I peered through the windscreen and said to Adelina, “But is there a road?” All I could see was a pile of heavy stones and rubble. “Oh yes, Sister, round the corner!” Sure enough there was a road which narrowed to an eroded track twisting in and around densely populated small mud houses, and after negotiating the nearest we could park our battered little Ford to Willie’s house, I reversed in amongst the scrubby shrubs bordering a back alley, grinning at the little children’s faces peering in intently at me from all the windows of the car.
Willie is a hefty 16 year old cerebral palsy teenager whom Sr. Helen had wanted me to measure up for a “strong” wheelchair. I’d rashly decided to bring him directly to the workshop on the other side of town, but had not worked out all the logistics! It was his little “sisters” (cousins) who pushed me aside and lumped him into the back seat of the car, after we had half lifted, pushed and tugged his dilapidated, plastic wheelchair down and round the stony, muddy paths to the car- and I might add, on flat tyres! Tough, determined hands deftly manoeuvred 60 kilograms of dead weight. Then off we shot. I loved the way Willie was measured and fitted in the workshop; the one measuring was in crutches, the secretary who gave me the Proforma at the workshop desk was limping, the Manager with one arm prosthesis was supervising- and all working expertly together in an established and successful business. www.disacare.org.com Willie was smiling by now (no smile when we arrived as he was hungry, reported Adelina) as he was enjoying a rare outing, the first in weeks. No wonder, I thought, remembering the sheer physical effort of bringing him out. How vital it is he gets a strong and durable chair to get him out of that matchbox of a house!
Sr. Helen, one of our Irish Sisters started “Little Assisi Special School,” in 2005 with only five children; now there are at least five times that coming to school daily as well as those we visit in the compounds and others who come for afternoon activities. Sr. Helen had asked me to “measure Willie for a wheelchair” and laughed when I described our expedition, complete with Willie himself to Disacare. Helen celebrated her Golden Jubilee last month and her special guests were all somehow or other part of the Special School for physically and mentally handicapped children or part of our Franciscan circle of friends. She loves those children!
Disability in a compound household is painfully difficult, where economic survival is on the knife edge. Every kwacha counts and few children are lucky enough to remain long at school. I shudder to think how Willie’s older sister and guardian keeps her little household going. She came with Willie, often cuddling him and talking to him at the back. Willie is her late sister’s child and she was not at all well herself- I could see that. There is also a second little girl at “Little Assisi” looking for a sponsor to buy her a wheelchair. She comes each day to morning classes. Can anyone help us buy these two wheelchairs? They are K1,900,000 each and in A$380 each.
Last month I sat in on Mariyo’s class of ten squirming, moveous children with hands, legs, arms all going in different directions; watching in wonder at the skilled, patient prompting of her teaching; in this case, holding Velcro stuck pictures on a large card, while pointing and singing out the questions for the children to answer! These are severely impaired children of variable concentration span- and the Special School is right in the middle of N’gombe compound, ten minutes from where we live.
Mariyo, a Japanese volunteer last year gathered 25 fellow Japanese volunteers from other projects for the School’s “Sports Day.” Everyone had a wonderful time, including the parents and family members, watching the children all dressed up in new T Shirts and logo, competing with all the ferocity of the Olympics in Tug of War, races and ball games. Such a day helps wipe reduce the stigma and silence around disability, into a social occasion with justifiable pride and dignity, and puts such children in the limelight for once! Mariyo herself concludes two years voluntary work and leaves Zambia with an English language generously sprinkled with Chi Nyanja! Again, Sr. Helen is looking for a donation towards this event which will cost A$400 for this years Sports Day. This covers food for the children, T Shirts, transport costs and hire of the sports ground. I would love it if we could do this for these children. Let me quote from the school's flyer:
“It is by
the care we show
to the most weak
and vulnerable
in our society that
civilization can be
judged"
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