Returning to Belize in December, I went laden with gifts for the children of the Belize Care/Dorothy Menzies Home.  In Bahrain this home is lovingly known as the Belize Orphanage. The home is built to house 30 children but this number is always exceeded, sometimes up to 60.  However on my visit the number was down to 40. The children are usually those who are abandoned or whose parents are in jail for drug or physical abuse - often sexual abuse.  The children are taken into care until such time as either their parents or family are able to take them back, or the children are offered up for adoption. Younger children are found homes more easily than the older ones, and its a known fact that once a child reaches the age of 8 or 9, then they will be in the home until they leave at 18 and find their own way in the world.

My interest in the home was sadly through the death of my son Julian, who was serving as a helicopter pilot with the British Army stationed in Belize. After his death I discovered that he had been supporting the home in his spare time, so I took up the cause ten years ago. Through various fund raising efforts, it has been possible to get the children out of the home for a weekend break once a month to a retreat on the northern lagoon named "Wildtracks" in Sarteneje. For some years St. Christopher's Cathedral have donated all the Christingle service collection each December as a loving gesture of "children for children".

This year the British Royal Air Force (RAF) flew down a large consignment of goodies for the children as Christmas gifts, such as T-shirts from the Royal Society of St George, toys and caps from DHL, plus other goodies from St Christopher's Senior School, friends, supporters and colleagues.

To take 6 children out of the home for a weekend break costs US$300. Recently funds have been raised to build an extension to the home and this is planned to be used for children to have tuition where they need help. Obviously counselling is a very important factor where there has been trauma caused by abuse, and a part-time Counsellor has offered her time in cases such as these. I am hoping to raise funds for this project.

The home is Government run, but Belize is a very poor country and often funds from the Government do not arrive. A leading lady in the community, Mrs. Dorothy Menzies, has spent some years raising funds to help out with additional funding, and often this additional funding is used to buy food. In spite of this the children all speak English, and appear happy. The families of the British Army based in Belize give their time in helping with the home and the wives of servicemen spend time in fund raising.

I am hoping to set up a 'Sponsor a Child' programme to help bring in regular funding. For instance, there is one 17 year old girl who is desperate to have funding for further study, and its just not available. I'm trying to find out just how much is needed to see whether its possible to raise funds for her.

So I say "A big thank you" to all. Without this help the children would not have the benefit of having love and care from across the miles, and all the children now know where Bahrain is!