Eileen lives in West Milford with her husband, Bob, of 25 years and their son, Sean. A few years ago, she read in a newspaper about a program allowing a child from another country to come to the United States under the sponsorship and guidance of an American family. She jotted down the number and left it at that. Years later, she took the phone number out and did a little research. The name of the organization was Project Children, run by Police Officer Scott Sim from Clifton. She approached her family for their approval which they gave. She called the number, filled out the application and within a few weeks, the ball was rolling. They requested a boy around the age of 10 to 12 years, someone about the same age as their son. Two gentlemen came to the house, interviewed the family and stayed for several hours. “The entire interview process went extremely well. I didn’t know what to expect and we felt very comfortable,” she said. The boy, from Belfast, was a good student who was chosen by lottery. There was a group of 30 who came off the plane that day and traveled to eight different states for their American experience. Among that crowd was Colm. Eileen said, “He quickly fit into our family. His amazement at what we are so accustomed to was so entertaining. Everything was so big! Big houses, big cars, everything big! Although he was quiet, his humor poured out of him always imitating Simon Cowell and telling jokes. My son understood everything Colm said through his thick accent. Sean was the interpreter. We also were learning his ways as well. Mid-afternoon, Colm took a nap. He needed to slow down and have quiet. We could probably learn a lesson from that. We expected him to be lonesome, especially when he spoke to his mum on the phone, but he was far too excited to be homesick.” The family took Colm to Cape Cod, several water parks and of course, the Statue of Liberty. He loved it all and said, “There’s a lot more to do here. The kids at home just hang around the streets, get into trouble, starting fires, and sleeping until whenever.” Although he was quiet, he wasn’t shy at all. It was a sad day when Colm went to the airport. Now, they write and email often. We’re thinking of having him again next summer, although we will need to buy his plane ticket. “All in all it was well worth it asummer I’ll never forget,” said Eileen. Eileen is the youngest master gardener at Skylands Manor and is now working on the Christmas artisan’s display. Her family is spoiled every night with home cooking and she is delighted to share this recipe. SHRIMP GUMBO 1/3 cup olive oil 1 ½ quarts vegetable stock 1/3 cup flour 1 ½ cup okra 1 cup diced onion 1 cup tomatoes 1 cup diced celery 1 tbsp each: oregano, basil or thyme to taste 1 lb raw shrimp 3 tbsp file powder ½ lb sausage roll, browned, crumbled - drain 2 cloves garlic In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add flour. With a whisk, stir into a paste and cook for several minutes, stirring until a nutty brown color develops. This is a roux.” Add onion, garlic and celery to roux and cook for approximately 2 minutes. Add seafood and cook for approximately 3 minutes. Add file powder and vegetable stock. Bring mixture to a boil for 10 minutes. Stir constantly. Add okra, tomatoes, herbs and sausage. Cook for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Serve over white or brown rice. Serves 4.