We love to bring you good news about how you have helped H gain her degree or helped F qualify as a nurse or N repair his storm damaged house. Sadly, not all news can be good.
In our last post well told you about a house fire which injured two little girls. We told you that the family had to travel to a neighbouring country for treatment. We now have to tell you that both children died as a result of their injuries. We were trying to help their father as he endured the nightmare of bringing home, first one then the other of his children, by taxi, for burial in their village. Finally, he brought his wife home. She too had suffered severe burns but she survived.
Imagine having to haggle the fare home with the body of your child in your arms. Twice.
We cannot do anything, other than count our blessings and our immense good fortune that we, here in England, will never experience this situation. We count our blessings, and thank all of you who have, by your kind donations, slightly eased the burden of the parents. We have their permission to tell you this story.
The picture we show you today is that of a Gambian five dalasi note. It's worth about ten pence. It's the standard fare in a communal taxi for a short journey. A single journey home from the hospital in Dakar cost three thousand dalasi. That was after the price had been haggled down from three thousand five hundred. GOES sent the money. The family - now reduced to husband and wife, send their thanks and are trying to rebuild their lives and home.
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