My first birthday in the Philippines!
Somewhat different from my norm and typifying every reason that I am here.
It started with coffee and catch up with Charity .... plan of the day, deeds done, tasks due ...... to the sweet sounds of playful, rambunctious, delectable toddlers!
Followed by singing and birthday hugs from the little ones ....
The original version wasn't recorded so Kyla
made me a mock up video after I had left!
It has lost a little of its spontaneity but still a delight to see!
Then it was off to one of Manila's [worst] hospitals....accompanying several of the Gentle Hands staff who were donating blood for a 14 year old girl needing a hemipelvectomy (amputation) for osteocarcoma. Sigh.
...and visiting the young girl on the ward to see what Gentle Hands could do to help her and her family. Sigh. I'm not sure how but I managed to procure a meeting with the orthopaedic surgeon .... in their tea room! I'm almost certain this is not a common occurrence by the looks on their faces, as I stood watching them eat Jollibee fried chicken!! I think there may just be some perks to being 'white' and a nurse from Australia. And I'm milking it :)
Charity asked if I would also go to Social Services to see if there were any abandoned children in the hospital .... as you do.... that could be referred to Gentle Hands. There was one .... Sigh Sigh.
 |
| A baby boy abandoned a year ago with hydrocephalus |
Four hours later, I return to Gentle Hands ....
.....where I am met by my beautiful kaibigan - friend - Tracey (and a mudcake) and taken out for a birthday dinner.
And so ends my first birthday in the Philippines :)
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