Sunday morning. About 8 my time. I have just turned on BBC Radio 3, which is the classical music station. Nothing quite like that for a Sunday morning. I sometimes think it strange how Sunday morning always ‘feels’ different – no matter which country I am in and even before churches etc have started. Even here when Friday is the important Mosque day (40% Muslim), Sunday is still the day that feels different. All I need now, as I used to say to Nicolas, a Frenchman, is croissants and coffee!
Maybe I need to go to some other countries!
*****
You know something? No-one else but myself takes a blind bit of notice of my schedule! I cannot understand why they are not as interested in it as am I!
*****
A week at Chingari: (ignore my spelling of the names)
Khattek is one of the older children. He arrives in the second batch of busses and makes his way to our room. His legs are folded under him and of little use. He swings along using his hands and this is making his spine rounded. He also has some spondylosis which of course does not help. He has a wonderful smile.
Zoya has also seen me every day. She is a young hyper-active child, doesn’t speak and also has weak musculature. Initially she wanted to play but I have managed to have her lie down for a short time, as you see. She is more interested in the camera of course!
This little boy, Manmohan Singh, is about a metre tall and 10 years old. He is a bright lad for his age but suffers with Muscular Dystrophy (MD) and Hydrocephalus. That is his mother with him on the left and his little sister. I think he shows an amazing calmness – Rishi treats him on most days.
Amman is another of the (seemingly increasing) number of boys with MD. He is the left-most boy, just to the right of the sports teacher. This may look like just a board game but it involves flicking a disk with a finger to knock another disk into a corner pocket. They used to play it at Sambhavna. So it is good practice at hand-eye coordination as well as exercise for the fingers which are often among the most affected muscle groups.
This Friday, Huma and Rishi were messing with my hat so I have to show them here:
You can follow Ian Jarvis’ blog ‘A Bhopal Diary’ here: abhopaldiary.blogspot.co.uk
