Hera Disability Centre opens

After many months of hard work, the disability centre is open – well, it had its inauguration ceremony last Friday.  It is called, “Liman Hamutuk” which is literally translated as “Hands Together”.  It has the capacity to house 6 disabled people but also has a large activity room for running activities and training sessions.  The centre will be managed by the Brazilian nurse, Branca. 

Many thanks to John and Allison who worked on building the centre for over 8 months and also thanks for the strong support provided by Yooralla and others in Australia and New Zealand.  It is built very much to Australian quality standards with block outside and steel frame lined with plasterboard and ply inside.

 

 

There are many traumatic cases in this country of people with a disability being left in a dark and dirty hut in the mountains with no one to regularly feed and clean them.  We hope that this centre will help to alleviate this issue and also to advocate the value of human life and that a person with a disability needs to be valued and properly cared for.

On the medical theme, I gave blood the other week.  I think I was only brave enough because my mate Rob went and did it.  I get a bit nervous in a country like this when someone shoves a needle in my arm.  I think it helped me get over a traumatic experience I had in the Dili hospital a few years back when an intravenous drip I was given went wrong (thats about all I want to say about that story).