KING. Jr.

Photos & Story above supplied by Pat Haines