Angel Olaran shares some of the visits to families in Wukro
Father Angel Olaran shares some of the visits to families in Wukro, Tigray, these days. We think that on this occasion it is not necessary to add any introduction to this publication. It is better to see the images -some of them- and read the comments of Abba Melaku that accompany them.
Angel Olaran shares some images from his visits
December 24 visit to Brehan an her tree girls
Brehan has two more children – boys, the oldest 13 years old – in addition to the 3 girls in the photo: Weni, Shewit and Fetuam, who has a twin brother.
The father of all of them lives in Mekelle; the good man is mentally not strong at all and has to beg for a living. Brehan also has her mental limitations, but she loves her children and cares for them. It is a pity that the children cannot see, be with their father, but it may be a way of household setting.
Her house is empty and what little she has in many homes would be trash. They sleep on the floor on a kind of carpet. On one of the patio walls they have something lying in the sun, if I remember correctly, blue in color, split in two and with a stain on it, which serves as a mattress. The little one pees on the “bed”. We have given them 50 kg of flour, a few soaps and clothes. On Monday we will buy them shoes and a mattress.
Since Regat came in contact with them we give them half a liter of milk daily for the little ones. We will be able to follow them more closely.
Visits on December 25 and 26
Mother with a girl of about 5 years old and triplets of 2 years and 3 months old. Husband is at the front. In a previous letter, I told you how, one day, at the worst of the war in Wukro, Regat, on returning home found that the mother and 4 children were at home and how happy she was to have them with her. In a photo you could see her happy face with one of the children clutched to her chest. They spent several months with her. We have left them 50 kg of flour and several bars of soap. The bars are wrapped like a package of cookies, and the 3 children struggled to open them. To avoid this disappointment, Regat went out and bought 4 packets of cookies, which they were able to open and enjoy the contents.
Visit to Almaz and children
We visited Almaz and her two autistic children, 18 and 23 years old. We have known them for years. One of them was profound: today he did not pay attention to us – he had his own story of laughter, comments, hands on his face, feet. . . . At other times he has enjoyed our visit – he knows us and asks us to visit him. The second is less profound and has been with us. For a few months now, Kalkidan, the little girl, has been living with them. We have brought them 50 kg of flour and soaps. They have been with Regat for 6 months. She has offered us injera with lentils, very well cooked.
Woman with two children
One of the mothers, with one child in her arms and another about 8 years old, has 4 children. Her husband died at the front. She experienced some bad times with soldiers. We have given them clothes and soaps.
Visit to a “camp”, in blue color
This blue “camp” is about 5 km from Wukro, to the North. We have sent you some comments about this place in the past. It is run by an orthodox priest. He takes care of the 170 residents all mentally very limited – some aggressive. The atmosphere is depressing: they are people like me! We have taken them 200 kg of flour and 20 bars of soap and some clothes. We were able to spend some time with some of these people who knew us and were able to talk to us. A few months ago we gave them 72,000 birr – I guess the euro was about 50 birr – to buy the corrugated iron for the roofs. Today they were telling us that the Wukro administration is going to offer them a room to have an office in the city. They asked if we could give them a table and 2 chairs. This afternoon they took them. The list of needs is long, from dozens of mattresses, blankets . . . We will keep you updated.
