Some of the most horrific things were when they visited families to distribute food or medical care. Team members were overwhelmed by the circumstances they met: small, dirty houses crowded with large families, some with nothing left to eat. Often, they found young children left alone, or even families who had no home at all.

It was good to see that the Smiles Foundation was providing care for the neglected, abused and abandoned children, particularly with the recent opening of a children's centre, delivering foster care for such children.

Money was raised before the trip and with £22,000 they were able to buy 7½ acres of land and two houses in the village. The land is being used for farming, to feed those in the village, the animals they rear, and to educate young people. The housing is also used as emergency accommodation for homeless families.

Money has also been raised to build and Old Peoples’ home. It was wonderful to see how much faith and hope these people had in God despite their circumstances. There is an overwhelming sense of need, and what they were able to do, changed the lives of so many for the better.

Containers are periodically sent from Northern Ireland with clothes and non-perishable food items. At the end of the evening, Sally Carson, one of our members presented Myrtle with 30 little teddies which she and her daughter Wendy had knit. These will be used to make up Christmas parcels for small children along with other items. Myrtle expressed her sincere thanks for the generosity of Sally and Wendy and for all the work they had with the Teddies.