Freedom!

International Slavery Museum

People don't have chains on their arms and legs now, but people still have chains in their minds. When you have problems getting enough food, housing and education, you are not living in a free country.

Ronald Cadet,
Haiti

Was feeling a bit grumpy today for no particular reason so took a walk along the waterfront to clear my head.

2 things stood out:-

1.Meeting 4 of my 'ladies' (average age 80) smartly dressed and made up, enjoying a day out together - working in healthcare I usually only see them when they're not at their best! It was brilliant to see them looking so full of life and laughter.

2. The Freedom! sculpture above. It is a strangely appealing yet rather grotesque mixture of human-like figures and faces bound together with chains, with orange lights flashing on and off randomly throughout the sculpture. It was made from recycled materials by artists in collaboration with Christian Aid and youth groups in Haiti. A video shows how it was painstakingly constructed and transported to Liverpool.

The poverty stats for Haiti are unbelievably bad.

Don't think I have any right to feel grumpy really...