So only during the second week did we manage to do what we came here to do and that was to help out with the children.

We have spent most of the week with the physically and mentally disabled children although on the Friday Kate did go and help in the creche for a bit and Laura's played a little with the prisoners children.

Our typical day is:-

Breakfast at 8, where we are forced to eat and the Sisters sometimes surprise us with different types of food. For example once?a sister brought out a bowl of Rice flour mixed with some sugar and coconut. We then had to proceed to eat a plate of Flour each. Not a pleasant experience, especially if you have a sore throat!

We help get the children off the bus at 9.30

The more physically able children do yoga and exercises whilst the less physically able ones have physiotherapy, usually with the help from some local student physiotherapists.

Next they have a lesson which we lead/ help with, it is usally on the alphabet Tamil and English. Even this is too complicated for most of the children to write and read.

After that is Lunch.

Then they have a nap and we have a bit of free time.

At 2 o'clock its time for us to entertain them for an hour and a bit. We usually sing songs, with actions for them to follow (something that is not easy to keep going for an hour). But other times we have helped them make play-dough animals, or tried to teach them colours by using Balloons ( which they just enjoyed popping), or do some drawing with them. We find it hard to come up with actvities to accomodate the vast range of disabilities the children have.

Then the children have free time, where we play with them and their scant collections of broken toys and they also play outside where there are some swings and a round-a-bout etc.

At 4.30 the bus comes to take them to their villages so we help load the children onto the bus.

After this we usually collapse on the roof for an hour or so until dusk comes and so do the midgies!

The prisoner's children want us to spend more time with them and we plan to do this in the coming weeks but in the first week we were just too tired!

We are really really enjoying our time with the children, they have such a happy outlook on life despite the obvious hurdles they have to conquor on a daily basis. Although living with the Nuns is a bit like living with 7 strict Grandmothers always watching your manners, but their hearts are in the right place.