Diptipur update

  The latest news from Diptipur reveals that the work at the hospital there is moving forward on three fronts.
  First, however, some news closer to home is that my ‘on-off’ visit to Orissa is now ‘off’ for the rest of this year.  I had intended going to Orissa in November/December but, having developed back trouble, it seems wise to investigate that first.
  I was reading that ‘when God closes one door, he opens another’ - so I’m looking forward to the next one opening.  Hopefully, this will be during the next cool season in India (from October 2007 to February 2008).  This will give me some time to do some forward planning - and for the staff situation in Diptipur to stabilise.
  In Diptipur, Dr Rajnish Samal has taken his father, Sudhir, from Vellore Hospital to Cuttack, Orissa - a journey of some 1,000 miles.  Sudhir had not responded to the chemotherapy treatment and the scans were the same as they had been three months ago.
  Consequently, doctors at Vellore advised that Sudhir be taken home for supportive care.  He is growing weaker each day.
  Rajnish is still on leave to support his parents but it is easier for him to have day-to-day reports from Diptipur Hospital now that he is only some 250 miles away.
  One piece of good news from the hospital is that a female doctor has now joined the staff there.
  In addition, our ‘man on the ground’ is doing an important work in improving the hospital’s infrastructure - mainly through discussions with Christian leaders in Cuttack to develop spiritual support and to appoint more doctors.
  Dr Sanjeebit Jachuck is closely involved in this aspect of the work in Diptipur.   Although he is based in the UK, he spends six months of each year in Orissa and Vellore, developing rural health schemes.
  After visiting Diptipur Hospital a year ago, God gave him an amazing vision for the hospital.
  His determination to fulfil that vision is, in itself, an inspiration.
  Finally, our family is setting up a trust fund to support the work in Diptipur Hospital.  Everything seems to be falling into place and we are excited at the prospect of God’s blessings on this work in the future.
  Please continue to support us in prayer for:
* Sudhir Kumar Samal and his family - for healing and God’s peace.
* The doctors who are ‘holding the fort’ at Diptipur.
* Dr Jachuck, as he recovers from a bout of fever and in his negotiations for the on-going work at Diptipur.
* The work in setting up the trust fund.

By Aileen Hagen.

To Shkodra and back

  Beyond the rickety bridge out of Shkodra, in Albania, the hillside that the local Roma people have made their own opened up before us.
  Ascending the hillside were concrete boxes, linked together by steep steps.  Our guide, Fatmir, parked his car and the three of us - Julia Clarke, John Baughan and me - took a collective deep breath, unsure both of our reception here and of our own reactions to these surroundings.
  Fatmir was immediately swamped by adoring children.  Adults crossed the road to shake his hand.  This was no occasional visit.  We were visiting Shkodra with the embodiment of the hope and the future of these Roma people.
  An insistent child eventually got his reward from Fatmir.  He took the small Lec coin and immediately spent it on sweets at the nearby shop while Fatmir introduced us to an elderly man, who showed us his foot - minus toes which had had to be amputated because of disease.
  Through an interpreter, the old man thanked us profusely for the money that bought the bicycle that enables him to get around now.  He shook our hands and bowed, stepping back from the ever increasing crowd trying out his new words: 'Thank you, thank you'.
  After some delay, a key was found and used to unlock a strong padlock to a solid metal gate. Once opened, we were ushered up some steps into a courtyard and on into the Day Care Centre rooms.
  The main room was about 20 feet by ten feet.  There were children's drawings on the walls and, in the centre of the room, was a long trestle table with some more of the children's work on show, along with a pile of folders with more work at one end.
  We were invited to look through the folders and were told, proudly, that three Roma children have reached a standard high enough to enable them to enter state school.  This is a huge breakthrough.
At one end of the room stood three treadle sewing machines and some material to work with.  Each sewing machine costs €130.  Our interpreter explained that this was a new project to train young women to use the sewing machines and so gain a skill.  Each person trained is honour-bound to train others and, when proficient, these people are given a sewing machine and some material to set them up in business. In return, they help out at the Day Care Centre, preparing food and caring for the smaller children.
  “Your money paid for these three machines - and we thank you,” said Fatmir via our interpreter.
  One of the young women, soon to be given the first sewing machine, came up to us and thanked us, shaking our hands; pleasure beaming across her face.  Her mother followed, equally grateful.
  I started taking Polaroid pictures of the children and anarchy ensued.
  Everyone wanted a snapshot of themselves - especially the insistent child who had already got round Fatmir.  The child’s fluorescent pink jumper made him memorable.
  I sent him away, pointing at the developing photo he already had.  This didn't stop his persistence but it did illustrate his street-wise survival ability.
  Hustled away from the Day Care Centre, we were invited into one of the Roma family homes.  An entrance led to a room which was, at most, seven feet square.  The room was made of rough concrete.  It contained two long seats, a battered television in one corner and a display cabinet showing a set of patterned coffee cups and saucers.  The electric switch dangled from the wall.  The home has no running water - which, given the state of the electrics, was probably just as well.  Instead a number of large containers, full of collected water, sit outside the front door.
  I have no idea where these people cook their food or where they go to the toilet.  Part of me didn’t even want to know.
  I asked how many people live in this home.  There was the elderly father, who has 11 grown up children.  Many of these still live with him.
  I asked how many grandchildren he has.  He gave up counting once he got past 15.
  At night, this elderly man sleeps on one of the seats that we sat on.  The small children sleep on the floor.  Where anyone else sleeps, I can't imagine.
  The man explained that the roof leaks and, in winter time, it is very cold.
  Then Fatmir took us to see his pride and joy: a building site.  The local government heard of Fatmir's work with the Roma people and his partnership with ‘the church from England’ (that is, us).  Purely because of this, they are funding the building of a four classroom school.
  Fatmir has to equip and furnish the school but these facilities will greatly enhance what can be offered to the Roma people.
  This is the first time that the local authorities have done anything positive for the Roma people.
  Once again Fatmir, who works as a volunteer among the Roma community, thanked us for our money.  Without it, the school would not be being built.  He told us that he expects to open the school towards the end of November this year.
  We have sent €3,000 to Fatmir to help the Roma people of Shkodra since our decision to help this project.
  The money has gone a very long way and has been the inspiration behind the new government-funded school building.
  Nonetheless, the needs of the Roma people in Shkodra are very great and there are many issues to overcome.  However, I am delighted to have had the opportunity to pass on to you, at first hand, the joy, pleasure and thanks of those whose lives our actions have benefited.   Please keep up the good work.

By Helen Little.