April / May 2005 Newsletter Four
Hello everyone!
I’ve been phoning the poor shipping agent every day. Finally I got the message I’d been waiting so long to hear: COME!
I hurriedly packed up, booked accommodation, organised for Sheila to pick up and store my luggage, rang Mophay to get ready and booked two seats on the Phnom Penh bus.
Within four hours of receiving The Phone Call, Mophay and I settled in for the six hour bus ride to the capital. The bus company provided a tour guide to point out the sights and organise refreshments. The guide was a very polite and pleasant young man who obviously had limited English to deal with foreign tourists. He picked up the microphone to make the following announcement “Ladies and gentlemen we now stop so driver can peees”. Along with the English speaking Khmers, I couldn’t help laughing. The poor tour guides vocabulary obviously included a few slang words, but he said it so nicely and respectively it made it even more hilarious.
Within sight of the city, the bus came to a complete standstill caught up in a traffic jam. We slowly approached Chroy Changvar Bridge where we could see crowds of people hanging over the bridge to look at something in the Tonle Sap River below. Apparently a car had hit two motorbikes killing one person on impact and throwing two passengers off the bridge into the river where they both drowned. A fourth victim died later in hospital.
We finally checked into our hotel where I frantically tried to organise people and trucks to meet us at the dry dock the following day. I knew this would be the most difficult, frustrating and tiring day of the whole trip as everything had to fall into place precisely. There were too many things that could go wrong. If one small part of the logistical puzzle didn’t work, it could have a domino effect on all my plans.
The customs people still seemed reluctant to release the container but after signing a never ending stream of paperwork and paying the final bill, Mophay and I were finally driven to the dry dock. That was the first and biggest hurdle over.
Even at this late stage there were more hiccups with representatives of N.G.O.s and trucks not arriving. Eventually with the combined help of the shipping agent [Bunthat], H.C.C Director [Terri] and Mophay translating, an extra truck was arranged and packed. It was such a relief to see the container again with all the contents safely inside.
I couldn’t speak to the missing N.G.O.s as they were out of range or in meetings! I was so disappointed as the arrangements had been made weeks earlier with constant reminders to them. I quickly changed my plans and asked the trucks to take everything to H.C.C. as Terri kindly offered me storage space whilst I organised a few alternative arrangements. Again, with Terri translating, I negotiated prices for trucks to deliver to Kampot, the outskirts of Phnom Penh and all the way to Siem Reap and then exchanged phone numbers with all the drivers so I would know where they all are. I’m sure Lindsey Fox has an easier life than this. I hadn’t allocated any funds for this unexpected expense. At this stage I just wanted the easiest way out and to get all the donations away from the docks.
We followed the trucks to H.C.C. where they were unpacked and contents stored. We also unloaded the hospital beds, wheelchairs, desk, filing cabinet and medical supplies. Terri promised to email me some photos when everything has been put into place to establish the small medical clinic.
Although the boxes were all clearly labelled, my carefully thought out plans had been thrown into chaos with some of the key personnel not turning up. I had to direct each individual box to separate piles so they could be trucked to their correct destinations. Whilst this was happening some of the young girls had taken the three bikes that were intended for H.C.C. and were having a lot of fun riding them around the compound. It was good to see them smiling and enjoying themselves.
The whole day was the expected nightmare, very hot and problems all the way. I finally got one small truck to take the bicycles and a few boxes of clothes and toys down to the Aspeca orphanage in Kampot down on the south coast. I received a phone call at 9.30pm to say it all had safely arrived. Fantastic! One job completed. I had intended delivering the bikes myself, but I knew there wouldn’t be enough time. I hope to receive email photos of all the children riding their bikes.
The whole day had been as hot and bad as could be. I was emotionally tired and physically exhausted, but at least all the goods had been released and in safe storage. However bad it all gets, I know deep down that everything will get done, just not as quick or in the manner I would like.
A few months earlier I had been offered maternity clothes. A friend suggested that I take them to the garbage dump where children and pregnant ladies search for anything of value. I thought this was a worthwhile idea so I included boxes of beautiful baby clothes, blankets and toys.
The following day after another early wake up call, Terri, Savang and Koy picked up Mophay and I to go for breakfast. This was a strange experience for me, to be taken to a Chinese restaurant, fight for a parking spot and search amongst the bourgeoisie for an empty table at 7 in the morning. We only stayed long enough to eat lemon grass beef then we were on our way to Stung Mean Chey Municipal Garbage Dump. This is as close as it gets to Hades Hell. There was a ghostly, eerie atmosphere with smoke coming from all the fires. It was difficult to see very far, just a glimpse of a few silent figures floating around. Terri said she didn’t feel safe so after making some enquiries we discovered that most of the women have been moved off the dump. It was too dangerous to start giving out supplies as we could have been surrounded by the gangs that controlled the area. We reluctantly decided that it wasn’t worth the risk so we slowly drove away so we could decide what to do next.
Terri suggested that I donate all the baby goods to another project that H.C.C is funding. I readily agreed as I’d read in the newspapers about these people a few years ago and was keen to meet them.
We drove to a village called Anlong Kong Communities. This is where, in 2001, the families had been forcefully removed from Phnom Penh out to a barren, waterless wasteland where nothing could be grown. The 452 families are subsisting on only fifty cents each a day by sorting out garbage and fishing. Some of the men are lucky enough to be employed in the construction industry but this means being away from home for long periods as the work is too far away to commute.
When H.C.C. gets more funding from interested donors, they hope to provide skilled training to educate the women in traditional skills such as weaving, but first they have to buy looms. When we arrived at the home of the school teacher, she quickly gathered all the pregnant ladies and small children. They all sat so quietly and patiently whilst waiting for clothing and toys. Terri later told me that HIV is prevalent in this community. It was such a harsh, unforgiving landscape with no water and few trees. As poor and undernourished as this community is, it wouldn’t be the worst that I would see on this trip.
Even for the so called lucky citizens that have a full time job, life is difficult. Consider the life of a bar attendant working six days a week from 4pm to 1.30 am. Out of a salary of fifty US dollars a month, thirty dollars is spent on rent with the remaining twenty dollars on food, clothes and transport to work. A lot of hours worked just to survive.
Whilst driving around Phnom Penh I talked to the H.C.C. staff escorting me. I had one surreal moment when Savang started to talk to me about the length of time it took for a London cabbie to qualify for the job. I realised he was talking about ‘The Knowledge’. Very few people outside of England would be aware of the intensive training taken for the drivers to know virtually every tiny back street in London. Savang explained his English teacher had studied in the U.K. What a bizarre conversation for an Aussie to be having with a Khmer in Cambodia about an obscure European training scheme!
Goodbye until next time when there will be news about the major donations to the rural areas in the north of the country. Gaye
April / May 2005 Newsletter Five
Delivery of donations continued.
Whilst a truck had been driven up to Siem Reap with 70% of the donations, Mophay and I returned on the bus. It was wonderful to be back home in Siem Reap. I took a moto to visit the Director of Education for Siem Reap Province to discuss which rural areas most needed assistance and planned the itinerary for the week.
After this I helped Mophay complete the application forms for the tourism course. We then rode out to the school’s open day and handed in all Mophay’s documents. She was given a time and date for an interview. Unfortunately I will be back in Australia, so to give her some confidence we did some role-plays of likely scenarios.
I then went out to check that all the boxes had been stored safely. I had to sort them into four separate piles for the different destinations. I thought I had finished heaving those heavy boxes around in Melbourne. This was hard labour for me and a disabled girl in the extreme heat. Even though we kept drinking water, we were both soaked to the skin with the exertion. I still had to find the energy to organise a vehicle to transport some of the boxes to local destinations.
Our first stop was to Mophay’s orphanage where we dropped off a selection of clothes, toys and baby equipment. Then we drove out to Angkor Thom to deliver clothes to the orphans living with the monks in the Pagoda. As usual they were pleased to see me and excited to get new clothes. The remaining boxes went into my hotel room! By this stage all the hotel staff knew my agenda and willingly carried them for me.
“Tomorrow is when it all really starts”.
My first destination was Varin. I’d first tried to get to Varin in 2003 but the road was too bad and the truck got bogged in the mud, resulting in all the boxes being taken to their final destination on the back of motor bikes. As it’s now the dry season the road is passable. We drove a lot further than last time, eventually turning onto smaller tracks until the driver admitted to Mophay that we were lost. After numerous stops to ask for directions, we finally arrived at Varin School where I recognized the principal.
All the children received exercise books, clothes and teddy bears. As usual I was interested in the mothers who always stood quietly at the back. They were delighted to receive an armful of baby clothes each. One young girl, who had baby twins and a toddler, told Mophay that her husband had left her. I made sure she had plenty of clothes to take home. It was very hot work standing in the hot sun surrounded by a crowd of expectant and excited school children. I left it all to Mophay and the school teachers to allocate the provisions.
The principal invited us to lunch at his home. I’ve been through this before, but I decided to try to eat a little of the food this time… We arrived to find a big group of ladies sitting on the ground preparing a feast. It all looked so colourful and friendly that I decided to take a closer look. The rice, vegetables and meat were all covered in clouds of flies so I pulled my old [I have a bad stomach and can’t eat] trick.
I was offered a drink and invited to sit down. Naturally I chose a shady spot but Mophay told me that the ladies wanted me to sit in the sun where they could see me. The had seen foreign aid workers drive past but had never had the opportunity to study a westerner close up before. I do stand out being double their weight and taller with blonde hair. They all had a good look whilst chattering and laughing at my attempts to converse.
I asked Mophay to translate for me as I wanted to ask the principal if the well had been built that I had organised and paid for on my last visit. I’m still not sure if it has been completed.
We arrived back at the hotel pleased with our day. That was the first major donation to be delivered.
Mophay had been very patient as she had seen both her name and Prolings written on some of the boxes in my room. These were to be taken to their village, but there was one individual box for Mophay. She excitedly picked over all the clothes and toiletries that she wanted. I still have a problem getting her correct size as she is so tiny. She adored all her new clothes and couldn’t wait to try them all on.
Despite the early start and all the travel, I still had some energy left, so I suggested to Mophay that we visit The Sisters of Charity to deliver boxes of baby goods. With the good natured hotel doormen helping us, we piled into a tuk-tuk and set off.
The nuns were happy to receive the baby clothes and toys. Mophay hadn’t visited them before so they told her how lucky she was to have a sponsor to look after her. Again I looked at the children. The thirteen year old girl seemed more alert this time and sniffed at my arms. She obviously liked the smell of Mophay as she hung onto her. I then returned to my hotel for an early night in preparation for the long trip to Anlong Veng.
At 6am Mophay arrived with two motor bikes to take us to the meeting point with the driver and escort. How well I remember the excuse that is called the road to Anlong Veng. The small truck was loaded dangerously high so we had to make turns very slowly so we wouldn’t overturn. I almost felt seasick with the sight of on coming traffic approaching and then disappearing into a pothole and then clambering back up into view again. The road is sealed but still has huge pot holes which the drivers try to avoid even if it means driving on the wrong side of the road. It’s utter bedlam, scary and dangerous when you throw in further hazards like meandering buffalo, naked children, pigs, dogs and ducks.
The really scary part was crossing the bridges. At some, the driver got out for an inspection, rearranged planks and stones to his satisfaction and then slowly navigated his way over. At others he would reverse until he found the right angle to proceed on. Some bridges were just too dilapidated to attempt a crossing, so the driver would drive down into the river bed, with fingers and everything else crossed, and drive across.
We eventually came to the Beautiful forest [I call it the enchanted forest] where we drove through swirling clouds of butterflies. In places there were so many that is was difficult to see. Tiny pieces of paper lay on the track but as we drove closer ‘the paper’ flew away.
At Anlong Veng the children were waiting, so once again the clothes and stationery were distributed. The teachers told Mophay they remembered me from my last trip.
I decided not to spend the night in Anlong Veng as planned, but to take a taxi back to Siem Reap whilst the others took the second half of the donations to Trapeang Prasat the following day.
Mophay and I negotiated for the best taxi fare and set off. I’d heard about the cowboy drivers and really thought we were going to die. The driver had no regards for the pot holes and just drove at one speed: flat out. I was seriously thinking that I had enough credit on my mobile phone to leave a final goodbye message on my answering machine providing I wasn’t out of range. Five minutes into the trip, we had a puncture! This delayed the torture for twenty minutes, but it did make the driver slow down as he had used his only spare tyre. It didn’t reassure me to pass an overturned truck on the side of the road with a small crowd trying to heave it upright. Fortunately no-one had been hurt.
It was a long trip to Anlong Veng and back in one day so it was wonderful to get back to air-conditioning and a hot shower. My clothes and skin were covered in red dust. I was too exhausted to go out for food so I ordered a club sandwich from room service. No problems. Five minutes later, I was informed they didn’t have the essential ingredient. Bread!
As I had an unexpected free day I decided I would visit Mophay’s and Proling’s village. Again the obliging hotel doormen organised a tuk-tuk for me and loaded it up with the remaining boxes. Mophay and I struggled to hold onto them as they kept slipping on the bumpy dirt track. Unknown to me, gorgeous Mophay had sent her brother on ahead with two cans of beer and ice so I could have a cold drink on arrival. She knew I wouldn’t eat at her rural family home although she did ask me several times. It was lovely to see Mophay’s mother again. We sat on a wooden slatted bed underneath the house with the cows and a five day old calf feeding beside us.
All the village children arrived to receive clothing and toys. Mophay again took control, unpacked the boxes and distributed the correct sizes to the children. I discovered the tuk-tuk driver spoke a little English so he explained what was happening. He also managed to read the English instructions on a box on how to construct a toy. It was only a simple thing that kept flying into the trees, but it gave the children a lot of fun. Whilst the ladies and children happily settled in to see what the boxes contained, I took one of the bicycles for a short wobbly ride down the dirt track which caused lots of laughter. Mophay’s mother and I tried our best to have a conversation but it was more touching, gesturing and a lot of smiles. We arranged to meet later in the week.
The final distribution day arrived. This would be the most remote, the most difficult and the most interesting destination.
I had previously read a couple of Australian newspaper reports about one or two people occasionally coming out of the jungle to return to the outside world after thirty years of hiding. This ethnic minority group had kept on the move trying to avoid the soldiers not knowing that the war had long finished. I agreed to attempt the trip to find this group living in Stone Age conditions. Save the Children Norway gave me a truck with a driver and [luxury] an interpreter.
The road was surprisingly good but it’s only recently been built to give access to the more remote, unexplored temples in the north of the country. We arrived at Rom Chek School where I was told this was the last toilet stop. I cautiously made my way across the play ground where I could see all the land mine signs surrounding the school only fifteen metres from the school buildings. I could see the Halo Trust deminers working close by. We picked up several guides comprising of government and education department officials who hopped onto the back of trail bikes armed with axes. I couldn’t see how we could possibly penetrate the forest until the axes were used to cut down branches to enable the truck to scrape through. At one stage the driver got out, walked down the track and out of sight and said it was impassable, so the trail bikes forged another way through to a river. We drove down into the river and then along it until we found an embankment that we could drive up onto dry land again. In places I just closed my eyes, it all seemed impossible. Indiana Jones in Cambodia!
We finally reached an isolated clearing where groups of families were waiting near a temporary school. I discovered that they have no communication with the town; they live naturally which means they eat the products of the forest, for example vegetables, roots, fruit and bamboo, and whatever live animals they can catch. They make their own clothes; they are interbred, malnourished and suffer from a variety of medical conditions including malaria. No doctors have seen them. They have to walk five kms to the nearest safe, clean water. The area is situated in the centre of an old battlefield where 70% of the group had been attacked by the Khmer Rouge. They had never received any gifts before.
The above was painfully interpreted for me so please excuse any inaccuracies.
The group waited patiently and quietly whilst all the time staring at me as though I were an alien. At least I had plenty of provisions for this small group. With Mophay’s help I tried to talk to some of the older people. I wanted to learn about their history, but it was too difficult for Mophay’s limited English. I noticed a tall young girl with a beautiful face but when I attempted to talk to her, her krama slipped off her shoulder to reveal a stump instead of an arm. Several of the group were also landmine victims who had missing limbs. It was strange to see the group transformed by discarding their rags and putting western clothes and shoes onto their dirty bodies. Some of the small children weren’t just frightened by me but also terrified of the teddy bears and other soft toys.
The families were suffering from unknown diseases. I saw open weeping wounds, dry encrusted eyes, facial deformities plus the ever present amputees.
I showed some of the older children how to look through the viewfinder of my video camera. They were amazed to see their friends moving and talking on the screen.
We eventually said goodbye and faced the tortuous return trip.
We stopped for lunch at the ninth century Koh Ker Temple. A covered bamboo platform had been erected for picnics. The group all clambered onto it to eat their pre-packed lunches. I didn’t think it would bear my weight especially when I saw the interpreter put his foot through one section of the bamboo.
In the silent isolation I satisfied myself with enjoying the sun on my face, listening to the birds and watching all the butterflies. That moment will stay with me. It was so very beautiful beside the ancient temple but I was aware of the ugly threat of landmines surrounding me. I was too nervous to explore or to stray too far away from my guides. Later when I was taken into the grounds of the temple, I made sure that Mophay and I stayed very close to the guides. We dropped more boxes off at Koh Ker mini School and Sayong School where I saw an N.G.O. working on a small arms retrieval project. I was then taken back to my hotel where I took final photos of my group of helpers.
I felt strangely flat to know that my six months of work had finished. I felt weird as though I had weights in my legs, I could only manage to walk at a snails pace. I had no energy, I was completely drained. I decided to phone Melbourne for some support and TLC. When my friend Sharon said “come home, it’s time”, it sounded like a wonderful idea as I felt the need to see my friends and family again. I had finally achieved everything I had hoped to and couldn’t do any more.
There will be one more small newsletter to follow soon.
April / May 2005 Newsletter Six
Hello everybody
It’s such a huge relief now the donations have all been distributed. It was time for some relaxation so I took Mophay and her mother out for dinner. I made sure that I chose a restaurant that serves both western and Khmer food. Sophisticated Mophay first read, then discussed the menu with her mother and then ordered for both of them. Mophay’s mother watched me eat so she could copy me in choosing which utensils and how to use them, much the same as I do when eating Khmer food. She had never eaten in a restaurant before, never used a knife and fork or tasted ice-cream. I look forward to meeting up again on my next trip.
As usual Proling and Mophay shared my last breakfast and escorted me to the airport. I’m a basket case when it comes to saying goodbye; I just hate farewells, so I asked the girls to return to Siem Reap with the taxi. Sunthayut made me feel better by meeting me and taking me up the air traffic control tower for a bird’s eye view of the runways, surrounding landscape and even the temples of Angkor Wat. That was a very special treat to end my trip. I can’t imagine airport security allowing unknown visitors into the control tower any where else in the world. Unbelievable!
This project started with some media interest last November and snowballed from there. In the last eight months I’ve written begging emails, drove long distances to collect donations, sorted, washed and folded clothes, run out of packing boxes, acquired a new supply, run out of storage space in my home, acquired more in neighbours and friends homes, responded to email enquiries, organised the logistical nightmare of shipping documents, freight haulage etc. etc. etc. Not to mention shifting the heavy boxes around so many times.
All the above is too labour intensive, so I think it’s better to do some fundraising here in Melbourne and spend the proceeds on a few achievable projects. I’m spreading the container load between too many communities so I will put all my energy into helping one or two projects. I’m thinking about several possibilities including:
- Building a school in Kor Ker. Big money, but a one off project.
- Establishing a half way house for the young adults that leave the Siem Reap orphanage. This will be an ongoing concern.
- Setting up a small business to provide employment, income and self respect for the school leavers that leave the orphanage. This would be another ongoing project.
- Support a small training scheme program that trains handicapped adults in such diverse occupations as basket weaving, motor repairs, pig raising etc.
I’d be pleased to hear any comments or suggestions about any of the above proposals.
On this trip, my main objectives were to establish a medical clinic for HCC, by supplying hospital beds, wheelchairs, a steriliser, desk, filing cabinet and medical supplies such as stethoscopes, bandages, sterile gloves etc. I was also pleased to supply the Kampot orphanage with the requested bicycles and repair kits. Unfortunately I couldn’t fit any more bikes or hospital beds into the container as they took up so much room.
I was happy to return to the rural northern areas to provide clothes, shoes, toys, books, student’s stationery, teacher’s aids, fabric and bed linen.
List of recipients
- HCC Health Care centre for Children, Phnom Penh. Medical equipment, clothes, toys, fabric and books.
- Aspeca Orphanage, Kampot. Bicycles, bike parts, bike repair kits, clothes, toys, shoes and books.
- Anlong Kong Communities, 15kms south of Phnom Penh. Maternity clothes, baby clothes and toys.
- Sunrise Children’s Village, Siem Reap. Clothes, toys, shoes and books.
- Missionaries of Charity, Siem Reap. Baby clothes, children’s clothes and toys.
- Wat Semetry, Angkor Thom, Siem Reap. Children’s clothes, toys and books, plus an England soccer strip given to twelve year old, budding soccer player, Paarl.
- Village of Mophay and Proling outside of Siem Reap. Clothes, toys, shoes and toiletries.
The following major recipients were distributed with the advice and help of the Education Department Siem Reap Province and Save the Children Norway.
- Varin school community, Varin, Siem Reap Province
- Anlong Veng school community, Siem Reap Province.
- Trapean Prasat school community, Siem Reap Province.
- Romchek school community, Preah Vihear Province.
- Sayong school community, Preah Vihear Province.
- Koh Ker school community, Preah Vihear Province.
The school communities received clothes, shoes, books, teaching aids, toys, toiletries and student’s stationery which included thousands of exercise books.
A heart felt thank you to all the people who gave so generously. I’ve met so many lovely people whilst doing this. It’s nice to know that there are so many caring people who will put themselves out for a good cause.
I really appreciated all the emails from Australia. They kept me going when I needed some encouragement.
I can’t thank everyone individually but the following people put massive amounts of time, effort and money to help me.
- Sharon: for providing donations, storage, time, encouragement and friendship.
- Merryn and family: for all the above, plus providing the answer to my biggest problem, storage, also for providing boxes, sorting and cleaning.
- Angie: for all the above and the provision of a desk and filing cabinet.
- Oriana in Sydney: for once again organising, collecting, packing and posting an incredible amount of boxes down to Melbourne.
- Neil and the Rotary Club of Benalla: who spent months doing all the above and then hiring a truck to deliver all the hospital equipment, medical supplies, plus a truck load of new clothes.
- Tina and Bruce: for spreading the word and getting lots of publicity and for driving so many carloads of donations to me.
- Alf and Mary: for collecting so much including a steriliser, fabric and best of all, thousands of exercise books.
- Esme: who came to my home to ask what clothing design was preferable. Weeks later she returned with dozens of beautiful outfits that she had sewn herself.
- Murray Bridge ladies: who sent over so many laundry bags full of clothes, toys and stationery, in a semi-trailer.
- Hamish: for all the beautiful soft toys and books. Also for his devious problem solving after my return.
- Richard and Bruce from OOCL and Jackie: for organising and supplying free shipping and guiding me through all the paperwork.
- No thanks to the haulage freight trucking firm [P&O Trans Australia] who offered to donate their services and then 48 hours before needed, withdrew their offer. This left me to find and pay for another company to deliver the container and take it to the docks.
In Cambodia:
- Sheila and Paul: as usual for all the introductions, advice and good company. Email me for any information about their dirt bike / four wheel drive tours to the most remote parts of Cambodia or just for a good adventure www.hiddencambodia.com
- Gerald: Saint number one who does so much unheralded work for Cambodian orphans. He gets no publicity, but willingly gives his time and energy to help so many worthwhile causes in Cambodia. Very special thanks for all the advice and assistance with the customs and red tape. Also for your support and encouragement.
- Terri: Saint number two who works such long hours for HCC. Sometimes she works too late at night for it to be safe for her to return home, so she has to make alternative arrangements. She works so hard she forgets to eat. Thank you so much for all your assistance with the major trucking problems.
And lastly Mophay: for allowing me into her life, for her patience and understanding when I got crabby and down hearted with the corruption and associated problems, for translating, bargaining, for organising food and drink in difficult places, for being so thoughtful, generous and for giving me her loyalty and trust.
REPORT ON KAMPOT ORPHANAGE – Update 8th of May 2005
Mr Em Sovanny and the children of ASPECA, Mr Nils Chairman of the SOMNANG Foundation, and myself give a very good thank you to Gaye Miller from Melbourne Australia for the hard work and dedication in arranging shipments of one container of bicycles and assorted toys and clothing for the orphans of Cambodia. We acknowledge the difficulties in making these arrangements but to see the smiles and delights on the children faces makes those difficulties pale into insignificants.
Translation
My name is Em Sovanny. I am a director of sociaty office in Kampong Bay district, Kampot province and director of Aspeca orphonage in Kampot province.
Many thanks to Mr Norman and Gaye Miller for their kindness. He’s Australian, he always takes care and loves children in the orphanage and he always find supporting for the orphanage.
On the 07/05/05 recently he brought a lot of supporting for the orphanage: bicycles, dolls and lots of useful stuff for the children in the orphanage. All of these useful gifts, all children and I are so happy and we’re all determined to look after them well and use them in a long way.
We all wish him and Gaye Miller and their families and colleagues long life, good luck and happiness.
I’m sorry but I found it impossible to include the photos of the children with their bikes. These can be seen on www.littlegardenbar.com
………………
Newsletter Series One
Newsletter Series Two
Newsletter Series Three
Newsletter Series Four