The Medical Van

It was an early start today and we were picked up by Biju at 8.00am and taken to see the medical van, which is almost complete. The Van will be kitted out with lots of medical provisions and will be run by a doctor and a nurse. It will visit a different area each day and will be open for people in the slums and on the streets to come and get medical help and advivce. Many of the basic medical needs of these people will be dealt with on the bus and the more serious cases will be passed on to the hospitals. There are currently lots of people who have illnesses and infections and can't get any help. The medical van will allow these people to get the help they need.

Lunch today was Chinese and on our way to the restaurant we were surrounded by a group of seven begging children desperate for us to give them something. In his wisdom, Biju drew them away by giving a street vendor 70 Rupees for 7 plates of food - one for each child. We continued on leaving the street vendor surrounded by the 7 children! Hopefully, one day, we can have those children on the Vision Rescue Bus!

In the afternoon, we were able to spend time thinking about how the donations will be spent. We will be buying 3 televisions and DVDs for the buses and the medical van, and also buying t-shirts for the children to wear when they come onto the bus for their education. Many of the children are very dirty, smelly and their hair needs combing. Providing them with a very basic school uniform to wear on the bus will help promote the need for them to be well dressed and clean when they have their lesson. It will also give them a sense of pride and belonging, two things that some of these children have never felt before! The money will also go towards providing water containers to put on the bus to allow the children to drink cleaner, fresher water, and to provide combs and toothbrushes for the children to start learning about basic hygiene.

Biju also showed us a new Vision Rescue video clip which is currently on You tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur9KOmZIoik. Please watch it! As it tells the story of Vision Rescue and the work that is being done here in India.

Tomorrow, I will be heading off to some sports facilities owned by the YMCA. I am hoping to discuss with them a new sports program that I will be helping Vision Rescue set up for the older boys from the slums and the streets. It will allow them to be coached and participate in organised sport such as cricket, soccer and basketball. Caron will be working on some health promotional leaflets that can be used on the medical van. I hope all is well in England and I will update you again tomorrow.