Day 5 – Thursday 11th February

In medical news, the health of both patients deteriorated overnight. Don was extremely uncomfortable with severe vomiting and diarrhoea while Steve’s aches grew progressively worse and both were confined to bed for the rest of the day.



Elsewhere, reports of a general uprising by the populous to some of the political activities going on at the moment seem to be exaggerated. Our lone reporters, Della and Gav, travelled to the Negombo region and witnessed no visible signs of malcontent on the streets.

And finally 72 orphaned girls were taken out by Della and Gav, their only trip outside the orphanage since our last visit in July 2009. The girls were visibly disappointed that ‘Uncle Don’ wasn’t able to make the trip but excited nonetheless even if there was much less singing on the coach. After an hour’s travel we stopped at Bird/Fish World, a pretty old fashioned park with sad looking birds in too-small cages. The girls didn’t seem that impressed either and found the play park more fun; who wouldn’t if you hadn’t been out for 6 months?!
 Another hour went by and we made it to the beach near Negombo. The girls’ initial reticence was short-lived as soon as we changed into our swimming costumes and charged into the sea. In no time, the girls were splashing around, playing ball and just having tremendous fun.

They all missed Don terribly – ‘he is like a father to us all’, said one – and many spoke about how hard they had prayed for him to recover after his recent surgery.


Although FODAD provides funding to the orphanage for some lessons, sewing and crafts and a music teacher, it’s almost impossible to think of anything we do that brings such joy to so many and the girls are a credit to the orphanage.