Simon says going to Tanzania was trip of a lifetime

Eighteen-year-old student nurse Simon Greville from Delvin is embarking on his second trip to Tanzania with John McCauley’s Heavenly Homes organisation at the end of this month.

“I would probably recommend it to everyone to do something like this in their life; you learn a lot about the world and about yourself,” said Simon.

Simon and his sister, 21-year-old Larisa, spent 16 days with John and other volunteers his Tanzanian Heavenly Homes group last year. “We went on food runs, delivering food and mattresses to people. We repainted the Senior Hope houses for the elderly the charity has built. We visited a few orphanages and played with the children, and we went to see some of the Maasai tribe,” Simon said.

He described the Tanzanian people as “very friendly”, but found it strange, coming from Ireland, to see the primitive conditions they live in.

Simon knew after last year’s trip that he would do it again – “it was one of the best experiences of my life so far”, and those he met on the trip are now “like family”.

He is looking forward to heading off again on June 29 with more than 30 other volunteers. “It will be less nerve-wrecking this time because I will know more what to expect,” he said.

Simon is the son of Denis and Frances Greville and has a sister, Larisa, and a brother, Tristan. He was educated at St Ernan’s NS, Delvin, and St Finian’s College, Mullingar, and is now studying nursing at Trinity College, Dublin.

It was while Simon was a sixth year student at St Finian’s that John McCauley came to talk to the religion class about Tanzanian Heavenly Homes. “I have always wanted to help people and I felt this was the right thing to do,” he said, adding that he had immediately spoken to his sister to see if she would go, and to John to see if there was room for them.

“John is amazing, so lovely, so friendly and so willing to help anyone in any situation, and always willing to stop and chat,” he said.