October has continued to be another very busy month. It's been great, but I have to admit I'm feeling slightly exhausted at the end of it, and was forced to take a little rest when I 
had my first tummy upset since I arrived. I'm still trying to take it a bit slower, but with the new referrals rolling in it's hard to say no.
THANK YOU ROTARIANS FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT
This month has brought visitors from Rotary clubs all over UK. They have been such a blessing, not only because they brought chocolate, stability boots and loads of toys I can use in my treatment sessions with the kids, but also because they gave me a great opportunity to bring big smiles to loads of my kids faces. How? A trip to the beach, something they don't often get the chance to do despite living so close to the beautiful ocean. But I can tell you it sure was a sight; 30 disabled kids all running, hopping, crawling into the sea, some cautiously, some head first, others not really sure how, but through the arms and legs I tried to make sure everyone was surfacing for air!
BERTIE HAS ARRIVED 
Right at the beginning of the month my LandRover, Bertie, arrived outside my house. I have already traveled many miles in this wonderful gift. Thank you to all who have helped to make this happen. I've been zooming around and it has made visiting kids in their own homes so much more viable. It has also been used to transport patients to other organizations to receive equipment, callipers and receive medical help. Just this week I stumbled across a very sick 1 month old baby at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, and to cut a very long story short, thanks to Bertie, I was able to take the baby and mother to a hospital for treatment, a 2 hour drive across the mountains. I can honestly say, that baby's life was certainly saved because of Bertie.
Right at the beginning of the month my LandRover, Bertie, arrived outside my house. I have already traveled many miles in this wonderful gift. Thank you to all who have helped to make this happen. I've been zooming around and it has made visiting kids in their own homes so much more viable. It has also been used to transport patients to other organizations to receive equipment, callipers and receive medical help. Just this week I stumbled across a very sick 1 month old baby at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, and to cut a very long story short, thanks to Bertie, I was able to take the baby and mother to a hospital for treatment, a 2 hour drive across the mountains. I can honestly say, that baby's life was certainly saved because of Bertie.
MEET AMINATA
Aminata is a 10 year old, with Cerebral Palsy affecting her arms, legs and trunk. She is so clever a
nd cheeky that she has been a joy to treat. She was referred to me from Mercy Ships and when I saw her address was on the same road that I live on I was surprised that I had not seen her around (lets say it's very easy to get to know your neighbors when you stick out like a bright white light everywhere you go!). So I sought her out, and found her with about 6 adults squatting in a house that was in the process of being built. It was not their house, and the 2nd time I went to find her they'd been kicked out. Asking around a bit I was taken to another place, near the market, tucked behind a corner, a tiny little one bedroomed hut, packed in amongst many of the same, where many families were all living together. I haven't been able to work out who Aminata's real family is, but she's 
never alone, I always seem to get a crowd of 15 or so people wanting to watch the 'white man' (in Crio they don't separate gender) work. So after I've tried to get rid of as many spectators as possible, I've been able to teach one old woman some stretches, and have spent a lot of time with Aminata working on the co-ordination of her upper limbs and function of her hands. She loves the stacking cups (thanks Emma), but isn't so good at the number playing cards!! Aminata has never been to school and probably never will. So we're learning numbers together.
Aminata is a 10 year old, with Cerebral Palsy affecting her arms, legs and trunk. She is so clever a
nd cheeky that she has been a joy to treat. She was referred to me from Mercy Ships and when I saw her address was on the same road that I live on I was surprised that I had not seen her around (lets say it's very easy to get to know your neighbors when you stick out like a bright white light everywhere you go!). So I sought her out, and found her with about 6 adults squatting in a house that was in the process of being built. It was not their house, and the 2nd time I went to find her they'd been kicked out. Asking around a bit I was taken to another place, near the market, tucked behind a corner, a tiny little one bedroomed hut, packed in amongst many of the same, where many families were all living together. I haven't been able to work out who Aminata's real family is, but she's 
never alone, I always seem to get a crowd of 15 or so people wanting to watch the 'white man' (in Crio they don't separate gender) work. So after I've tried to get rid of as many spectators as possible, I've been able to teach one old woman some stretches, and have spent a lot of time with Aminata working on the co-ordination of her upper limbs and function of her hands. She loves the stacking cups (thanks Emma), but isn't so good at the number playing cards!! Aminata has never been to school and probably never will. So we're learning numbers together. So, life continues to be colourful! Many more homes have been visited, kids treated, parents supported, roads (and some tracks pretending to be roads) driven on! I thank God for giving me the strength to keep going, but I sure need more!
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
If you'd like to pray with me, heres a few pointers:
# Thanks for Bertie!
# Pray for strength and good health
# Peaceful sleep, not thinking about patients and circumstances all the time
# For Aminata, Mariatu and Zainab (the baby and mum), Ola, Michael, Musu and all my other kids I've not had a chance to tell you about
# For Wilehmina (Mina) who I've not had a chance to tell you about either but is mum of one of my patients who started working 1 day a week with me – more info to come
# For continued safety as I move around in Bertie and by foot still to the real hard places to get to
# For rest and fun when I take some time off when my dad comes to visit 16th Nov for 10 days (very excited!)
# Pray for strength and good health
# Peaceful sleep, not thinking about patients and circumstances all the time
# For Aminata, Mariatu and Zainab (the baby and mum), Ola, Michael, Musu and all my other kids I've not had a chance to tell you about
# For Wilehmina (Mina) who I've not had a chance to tell you about either but is mum of one of my patients who started working 1 day a week with me – more info to come
# For continued safety as I move around in Bertie and by foot still to the real hard places to get to
# For rest and fun when I take some time off when my dad comes to visit 16th Nov for 10 days (very excited!)
“Where can go from your Spirit?Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens you are there, if I make my bed in the depths you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.”
Psalm 139:7-10 
