Lismore’s Lois Kelly with babies at the Kias Village Orphanage in Cambodia.
The new medical centre Lois helped build on the three-week trip to the orphanage.
Little orphan Chan, who suffers from a cleft palate. Lois is now trying to raise $5000 so he can have surgery.The Northern Rivers Echo (Australia)
When Lismore’s Lois Kelly first saw the conditions children were living in at the Kias Village Orphanage in Cambodia, her heart broke for the 34 babies and eight children who were forced to endure constant heat, barely enough food or water, and very little love.
Lois recently joined 24 Poms and two Aussies on a three-week mission of mercy to improve life at the orphanage, inspired by a friend who adopted a Cambodian child and wanted to return to help those left behind.
For three weeks the group slogged it out in 40-degree heat, working day and night to build a medical centre, a sports field called Little Wembley and vegetable gardens. The team also refurbished the kitchen, painted a beautiful mural that covered the entire orphanage and built colourful cupboards for each of the kids, who normally put their meagre belongings in a communal space.
The group also provided much-needed human contact, constantly playing with the older children and nursing the babies, many of whom suffer from disabilities such as brain damage and blindness.
“It was a hell of shock when I first arrived and saw the putrid conditions, and looking back it’s pretty amazing what we achieved in just three short weeks,” said Lois. “On the first day I found a little girl who had sores on her feet and infected lungs, and she was only four days old. I managed to get her into hospital that night, and I suspect otherwise she would of died. It really brought home the fragility of life, but also made me realise what a difference one person can make.”
Despite returning home to her family, friends and western life, Lois has not forgotten those tiny souls, and is now trying to raise $200 each month so a doctor can visit the centre and provide treatment. She is also trying to raise $5000 for a five-week old boy named Chan, who has a cleft palate and desperately needs surgery.
“Leaving those babies was so difficult – my heart is still with them and I plan to return next year and continue the work we started,” said Lois. “I want to say a big thank you to Lismore – the $1800 that was raised will go a long way toward buying medical supplies for these kids. “Just $1 will feed a baby for a week and we hope people can find it in their hearts to keep giving so these children have a better chance at life.”
People can donate money into the Cambodian Aid Appeal at any branch of Summerland Credit Union, who have waived bank fees so every cent collected goes straight to the orphanage.
Lois recently joined 24 Poms and two Aussies on a three-week mission of mercy to improve life at the orphanage, inspired by a friend who adopted a Cambodian child and wanted to return to help those left behind.
For three weeks the group slogged it out in 40-degree heat, working day and night to build a medical centre, a sports field called Little Wembley and vegetable gardens. The team also refurbished the kitchen, painted a beautiful mural that covered the entire orphanage and built colourful cupboards for each of the kids, who normally put their meagre belongings in a communal space.
The group also provided much-needed human contact, constantly playing with the older children and nursing the babies, many of whom suffer from disabilities such as brain damage and blindness.
“It was a hell of shock when I first arrived and saw the putrid conditions, and looking back it’s pretty amazing what we achieved in just three short weeks,” said Lois. “On the first day I found a little girl who had sores on her feet and infected lungs, and she was only four days old. I managed to get her into hospital that night, and I suspect otherwise she would of died. It really brought home the fragility of life, but also made me realise what a difference one person can make.”
Despite returning home to her family, friends and western life, Lois has not forgotten those tiny souls, and is now trying to raise $200 each month so a doctor can visit the centre and provide treatment. She is also trying to raise $5000 for a five-week old boy named Chan, who has a cleft palate and desperately needs surgery.
“Leaving those babies was so difficult – my heart is still with them and I plan to return next year and continue the work we started,” said Lois. “I want to say a big thank you to Lismore – the $1800 that was raised will go a long way toward buying medical supplies for these kids. “Just $1 will feed a baby for a week and we hope people can find it in their hearts to keep giving so these children have a better chance at life.”
People can donate money into the Cambodian Aid Appeal at any branch of Summerland Credit Union, who have waived bank fees so every cent collected goes straight to the orphanage.
3 comments:
Ms Kelly, you have a heart of gold. Thank you for helping poor Khmer children. Wish, there more people like you.
Cambodian people are becoming throw away people and thank to AH HUN SEN and the Vietcong for making it possible! The Cambodian babies look the same as those baby from Romania! AH HUN SEN and his WIFE deserve to be killed by firing squad!
Lois,
Thank you. I will try to contact Cambodian Aid Appeal to donate some help. You have done much more than me as Cambodian who love bitching about politic but do nothing for the poors. My father loved to help wats and monks. He spent thousands of his SSI dollars to gain better life after he dies via monks. While he dying on his bed, not even one local monk from Long Beach nor L.A. called him. More striking, monks from the same Pagoda that he was parts of it for years charged him $35 each for Sot Tor for him when he about leaving the earth....
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