A View from the Pew...

I would like to tell you a little about some of the folk that we interact with during our 3-day Paddy House project.

Of the 8 female residents Joan, with the gentle face and lovely blue eyes, is the oldest, she walks with a walker and does lovely knitting and crochet work... Liezl, however, is reserved and very quiet and we have to work hard to earn a smile from her whereas Michelle has grown so much socially. When I met her 3 years ago she just wanted to be left alone, and now loves being part of all the fun. Michelle and David, one of the male residents, are an ‘item’ and it is lovely to see her face light up when David appears. Ashleigh, with a smile to lighten your heart, a Down’s syndrome girl, is the youngest and newest member of Paddy House whom the others adore and watch over.

Then we have the men folk. David is a quiet and gentle man who is very easy to love. Kenneth loves to knit and isn’t always on time for the activities as he has to ‘finish his row’. Patrick is a bit of a loner who doesn’t smile easily, so it is wonderful to see when he laughs at the others dancing, and yells at me ‘take a photo Judy, take a photo’. He has been an altar ‘boy’ for the past 22 years and tells me that he can be proud of that – ‘yes Patrick, you certainly can ‘. Rudy, an amputee and the one to whom all the others look up to, is in a wheel-chair which doesn’t hamper him at all, and the residents love nothing better than to see him hop out of his wheelchair and dance around on one leg – an amazing man with an incredible outlook on life and a deep love for his Lord.

These folk humble and inspire us.

Judy Morton