It's May 10th, and actually a little cooler today. Last night we had the most fantastic thunderstorm, I have never seen an electrical display like it: it looked like fireworks were going off in the sky, there was no rain at first and the air was very still. After about 2 hours of this the wind suddenly took off and rain came lashing down and there was the most amazing streek lightening flashes!
(I admit I have cheated with this photo - my camera doesn't have a fast enough shutter speed but this is exactly what the disply was like). The light display was amazing and I felt lovely and cool with the pleasurable thought of a comfortable nights sleep ahead and hopefully a cooler morning. This was all very welcome - except for the now inevitable flood seeping into my living area and bedroom! Either a design fault or I'm just unlucky! At least I don't have mud floors and I do have running water!
I have a friend coming to stay on Saturday night and I am intending to sleep on the floor in the living area so I really hope it doesn't rain on Saturday night! Her name is Rosie and she is an Occupational Therapist working for an NGO in Ranchi, also with disabled children. I am also hoping she can give me some inspiration as regards helping with the learning difficulties some of the children have!
Most of this week has been spent going out into the field with Madhab to assist the CBR workers in assessing and goal/treatment planning. Some of the areas we visited are simply delightful and almost provide an idilic childhood environment and good community support. It was a very rural area and the families were farmers with oxen and chickens scampering around. All the children went to school. An example that being poor doesn't necessarily mean poverty. Another village we visited the next day was quite the opposite - mud floors, mice scampering around where the children ate their food and played, very little light and the children were thin. What they all have in common is 'vulnerablity'. Even here we were offered refreshment - the father had just collected coconuts from a nearby tree and with a deftly dealt blow chopped the top off and offered me fresh coconut to drink! Well, I was brought up in Somerset, UK, where the only coconuts we had were won at the local fair and the fluid inside was white and sour, and the flesh dry. The milk in this coconut was as clear as water and very sweet. Infact so sweet I couldn't finish it, and the flesh was very rubbery, almost like eating raw scallops but sweeter or course!
Today was a quiet day at the office. Madhab's daughter has been taken ill and been admitted to hospital on a saline drip. I did not know this until I was at work and realised my driver was absent! I wish her a speedy recovery and it looks like tomorrow I will be in the office also. This does give me a chance to write the proposals for village community centres for the children and in June I hope we can meet some of the Health Visitors and other members of the support group involved with the children, watch this space..........
No comments:
Post a Comment