| GORATA'S GALLERY |
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| "Keeper of the Stars" Tracy Byrd |
| ORPHANS OF THE CANCER STORM |
| "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path - and leave a trail." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~ |
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| Flying to Toronto in comfort on a little Cessna. Our pilots, Allan and Andy, were great, and the girls loved the views through the large oval windews - especially as we decended over an ice flecked Lake Ontario on approach into the Island Airport. The girls are hugging Little Miss/Mr Men hot water bottles, which were filled up by the great folks at JFK to help keep the kids warm on the 2hr flight - as you can see from the pic on the left, it was a cold day in New York (-4), and even colder in Toronto (-12)! |
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| Together again - a famoily photo just minutes after the family were reunited at the RMH, the moment we had been waiting for for five months! There wasn't a dry eye in the room. |
| In March 2005, after four months hard work, I was able to reunite Salome and Rati with John, Thabitha, Naledi and Bame. These photos tell the story of the reunion and very happy birthday Rati had. Thanks to South African Airways, Angel Flight, the US embassy in Botswana and everyone across the UK and US who contributed to make this reunion possible. |
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| John, Thabitha, Naledi and Bame relax in the lounge at JFK, and have fun openiong gifts donated by stores in Oxford. |
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| 4 yr old Bame gets covered in cream as she enjoys the birthday cake (below). |
| A family photo with Morgan (child life specialist) on a very special day - Rati's third birthday. This was a day John and Salome thought Rati would never see. God does amazing things when we have enough faith to let him work in our lives. |
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| The children are so happy to be together again. For a time, 6 yr old Naledi had believed Rati didn't want to come home to Botswana because she didn't love her family, and refused to speak to her sister on the telephone. Now she is full of happiness and again enjoying being a normal child with her entire family around her. |
| 12 yr old Thabitha gets stuck in to some homework. She is due to sit her primary school certificate this year - essential for graduation to high school, and is determined that nothing will stand in the way of good marks - not e ven being in Canada, far away from her demanding teachers. Don't we wish more children in England could be so enthusiastic about their work?! |
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| Another fairwell picture in the Ronald McDonald House reception. This has been another amazingly moving, rewarding and inspiring trip to Canada, and I leave feeling honoured to be so closely involved with this wonderful, vibrant, loving family. Again, thanks to everyone across five countries who made this family reunion possible. God bless you! |
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| Morgan takes a snapshot of me with some of "the girls" and Dr Gallie at Rati's party. |