Jan 24th, 2009 Update

Greetings, all,

I am pleased to report that there was a very successful meeting in Amudurasi of parents of the Daycare this morning. Over 50 parents in attendance, and very good participation. They voted on a committee to run the Daycare, and have assigned the committee several areas of concern which need to be addressed. I observed, and Comfort offered only minimal comments - the people seem more than capable of looking after affairs themselves. Very promising, and most gratifying.

There are more than 100 children attending daily. Understandably, it is much more than Dinah is able to handle by herself. A capable young man has been recruited to assist with the work. Food is being prepared daily for the children. Parents are contributing to the cost of the care and the food. Concern has been expressed about the need for toilet facilities, and the committee has been charged with finding a solution.

We are contemplating the idea of a big durbar to officially open the facility. With the change in government, I expect that we will wait until some important appointments have been made so as to invite several of these people to attend. It is important to draw attention to these new facilities so that government agencies are aware of them.

It is most gratifying to see the interaction between the children and their care providers. The children are thriving with the loving care that Dinah provides, but Comfort says that Dinah is growing weary from the load. She needs assistance, and while this new person will be a big help, it is apparent that more will be required in the long term. The care providers are offering a very nurturing environment and providing love and attention. They are already providing much more than a babysitting service. With training in Early Childhood Learning, they would be able to offer even more to the children in their charge. It is my dream that we will one day find someone (or several) who will be able to share their experience and training with these committed people. If any of you know someone who is looking for an opportunity such as this, pass them on to us. Comfort and I are prepared to share our house for any one so inclined. (as a bonus, we just got electricity to the house this week so we can offer that as part of the package!!)