Visa oh visa wherefore art thou?

Still no news on my 2 year visa so I’m having to fork out for another 3 month one just to be legal. I can officially work with that visa so I don’t have to keep watching the gate at the centre

We welcomed baby Angel to the walk in Love family. Her mum came to the centre in tears, she had not eaten and was worried that her milk would dry up. She was given money for food and a loan to set up a business selling vegetables. Within a few days she had fund a place to put her stand and her business is now up and running, no tears now but smiles all the way. Angel is as cute as a button but is very demanding, hates to be put down and screams like a banshee when she is.

Another mama  has been given a loan to sell cooked maize, she is a single mum, living in one room. Neema, our social worker, will check up regularly to ensure that she is selling and is able to repay the loan.

Both of our baby boys have teeth! Juma got his a couple of weeks ago and Ema, who I call Peanut, got his in the past 2 days (Feb 23^rd) Those boys are so chilled, Juma dances when music comes in Ema just looks and thing’ ok it’s music, so what?’ Ema does this with everything, if he had been on the Magic Roundabout-a sixties kid’s programme, he would have been Dylan, the hippy rabbit. How lucky am I to be around these kids?

We were very fortunate to be given a donation to buy toys and changing mats, both desperately needed so there is much laughter, and a few spills, at the centre.

Little Joeli still gives me sleepless nights, if I was younger and staying for 10 years+ then I would foster him but I have to be realistic. It would be wrong to take him for 4 years then pass him on to someone else. All I can do is help in a small way to make his little life better. We now have him on plumpynut, a nutritional supplement for the malnourished, we will add this to his porridge and to his food. There are 500 calories in a packet, so, with his normal food and this, he should start to gain weight. Neema has made a home visit and there is some cause for concern but there is also hope, with education and frequent checks he may be able to stay with his grandmother.

Aubree, the boss, has gone home to America to see her family, to raise funds and awareness and to sell some of the items made by the tailors. Fingers crossed that it goes well.

I held the first 1^st aid workshop at my house this w/e for 7 of the workers, what a hoot, they took the micky out of me mercilessly but they named the resus baby Aubree. We now have 7 wonderful women who could, if the situation arose, have a good stab at saving a person’s life. They certainly won’t be putting anything other than clean water on a burn. Certificates will be printed and presented soon, well worth the aching limbs and cooking a well deserved lunch for them all AND they took some of my many mangoes home, thank you to Marie who helped cook lunch.

Last but not least.Marie has a job!!!! She is going to be house girl for the manager of a baby home. Thanks to 2 very generous friends in the UK we will be able to hit the market on Saturday to buy her the things she needs to set up home-charcoal stove, blanket, mozzie net, plates, cutlery chapatti board, there will also be enough money for her 3 months rent. Marie knows how to make the shillings go far so I’m expecting to come home heavy laden.
Pics show Glori attempting to resuscitate Madriana, Neema, the social worker with Mama Angel at her veg stand my 7 wonderful 1st aiders-Madriana, Myasa, Jackie, Glori, Juliana-peanut's mum, Mwanisha and Aneth

What a week, hope next week is a little quieter xx