The paint was chipped and peeling on the first of our buildings, which was opened in 2001 as a Hospice for AIDS Victims. When we closed the hospice in 2007, we used the building to house our children… but it was never intended for childcare and sleeping in the same room, that your parents and friends had died in, was not always a pleasant experience.
The floor tiles were cracked and broken and in many places the floor had sunk several inches below the foundation. It was a major investment but I felt the time had come to do some repairs. I have not had a patient since we closed the hospice and as a Nurse, I felt the need to get back into patient care, even if it is on a small scale. With all of the children now in the new dormitory it seemed like a good time to do it.
We refinished the outside of the building to its original state, taking down the iron bars that once were needed to keep out the curiosity seekers and newspaper cameramen.
And we remodeled the entrance where Mr. Vandin, after 8 years of being our Director, finally has his own office. And just today we completed the new four bed dispensary and sick bay where I now have my office.
I am not sure where this is leading us but I am happy to have this space available again to work in. I have had to turn people away before and even though we may not use it much, at least I feel prepared again for what ever may come our way.
Thanks to all of you who have, through your generous non-conditional donations, made this remodeling project possible.