An Evening with Willie McPherson
Business Works invites you to an evening with Reverend Willie McPherson who will capture your heart with his stories of helping mistreated children in Peru.
When and where? On September 30th from 7pm to 9.30pm at the Power House Scottish Mining Museum at Newtongrange. Rev Willie recalls his first trip to Peru as if it were yesterday. Intense poverty and guerilla warfare were rife against the backdrop of the awe-inspiring Amazon rainforest. Faced with the horror of thousands of children under the age of 12 living on the streets, the Clydebank preacher knew he had to help.
His experience prompted an attempt in 2001 at the seemingly impossible - to sail a former Greenock ferry 9000 miles from Finnieston to the jungle city of Iquitos.
The ship, the Amazon Hope, has helped more than 100,000 people along the Amazon river - but has fallen into disrepair. Willie, 48, took up the challenge again, sailing yet another ship over 2000 miles up the river to help the children. His incredible trip has been filmed for an eight-part documentary - Amazon Heartbeat - shown on STV. Rev Willie recalls: “If I was an artist I could paint a clear picture of those first children I saw in 1990. The memory of their faces has stayed with me. I knew at the time I had to come back and do something, anything, to help. Twelve friends offered to fund me for four years if I promised to raise £1million a year for Peru. That was 18 years ago.”
With funding from charity, The Vine Trust, the volunteers and medical staff on board the Amazon Hope 2 gave health care to the children. They treat people suffering everything from the most minor ailments to malaria, alligators and bites from bloodsucking fish.
BusinessWorks welcomes you to a thoughtprovoking evening to remember at the Power House Scottish Mining Museum at Newtongrange.
When and where? On September 30th from 7pm to 9.30pm at the Power House Scottish Mining Museum at Newtongrange. Rev Willie recalls his first trip to Peru as if it were yesterday. Intense poverty and guerilla warfare were rife against the backdrop of the awe-inspiring Amazon rainforest. Faced with the horror of thousands of children under the age of 12 living on the streets, the Clydebank preacher knew he had to help.
His experience prompted an attempt in 2001 at the seemingly impossible - to sail a former Greenock ferry 9000 miles from Finnieston to the jungle city of Iquitos.
The ship, the Amazon Hope, has helped more than 100,000 people along the Amazon river - but has fallen into disrepair. Willie, 48, took up the challenge again, sailing yet another ship over 2000 miles up the river to help the children. His incredible trip has been filmed for an eight-part documentary - Amazon Heartbeat - shown on STV. Rev Willie recalls: “If I was an artist I could paint a clear picture of those first children I saw in 1990. The memory of their faces has stayed with me. I knew at the time I had to come back and do something, anything, to help. Twelve friends offered to fund me for four years if I promised to raise £1million a year for Peru. That was 18 years ago.”
With funding from charity, The Vine Trust, the volunteers and medical staff on board the Amazon Hope 2 gave health care to the children. They treat people suffering everything from the most minor ailments to malaria, alligators and bites from bloodsucking fish.
BusinessWorks welcomes you to a thoughtprovoking evening to remember at the Power House Scottish Mining Museum at Newtongrange.
The Power House
Scottish Mining Museum
Newtongrange
Tuesday 30th September 2008
6.30 for 7pm - 9.30pm
Tickets £15
Refreshments included.
Scottish Mining Museum
Newtongrange
Tuesday 30th September 2008
6.30 for 7pm - 9.30pm
Tickets £15
Refreshments included.
All proceeds raised on the night will go to Willie McPherson's AMAZON HOPE fund
Update - The evening was a great success. Willie was a very inspirational speaker and all that attended enjoyed the evening. Business Works managed to raise over £600 on the night which was donated to the charities fund.
