Going to The Gambia!

Well, we hope we'll be going, and if we are, these are some of the things we've been given to take with us! As you see, mostly medical equipment for the clinics we support. Scary looking stuff some of it is!

The last picture is the usual shot of the spare bed - mainly a few reference books, children's clothing and bags and bags full of reading glasses! We usually manage to take out a few bits and pieces for ourselves - a change of clothes, that sort of thing; sadly, Thomas Cook haven't managed to extend our baggage allowance this year so if we want spare clothes we'll have to wear them on the journey out!
All in a good cause.
Best wishes to all of you,
Tom

Fees and more fees

Well, we had to bite the bullet and pay Thomas Cook a large amount so that we could pack all the goodies we've been given to take to The Gambia. It's an amount we would rather have spent on buying a nursery school child education for a year, or rice for a poor family or cement to repair a storm-damaged house. Choices, choices. At least we're well stocked up with reading glasses - enough for the short-sighted population of a small village! We have a lot of dictionaries and medical books - heavy things, books! We had to clear the spare bed so our daughter wouldn't have to sleep on the floor when she visited and I was going to photograph it but it's buried again under all the things we have to pack and it's weeks before we go!
 There's a worry about Ebola fever in West Africa. The Gambia seems safe at the moment and we hope it will remain so, but African borders can be porous ...   fingers crossed but we'll keep an eye on reports. So sorry for the local populations; our efforts are so puny in such matters.
 We're away from home for a few days but we'll keep you posted.
best wishes,
Tom.

Please keep buying the 'Malinding' books - the income goes to GOES!

Raise a glass?

Not really! But we could raise several hundred pairs of reading glasses which have been donated to GOES - some by Boot's Optician in Warrington (thanks, Steph) and more by Stuart, a friend in Blackpool on his way home yesterday. We had to clear the spare room because our daughter arrived to stay for a few days and her bed was occupied by three suitcases and twenty plastic bags full of books, medical supplies and reading glasses ...and the T-shirts and caps Thomas Cook donated.
In the meantime we've sent help for a roof repair, re-stocked a clinic's medical cupboard, paid for a scan of a pregnant lady (it's a boy). Thanks to all of you for your support - The Gambia's a great place to visit!

Here we go again!

Well, not just this minute - late October! We've booked flights and hotel (the usual one) and we're collecting things to take. We collected some T-shirts and hats while we were in the travel agent's shop this morning! Well done, Thomas Cook people, many thanks.
Stories for Gambian Children is on Kindle free offer for a few days (15 - 19 July 2014) because I heard there's a shortage of stories for ethnic groups and this little book has several examples of Gambian children setting a good example (just as they do in real life).
We're out tonight to a meeting of story-tellers and poets at the Blue Cap in Sandiway. They're a generous hearted group and have done much good by providing money for wheelchairs and operations and stocking village clinics and schools ... we'll see what tonight brings.
Thanks for reading,
Tom

Sorry, sorry, sorry!

Sorry that we've been out of touch. My computer has been playing tricks on me; every time that I try to log on the connection drops so I've borrowed a friend's machine to try to update things!

The spare bed is now piled high with things to take to The Gambia next week. Thank goodness that Thomas Cook have been so generous with extra baggage allowance! Michelle, the TC advisor who has been helping us has also given us goodies to take, and our neighbours have been donating everything from pencils to children's clothing - hope it all fits in! We've also done quite well with books this time, and because of the extra weight allowance we'll be able to take them, ranging from medical dictionaries to Tracy Beaker stories.
So, it's pack and go time!
Thanks to one and thanks to all!