Dear All,
Our biggest news is that we were blessed by the presence of three doctors from the University of Wisconsin who spent several weeks with the kids and staff, and were really helpful in teaching the staff about their work with the kids, especially the five wee ones at the Nuna House. One of the doctors is from Fond du Lac (close to the farm I lived on as a kid) named Maddy Sass. She rode a couple of Ceborides, which were annual bike rides from the Fond du Lac area to raise money for the children of Sarnelli. As you might expect, old Uncle Alzheimer at first couldn’t remember her. The five disabled children were confined to the clinic as repairs were made at their house after that tree which fell during the storm a while back had destroyed their bedroom.
School is out for two months during the hot season. Our German and Dutch volunteers have activities to keep them from getting into trouble. I am trying to get the older boys out to collect the trees, branches and leaves and other debris from that storm. They are kind of a shiftless lot, though. Some do work hard, and are responsible. A few others sit under a tree and play with their cellphones.
Most of our 123 children are babies and little girls. Not many older girls, or boys, for that matter. These little creatures are cute, and lippy and seem to have put their trauma behind them.
Kate, our Australian nurse, returned from her mother’s funeral on March 29. Her Irish husband, Brian, returned from Ireland early April. Brian is a hemophiliac, and had returned to Ireland for a new treatment, and came down with a bad Covid infection, so was quarantined and could not make the funeral. We are lucky to have Ben and Angelique Ummels, here from Holland for long periods working with disabled kids and villagers. They subbed nicely for Brian and Kate.
Happy Thai New Year! (April 13-15). Three days of eating, drinking, throwing water, and the Thai throwing up from rice whiskey!
God bless you all, from all of us at Sarnelli!
