Abu's Rainy Season Report

It's been a while since you've had any news, that is because our expat staff have been on leave in the UK... but none the less the work has continued and here is Abu's report on how it went...

To start with, I want to thank Jesus for his compassion and loving kindness to the disabled children and I. During the rainy season I was working under the heavy rains, thunder and lightening on Western and Eastern parts of Freetown in Sierra Leone.
Over the rainy season I was able to visit all of out patients in their houses for a session. I saw much improvement. The patients that need assistance with posture, sitting balance, standing and walking I was able to distribute equipment to them, such as adjustable home made chair, gaiters, corner seat, standing frame, elbow crutches, auxiliary crutches, gig and walking frame. The rain makes work especially hard. Most days it rained which makes the roads flooded. I got very wet and also the patients notes. Unfortunately we lost 2 of our patients, one in July and one in August. Praise God they are with Jesus now.

From Abu Bangura.

Why the quietness?...

Well... as many of you will know, earlier this year I got engaged to the lovely Rob. Deciding there was no need to hang about we got planning our wedding in 5 months or so then had the most amazing day of our lives on 2nd October 2010
and married life since has been no disappointment!

Since many of you supporters know me personally I thought you might like to see some pictures....

However life has also gone on in Sierra Leone. Still doing at least a day a weeks voluntary work for ETC there certainly seems to be more than enough to keep me busy with PR, fundraising, meetings, answering enquiries and encouraging and advising the ETC field team.

Sarah Withers (ETC Occupational Therapist) was back for some leave over the British summer which left Abu doing home visits to our families to keep them all going in one way or another. However being rainy season in SL, it is a struggle to get anywhere - public transport often grinds to a halt because everywhere is flooded, climbing steep hillsides to our families homes often become too dangerous to pass, and sadly some of our patietns who are weak and vulnerable anyway get seriously sick. Still Abu does what he can.

Plans for ETC's next season are well under way. Sarah Arbery is the new member to join the ETC team. She is a British A+E nurse about to start her full training early next year. Sarah will work in SL from Oct-Christmas assisting Abu with home visits and mentoring him further with his computer skills. She will also help to set up the new group sessions of theraplay that we are hoping to start as soon as Sarah W returns as well.

So, plans continue to grow and develop... soon you will hear about this all becoming reality.

Since I am no longer living in SL, do bear with us in getting news from there, sometimes computer problems or electricity failures or pure exhaustion mean that it can take time for the team to update us here in the UK.

Be be assured, the work goes on, the children are improving and the workers are sure working hard!

Thanks for your patience.

Verity