Therapy Day!

We have now been here since Friday evening and it is going by so fast. On Monday and Tuesday we did language and swallowing diagnostics to determine which children needed to be included in therapy. Today, we started therapy. We have been divided into 2 groups of 4 and 1 group of 3. I am in a group with Tessa and Jill and we are on Team Triple D this week (aka Dr. Tullos). We did some language enrichment groups of toddlers, a language group of around 9-12 months olds, an individual time, and a special needs time. I love special needs time. I wish I could be in that group every week. We are rotating so next week I will either be doing language therapy with older toddlers and tin he sick house or I will be doing swallowing. There are a couple of kids who are so behind developmentally that I really want to see improve. I hope that working with them one on one will help. Tonight we were told the story about how the Haven was started, which was a heart breaker for sure. How it used to be, if the mother died during child birth, the live baby was buried with her in the grave because it was better for the baby to suffocate quickly then to die of starvation over a long period of time. One day while a burial was happening, an aunt of the child jumped into the grave and pulled out the baby and walked for 3 days to the Merritt’s. She fed the child sugar water from a rag to keep the child alive. That is how the Haven began. The children are either an orphan (1 parent died) or a double orphan (both parents died). We are getting to see the fruits of that endeavor by seeing these children’s beautiful faces and humbled spirit.
After therapy is a blast as well. We have had the opportunity to play soccer with Africans, see baptisms in a wash tub (or horse trough), hear the Holy Spirit through song (they are powerful singers), see the southern hemisphere stars, play different games with the others here, lead singing at children’s church, and learn some native words. It has been a experience for sure. I have seen an oxen pulling a cart pass by an automobile. I have seen hut looking structures holding corn. We have driven down dirt roads. We have taken short cuts down paths that have been worn down from previous walkers. Today, Ian was playing with another boy who lives next door to the Mann House where we stay, so we gave him a ride back from the Haven and afterwards, Ian said that the boy was scared because he had never been in a car with white people before. He was nervous the whole way.

Anyways, it’s late so I am going to go…

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are those who are pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3-10

Much love,
Shanna