Lunch With the Children

Friday 6^th December

Very soon I will start preparing for my return to the UK. As always adjusting to life back in the UK is the most difficult part. This time will be particularly difficult.

Some people will imagine that I have been among people looking like the pictures we have seen with famines around the world - where starving people have been photographed in order to get the maximum response. No doubt if I searched in the rural areas I could get such photos – but this would do a disservice to the people. In practice I have been living with a lot of hungry people even if they don't look emaciated.

The fact that children flock to school or pre-school just because they can get some food says a lot. So when I show you pictures of happy laughing children – be under no illusions -, these children will be lucky to get a meal this evening and they won't look forward to the Christmas holidays when a daily meal is no longer assured!

The usual variety of small wildlife is busy around and in my house. I spend my time with spiders, ants, cockroaches – or are they just beetles, as I would prefer to believe!!, lizards, millipedes, praying mantis, locusts etc.

The other day an owl took off as I returned after a session on the internet. The occasional bat also flies around after dark. It is good to watch the swallows in December enjoying a holiday in the sun!

The moon is almost a half now. It is strong enough to light the way in the dark and cast a beautiful moon shadow – something I have always found very special. There is always a chance to enjoy the moonlight and stars during the lengthy power outages. In the distance I often see a thunderstorm – pity that it always seems to be in the distance!

This morning Obert took me to his parents house where the children were having their final lessons before finishing for Christmas. They had a final meal at pre-school and I was also provided with food. Apparently it was the first time the children had seen a 'white man' eat nshima!!

I met three women with severely disabled children. Two of the children were unable to support themselves or to talk and the third was blind and had other disabilities. There is no help for the mothers – or grandmothers. They are expected to cope themselves, but with a 24 hour job looking after the children it is extremely difficult to find a way of getting enough money for food – even in good times. Now life is more than difficult. Gift – one of the children – needs to drink sour milk because he cannot take solids. This presents another challenge because of the cost. Maybe it is only a few pennies a day, but to this mother it represents a major outlay. These women face incredible challenges. I wish I could provide more help, but everywhere you look people are facing intolerable situations

Diven managed to get himself involved in another – fortunately minor – dispute and was stranded with his wife and children outside the courts for most of the morning. He was left without any money to get his wife back home and she couldn't walk the distance!

After spending a little while talking with Diven, I attempted to use the internet. I made a couple of calls with Skype, but abandoned everything else because of the speed (or lack of it!) I will go over after 22 hrs - power permitting.

Ireen will ring me tomorrow when she will have my shirts completed!! I did see that she has made some progress at least!

Best wishes,

Chris