After 6 years of working in Sri Lanka and 5 years of work and planning going into the Children’s village we have completed the first big milestone and developed a solid vision for our plans going forward.
On the day of the opening ceremonies I woke up filled with wonderment. It’s done. As I got ready at the beach bungalow to go to the first dental clinic at the village I got a bit teary thinking with relief that the day had finally come that we’ve been working towards for so long. That morning was the just the beginning of the best day of my life!
When Kristen and I arrived at the village the children were seated in the medical dental building listening intently on what the dentist was telling them about taking care of their teeth. While one of the dentists taught the children about dental hygiene the others set up the chairs and equipment on the other side of the room. After the lesson most of the children went outside to play on the brand new playground while the first few brave little ones plopped their bums down in the chairs ready for their very first teeth cleaning and cavity filling. Most if not all of the 30 children their needed fillings and extractions. Think of how much pain you are in when you have a cavity or infection… most of these children suffer everyday with pain associated with poor dental hygiene something completely preventable! Kristen’s little buddy had 2 horribly rotten front teeth and he’s only 2 years old. I held the hand of the little girl with the pigtails, Chandika, who greets us every morning on the way to the centre with a huge smile and wave, while she got 2 teeth extracted. She was so brave. I think I shed more tears that she did. After she and I cuddled in the ‘waiting area’ and Kristen made her laugh.
I noticed a little boy that seemed very shy and wasn’t smiling and running around like the other children. He seemed so sad and forgotten. I asked the monk about him. The monk told me that Dilsha had been abandoned by both his parents and then his grandmother and now he and his elder sister Dilshani were living with their grandfather who was very poor and some days both children go without food. My heart ached for this little one. He has the longest eyelashes and the biggest saddest eyes I have ever seen. When it was his turn to get his teeth cleaned I sat next to him and held his hand. For the next couple of hours I carried Dilsha around holding his little underweight body hoping that I could somehow hug enough love into him so that he would know how special he is. I talked to his teacher and asked her to bring him and Dilshani back for the opening ceremonies in the evening.
After the medical clinic Kristen, Asanka and I headed back to the bungalow to get dressed for the ceremony. I was so excited to wear my brand new saree… Asanka was so sweet and lended Cynthia and I his expertise in the art of Saree dressing and he also crafted my hair into a traditional Sri Lankan hair style with beautiful temple flowers.
In the evening we piled into the van all dressed up and ready to celebrate. Headed up to the top of the hill at the community centre waiting for the go ahead from Lal to walk down to the gathering… he had been planning a special entrance for us - I had no idea what to expect.
Lal, Jeanne (Lal’s wife), Cynthia, Asanka, the firefighters and myself all walked down in procession towards the playground. As we rounded the cornerI could see all the village children dressed in their white Buddhist Sunday school clothes waiting infront of the playground. Little girls were holding green leaves and handed them to all of us. They grabbed our hands and led us down to the bottom of the hill near the tea plants. When we got to the bottom the monk was there with a small tree. To symbolize our partnership and the beginning of the life of the Sahana children’s village the monk and I took turns placing soil around the plant and then washing our hands while watering it. I felt honoured to be part of it all. For the next couple of hours the children danced and sang in the nutrition centre. It was a wonderful touching day and I can’t believe that it has finally happened.
The work doesn’t stop here in the following posts I will be describing our plans for the next stages of the village.
Now for some photos!
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| Waiting for a dental check up |
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| Dentist teaches children how to take care of their teeth |
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| first patients |
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| Dilsha getting his teeth cleaned... so brave! |
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| Kristen and her little buddy! |
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| Evening ceremony walking towards the playground |
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| Planting the tree to symbolize the start of something wonderful. Nona the dog sneeks in the photo... everyones favourite puppy! |
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| Walking with the children to the nutrition centre. Got Dilsha and his older sister Dilshani with me. |
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ribbon cutting the nutrition centre
John lighting a wick with the monk |
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| Stacey lighting a wick to start the ceremony |
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| Colin lighting a wick |
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| Village children singing |
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| At the reception in the medical centre after the ceremony |
