Today was a great day.

The daughter of one of the staff here at St Jude's just finished up her course work studying to be an Occupational Therapist and is spending a few months here in Tanzania at a children's rehabilitation centre while she waits to actually 'graduate' and return to Australia for a 'real' job.

Today 7 other St Jude's staff and I went to visit her place of work.

It is called Plaster House and was started by a woman from Sweden who was working at a hospital here in Arusha to offer physical and occupational therapy to children who have just undergone corrective surgery for bone deformities or amputation. Her rehab program got so big that she moved it out of the hospital and it now stands alone with support from the hospital and few others... (although this support is barely enough to keep it going).

I just sat in heaven for 3 hours playing and joking around with the beautiful young patients.

Some of the children have just undergone surgery, some are waiting for surgery, and some are long-term residents. One of the major issues is skeletal fluorosis, which is caused by an excess of fluoride enrichment early in life and a lack of sufficient calcium, leading to bones being formed out of fluoride instead of calcium not strong enough to support weight.

As is always the case in Tanzania, the conditions are appalling from a western point of view, but the people are happier than anyone I've ever met in a developed country. There are only 2 bedrooms and about 7 beds, and there just isn't enough money for proper equipment.

I am so grateful that my swahili is good enough to joke around and have a good conversation with children.

The funniest was when we were leaving, they turned on a DVD that a previous volunteer bought for the children. I'll post a picture and you'll see, the children took the exact pose that western children take when plopped in front of a TV.

FYI, most of the pictures I'll post were taking by children learning how to use my camera.

Looking back at the last week, St Jude's and Arusha become my home more and more each day. Life is good.

Love,

Erica