I'm getting ever so confused, August means the height of summer to me, and here it's been raining, raining, raining. I often get soaked through despite an umbrella and have become a master at wrapping everything in plastic bags. I hear the UK hasn't been much of a summer either though with floods and coldness, at least here it is vaguely warm, although I'm still cold in the evenings and at night time.
So the month of August has been a time of ups and downs.
There has been the elections on 11th Aug that came and went fairly peacefully and it's been declared fairly. Praise God for that. SL was doing so well, however as there was not one presidential candidate that won with enough of a majority, there will be another voting day next Saturday (8th Sept). Unfortunately the tension is mounting because the 2 competing parties; SLPP and APC are largely grounded in the 2 largest tribes Mende and Temne. So the elections are not only political but also very tribal and history makes these two groups very competitive against each other, probably for reasons no-one can remember. There have been rumours of all sorts, but reports of fighting in various towns including here in Freetown, Police using tear-gas to control crowds, hidden weapons in the backs of cars, 2 houses being burnt down and people being taken to hospital after fighting has broken out. These warning signs are being taken seriously and peace is trying to be maintained. We're all praying that nothing gets worse than this. This week there has been a peace march in which both potential presidents took part. As said previously, most want peace, but it only takes a few troublemakers. Please pray with us for this week, the election day on Saturday, and the implications of the results being announced afterwards.
My work has continued as and when it has been safe to move around avoiding the crowds and trouble areas. I'm so excited that the children who I can most help are gradually coming to light. Word is getting around that there's a children's physiotherapist in SL and this month I've done a lot of networking. From this, more and more referrals are coming my way, and it confirms again that there is such great need with these forgotten children.
I have particularly been involved in a little boy Ola, maybe 3 years old, who was abandoned in a government hospital over a year ago. He has a developmental delay, but lacking in basic care and receiving next to no handling, he has never really had the chance to develop. Ola is easy to love, his big smile reaches the depths of any human heart. But still left lying on his back, I'm sure he longs for a familiar face to stay around long enough to love more. Along with some basic therapy, some of my time with him is spent cuddling him. When he fell asleep in my arms I did wonder when the last time was that he had that chance. I'm contacting orphanages and potential carers, trying to get him a loving home, where he will get a chance to develop and grow as a child of God.
Michael, who I wrote about last month has proudly received his new custom made support chair. He spent the day with me at MercyShips New Steps and went home with a big smile on his face. Already it has made a difference in how he can use his hands for things like feeding and playing. We are hoping to work on his communication next. To see some photos, click onto my blog.
Work has also involved making hand splints out of coke cans, trekking 3 hours up and down steep hillsides on home visits, helping a teenage boy get the surgery he needed on a very painful arm amputation stump, evaluating the use and effectiveness of wheelchairs in a typical African environment, cutting one home visit very short when I realised there was a lady in the next room behind a very thin curtain giving birth (that would so never happen in UK!), working with carpenters on another special seat, helping a pastor who had had a severe stroke learn how to sit up by himself and teaching relatives how to transfer him safely into a wheelchair, then to be taken outside his dark bedroom for the 1st time in 3 months, and starting up a ward aerobics session for the in-patients at the MercyShips fistula hospital.
I've been busy!
Another bad happening was that I got mugged. I thank God for his protection though as the 'thiefman' (as they get called here), only got away with my phone, nothing else and no-one was hurt. It really could have been a lot worse. I was so annoyed more at all the info inside the phone that I lost. Thankfully, most of my patient contacts I had written down on their notes as well, but I lost all my UK numbers and addresses. So if you'd like to help me get my paper address book (I'm not taking any more chances!) up to date, please do send me a quick email with your numbers and info. It gave me a wake up call too though as I was with 3 other girls just walking home with next to no valuables on me and I normally move around alone with a lot more. I am doing everything I can to keep safe, but sometimes these things just happen.
For many reasons I feel it is now time to be getting a car. It would obviously help to keep me safer, but it was also allow me more freedom to get to patients where the roads are too bad to travel by public transport, and would help me be more efficient going from place to place on my home visits. It can be so frustrating to have a really long day, travelling on and off public transport to get from home to home, seeing only maybe 3 or 4 patients then sitting for 2 hours trying to get home again. Having a car would allow easier access to these kids, I could see more in one day and I could also transport them and or equipment to places more easily too. I have found a LandRover in good condition that would be excellent to go for, but it costs £4000. Now I'm praying!
So as you can see, work is keeping me busy, home is the place I rest, but due to the current situations here with both the elections and rains, I'm not really able to do much else at the weekends. I've been finding myself a bit lonely recently which has led me to take imaginary trips while I lie in a candlelight room, doing all my favourite things back home, like cycling in the South Downs and walking around Chichester with friends – it's been fun!!
So if you can keep praying for:
* PEACE during this time of change in SL, thank God for the good 1st round.
* SAFETY as I travel around doing my work, thank Him for his promise of protection
* JOY for the disabled kids I come in contact with
* LOVING HOMES for all children, where kindness and gentleness abound
* A NEW HOME for Ola
* PATIENCE as I continue to battle the crossing of cultures
* the LANDROVER
* a peace of mind and Spirit for myself
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13
So there comes a time when I have to say good bye again, I really miss you all, and greatly value your support and friendship on this journey God has me on for now.
Do look up my blog from time to time, I update it at least once a week,
Bye to you all,
Love
Vez
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