My heart is full.

I have just got home from a work trip to Sri Lanka, where I travelled with staff from the UnitingWorld team to see projects which are part of the work of DeafLink, an agency of the Methodist Church of Sri Lanka and to see preschools supported by the Uniting Church.
It was my first time in Sri Lanka. It is a beautiful rich and diverse country.

We travelled many hours to see inspirational projects making a difference to disabled people, by empowering them to become part of their communities, by helping them to be more economically productive and self sufficient, and by enabling children to learn despite disabilities.

You can read more about this here

I am aware just how privileged I am to have seen all this. So many people are cynical about charities and whether their donations get to where they are going, or do any good.

When you have seen the work our partners do with great courage, humility and perseverance in the face of enormous challenges, you find your cynicism challenged. Better to take the risk of doing good, than to hoard what we have because we can't find the 'perfect' place for our money!

I am aware of how much our UnitingWorld staff put themselves out for this work. They travel away from their homes and families and take arduous journeys in places that sometimes have risks attached to them -travel risks on rough roads or in dodgy weather conditions, health risks in developing counties, etc.

It is lovely to be back home, but I won't forget the people I have seen.