“We finally had our long awaited visit to Luxor in January (in fact it almost didn’t happen due to the snow!) My daughters Sarah and Jenna and I all sponsor families and we were fortunate enough to be able to visit them as Connie Tindale was in Egypt at the time and was able to accompany us.
We firstly visited the Clinic which was busy with mums and their children. We were very pleased to see that work on the new Hadana is progressing well and the equipment for the Dental Surgery and the large toys/equipment for the Hadana had arrived from Cairo. We could not resist a peer into the boxes!
We also had a look around upstairs at the proposed area for the Women’s Training School. It is an ideal space and when it is eventually up and running will offer much needed skills training to the women and older girls. There is a long way to go and the walls need to be plastered and electrics installed first but it is hoped that work will start on this soon.
Then came a very “hair raising” ride in the hired vehicle.... no seat belts and no back door – I am amazed how Connie copes with this each month surrounded by the foods parcels and chickens ! Hopefully it won’t be too long before the purchase of a new safer more comfortable vehicle is possible.
My Sponsor family and Jenna’s family live in Nage Birka and we were able to meet them and give small gifts. Although accommodation is very basic with Little Stars help the children are now well dressed and have adequate food. My family had a large pile of sand in their front room as they were having a new floor and a toilet was being installed in the yard! They also have a new roof. Communication was difficult due to the language difference, but a smile says it all – and they had lots of smiles for us!
Sarah’s family live in Haja Marise and we were shocked to see the conditions that some families are living in. Living conditions are dire and there is just a well in the centre of the compound for water and one communal toilet for a large number of families. Work was taking place on Sarah’s family’s house and they now have a new roof and floor. An individual toilet was not possible as there is no water supply other than the well. The baby of the family is now thriving due to milk formula supplied by Little Stars. Abdul was given the job of giving out the small gifts we had taken along for the village children and he was soon surrounded by many eager little hands!
Connie had reassured us that it “never rains in Luxor”, however while we were there one night there was a terrific storm- the roof repairs carried out by Little Stars must have made a big difference to some families that night!
I’m pleased we had the opportunity to meet the Luxor “team” and see first hand the wonderful work that Little Stars and its dedicated workers and supporters are doing.
Lynne Weyman – January 2010 “