In a remote village far from the city, the school bell rings, children walk into their classrooms, few dragging their feet, some with big smiles, some with tired eyes.
Miss Mary walks in and starts teaching. She tries engaging the children by asking questions.
*No hands up.*
She wants to shake them up, to get them going. She asks them to stand up and look to
the right, look to the left, and greet the person next to them. Children stand up reluctantly and their silent sighs fills the classroom.
The teacher knows what the problem is.
She asks everyone to sit back down. They cannot focus on what she is saying as they are hungry. They have not had anything to eat. The last they have eaten was the previous day at lunch time. Despite this, they have walked miles to get to school barefoot or with tattered footwear.
Its heart wrenching for Miss Mary although it is a small burden to bear, compared to the what the children are going through. Miss Mary continues, doing her best. Every so often, the children’s eyes keep looking at the door. The tired eyes, looking longingly for something to arrive.
Miss Mary is disturbed by the rustling and the whispers behind her and turns around to face the children. She faces a joyous sight; all children their eyes lit up like a beautiful Christmas tree, stare back at her.
Miss Mary meets the Happy Bar Delivery Man at the door picks up a box of bars that have come all the way from a far-off city to their very remote village and school. Miss Mary knows the children cannot wait any longer and rushes to give them the one bar that they have waited 20 hours for.
She watches while the children quickly unwrap the bars and gobble it down with gladness.
Few of them stop to look up and smile, some start chatting with their friends, there is an occasional chuckle and giggle, sounds that seem to come from their inner being. There is chatter, playful banter and so much energy in the cramped classroom its infectious and Miss
Mary now begins class in real earnest knowing that the children are now ready to listen, their little bodies relishing the sweet delight of the Happy Bar.
The Happy Bar team and all its champions strive to get that one bar to every child who has walked many miles in tattered shoes to get to school.
Thank you Happy Bar champion donors, you have put yourself in their shoes.
Boing – the Happy Bar mascot says,
Walk in my shoes,
come chase away the blues.
Peek into my classroom
come shoo away the gloom.
Bring us a happy bar.
and you be the Star.
