January 2022 onwards - Francis and Judith's centre

Here is a series of screengrabs and a little discription to show what's been going on. Please don't hesitate to ask questions.

This chap was brought along to the Catholic hospital next door to our house (Centre 2). The doctor asked if we could help with some of the costs . He had a blocked intestine which needed an urgent operation. We got them to sign a letter stating they wouldn't ask for anything further (especially in case of death). Fortunately, he made a full recovery.

The story of Joseph is above his photos. The photo of him lying on his bed is when he arrived. They gave him a sedative. The second photo is just before his op.  Although he went AWOL after his operation, we were able to track him down so that he could get his dressings changed regularly. The money we raised covered it all.

Christmas Day, the same day Joseph had his operation, I had a motorbike accident. Two days later, I arrived in Kinshasa, to nurse my cracked, or bruised ribs and the gash in my forehead. Little Dartri was brought along by his mother soon afterwards. We raised the money for his operation - but worried that it might affect fundraising for the malnutrition centre. Dartri is the boy in the photo.

Meanwhile, at the main malnutrition centre, more children arrived.

This is Judith's niece in Kinshasa. She'd had a grumbling appendix for about 3 years and it came to crisis. The bottom photo shows her after the operation. We raised the money for her and she made a good recovery.

January 17th - 13 children

This is Leticia, Judith's sister. She lives at the centre, manages the store of food, and supervises the volunteers. This is a still from a video in which she shows the children at the centre. 

21 January Mama P's wheelchair

She waited a whole year. She'd been without a wheelchair for years and so it was a real Godsend. It took a long time, but we finally raised the £340 specifically for wheelchairs.

Just a little close up of a foot from one of the children. The malnutrition means that the body, noticeably the skin, doesn't repair itself anymore. So, we often see skin peeling, as if it's been burnt. We give some topical treatment if it's really bad - otherwise, good diet allows the skin to heal itself. If the skin is like that, then internal organs will also take a bashing, and will take time to heal.