Sorry again for the late blog everyone! We are having to use Rebekah’s phone on her 3G so trying to minimise our usage! Photos are still difficult at the moment, so we may just have to spam you all at the end! 🙁
Hi all, Joey and Callum here! With a ‘lie in’ this morning, we had our 7 o’clockwake up call from Rebekah. With everyone rushing around trying to get in the very cold shower and be at breakfast for 7:30amof which we were presented with pancakes which were lovely!
All fed and watered we were heading off to the local hospital to visit the mums who have given birth to their babies over the last week. Being medical myself (Joey), I found this very difficult seeing how little they had. Working in a major trauma hospital at Southampton General with lots of equipment and resources to hand to then see them with nothing was extremely hard to get my head around, not even a doctor the whole place run by nurses and midwives. If you had complications at birth it was down to the hard working and inspiring nurses and midwives to do the best to save both the mother and baby. A High Dependency Unit/Intensive care which consisted of one very small room; one single incubator and one very small premature baby.
Everyone then spread out across the maternity unit with a basket all prepared last night and gave it to a mother and their baby. Within the baskets were what we would called ‘essentials’ for having a baby including hat, mits, baby grows, maternity pads etc; however these mums didn’t have the ‘essentials’…. they had as little as a blanket and hat to keep their baby warm during this winter season.
These mums are made to bring a bed sheet with them to give birth on otherwise it meant giving birth on the bed without one. After a little conversation with the mummies and a hold of their gorgeous little babies it was time to then head off to the Butterfly Disability Centre, another project run by Alice who is one of the founders of the project we are following this week.
Arriving at the Disability centre everyone was waiting eagerly at the door ready for us! Going around the room we all introduced ourselves alongside the service users. These are people who all come together to support each other through their lives living with complex needs which would be supported through the hospital but some just can’t afford it. Luckily with the help of Alice and wonderful donations from around the world some of the service users are fortunate enough to receive medical attention to support their disabilities. We were then taken on a walk around the village visiting the youth centre, market and local people making different products and foods to sell in and around the village. With a complete circle done we had arrived back at the main room where we were presented with our lunch cooked by the service users of the disability centre. We were cooked a mix of beans in a sauce, rice, spinach and a tomato soup. With some fussy eaters in the team this didn’t go down very well however we tried our best and ate what we can being very grateful for what we had received. Only right, as they had cooked us lunch it was only right to give something back. We unloaded the donations we had been given by people back in the U.K. As always they were very appreciative and thankful for what they were given. It was then time to say our goodbyes and make our way back to butterfly space.
A quick journey back to butterfly we got the team together and went through the plan for the rest of the week. Shuffling through all the resources we got sorted for tomorrow’s lessons and then made our way down to the bay and had a swim in the lake followed by a watch of the sunset listening to music.
To close the evening we are now sat around the campfire reflecting on the day with a roasted marshmallow or 2!
Peace✌?
Hi Asia aka my boo hope you had a great time today at the hospital and the disability group very proud of what you are doing for people so far away from home I know how much you care about this place and the experiences you get from it?having Tuesday night dinner round yours and missing you so so much of course only thinking about you and what your up to and can’t wait to have you back for cuddles and time together ready for the summer ? but knowing your having fun is helping me get through you not being here ? 8 days to go I love you so much babe ❤️❤️Xxxxxxx
Hiya my baby girl? sorry it’s taken me so long to write to you, you know what my life is like at the moment, constant STRESS! But not a day goes by since Friday I haven’t thought of you. The wedding went fine, no arguments believe it or not!!? I am so happy to here you having an amazing time and building memories like no other. Reading today’s blog makes me emotional but yet so proud that you’re there helping the less unfortunate women and children. Tuesday night here, and we’re having a bbq but missing the top chef to cook it for us. So mums chef tonight, wish me luck?? Jacks here with us for dinner, don’t worry I’ll look after him?? Reading what you’re doing makes me so proud to be your sister. I love you all the world and more❤️ Can’t wait to have you home? love you lots Danielle and Shane.
Hi Summer.
Such an incredibly emotional day for you, and at the same time so humbling. I know this would have upset you and at the same time your beautiful soul would have just reached out with love.
Last night, there was a little girl here that so reminded your dad and I of you. She is about 3, and has the same free spirited hippiness you had. Putting flowers around her hair, beads on her head, and dancing around and floating like no-one is there.
There are also lots of ants so we are in tune with you there on that! Plus very bizarrely, lots of cockerels band chickens wandering around outside the apartments – but not a cat in sight! And yes they cocka doodall all the time!
Looking forward to hearing all about your first day teaching!! Oh… And if you and Kitty have done your norm and not stopped singing!!?!!
So looking forward to the next blog. Relish every moment and memory my little free spirit. We love you loads and loads and miss you heaps! Mum and Dad xxx
Hiya Asia! Hope your all having a wonderful time! It’s amazing your all doing such a good deed for the less fortunate!. Should be proud of yourselfs! ??P.S Hope the first night went well glamping ⛺️ and the monkeys didn’t steal the pegs this time lol
Enjoys the rest of your trip! Lots of love ?
Hi pup pup, hope you are okay. We are all sat outside reading what you’ve been up to today and I couldn’t be prouder of you for what you are doing. I couldn’t imagine how emotional today’s experience has been but from this post I am in tears, as you would say emotional wet wipe? you are such a caring girl so I know the women and children are in good hands. I can’t believe after all the amount of trips you and Megan have done how hard it still is. Looking forward to reading the next blog, just wish you was here in person to tell me! I’m taking good care of jack? love and miss you so much xxx
Mollie and rebecca
Wow what a day
Sounds like the most amazing day from start to finish
Love island is going to be good tonight as Amy has walked (moody mare) ?
Looking forward to tomorrow blog
Keep taking lots of pics
Snapchat streaks are still going at the moment ?
Lots of love
Mum and dad xxxxxx
Hey bayleigh and joey it’s hayley sounds amazing hope ur enjoying urselves and bet it was hard joey goin to see the mums who had given birth and the babies hardly having anything makes us realise how lucky we are it’s an eye opener to hear this and bayleigh have u been using lots of ketchup lol love to u all, all doin amazing enjoy ur experience p.s joey bet u can’t wait to get back and have cuddles wiv ruben least u can enjoy not being woken up
In morning by him (ur probably missing it tbh) xxxxx
Hi Callum, wow, what a mixed day you have had!! The 2 visits must have been really emotional….. hope you are all ok!!
Pancakes for breakfast sounds good!! How did you get on with the meal cooked for you? cause I know you wasn’t looking forward to it and you are a fussy eater!!
Missing you heaps , hope you are having a great time…… ❤️ Xx dad
Aww sounds like a very emotional but eye opening experience today for you all, should be so proud of yourselves. Bayleigh I would presume you are still hungry after hearing what was for dinner tonight but I hope you gave it a go being the fussy eater that you are! Looking forward to hearing more about your adventure, lots of love mum xxx
Hi all.
What an amazing memory you’ve all had today.. One that will stay with you forever.. I know I post to Ciaran but just want to say how proud I am of ALL the team.. Hope your eating well Ciaran..as soon as I see ‘fussy eater’ I know that’s you lol. You are all doing amazing xx
Hey Jay, sorry if I’m going to embarrass you but I’m your Mum and I can! Just want to say I love you loads and and so proud of you ? and I’ve added mixed beans, rice and spinach to my shopping list!! ? Bet you’re missing your KFC!!
You are all doing such amazing work. Thank you for the updates we all love to read them.
Take care xx
hey Bayleigh can’t wait to hear from you, sounds like your having a hard time with food … as expected, I had McDonald’s earlier ? I love you see u soon xxx
Hi Joey, sounds like you’ve had a busy and emotional day. Hope your ok. Keep thinking it’s only a week tomorrow and you will be home. Keep up the good work, missing you love you lots hun ? xxxxx
Hi Mollie and Rebecca and everyone else. Hope you are having the best time. You guys are all absolutely amazing for what you are doing. You really are an inspiration. Such a selfless thing to do. If Jackson grows up to be half the person any of you are then I will be a very proud mum. Keep doing what your doing, you have everyone’s love and support from back home. Lots of love Lauren xxxx
Hi Joey,
It’s Mummy Mandy! I was humbled to hear about your day and what you experienced. It must have been really challenging for you and your colleagues. But for us in the UK it’s important to hear about what people experience in other countries and what a stark contrast it is to what we are privileged to. Thank you so much for sharing and for everything you are giving to others when it would be easy to only think of yourself but instead put others first. You are my superstar and I love you dearly! Can’t wait to hear more about your challenges out there.
Love you, keep safe. Xx