Great day

It's been a great but exhausting day...

Abu and I headed out for a place called Lakka.

But before we got there, we stopped off to visit Amidu, a boy with quad Cerebral Palsy. He lives right on the beach too. Abu has been teaching numbers and counting, and despite many a frustration about not getting any homework done for 2 months (!!!), he seems to be learning a lot very quickly. If only there were the schooling facilities for children like these.

So eventually we reach Lakka, time for a bite of fresh juicy pineapple - SWEET!

Lakka is a beautiful village, right on the beach. It was a place where many child soilders were held in safety and rehabed during and after the war. Although the area is now somewhat run down the homes are now used by many families and FHM (one of the NGO's I partner with) continues to help needy children such as street boys and children from the prisons.

Normally we treat all the patients from this village in one hut by the sea, but we arrived to find the roof missing from the hut!! So instead we decided to wonder around to their own little houses.

I saw a lot more than I've seen before. I could imagine the village, Abu says there were 100's of boys here at one time, and some girls who had been rescued from the hands of the rebels. Living in groups of 5 with a 'caretaker' in a 1 roomed house. They rested, played football and basketball, swam in the sea, fetched water, ate, got cared for, conselled and loved. I'm told there were often fights too, all part of the process I guess!! Still, many good kids from such traumatic backgrounds came from this place, and I pray that they all continue to do well since the turn around in their lives.

So on we continued to see our patients, all doing very well. Especially my 3 little ones Paul, Mariatu (in the photo) and Jariatu, who just a few months ago were unable to walk. Now all 3 are walking, some more confidently than the others, but still, much improved!!

Being around thier homes today made it essential that I worked with all the neigbours kids too. It was great to get the 'disabled' kids more intergrated socially and everyone seemed to have a great time! I'm glad I took lots of cars to go round, no one left empty handed and smiles and shouts of joy could be seen and heard for a long time after we walked away!

So after a drive home I was well ready for a shower and some food.

Like I said great day!