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Showing posts from April, 2007

Helping Haitians Learn

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This week, I spent every day teaching! So fun! I have collaborated with another Non-profit organization here in Haiti called Healing Hands for Haiti. They have a program where they teach Haitian Nationals learn how to perform basic physical therapy skills. They needed someone to help with the pediatric portion, and so since I am here in Haiti and have the background to do that-I volunteered! It has been so much fun. I had 6 students this week and they learned and practiced techniques with the handicapped children at an orphanage near my house that is run by Food for the Poor. We had such a great time and the students did a wonderful job. Next week, I'll do the same thing, but for 4 different students. This is really fun for me to share some of my skills with people of this country. They are the ones that can really impact their people and for me to be allowed to teach them effective ways to help the people of their country is so rewarding to me. I enjoyed this week and I look for

Meet Ashley

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Well, I first must apologize for the time lapse, but my computer was broken--AGAIN!!! This is the second time that it has broken, but thank goodness for Zach, he fixed it again!!!! So, the little girl above is Ashley. She is 4 years old and she has Cerebral Palsy. She has NEVER seen a therapist. She is such a hard worker and she is so much fun to play with! She has made great improvements over the 2 weeks that I have had the pleasure of working with her. When I first met her, she was so spastic that she couldn't ' even reach either arm out for a toy. After 7 treatments she is able to sit independently and reach for a toy with her right arm, open her hand and place the toy into a container!!! BRAVO Ashley!!!! It is so fun to see the progress in these children! I really just wish that I would have gotten her 4 years ago! Her family is wonderful and they love her dearly. They are very compliant with completing the activities that I ask them to do at home. She does not

Easter Sunday

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We celebrated Easter today with a church service, wonderful worship time of celebrating how our Lord, Jesus Christ, died for our sins and rose again 3 days later. What an amazing thing!! How special I feel that He loved us more than we can possibly imagine. He chose to die for us, so that we have the opportunity to have eternal life with Him. Following the church service, we had close to 40 friends over for a wonderful Easter afternoon meal. We had an American Ham (which is such a treat), mashed potatoes (another big treat), baked beans, salad, rolls, apples with caramel and a load of other desserts! What a wonderful treat to eat with friends and eat such wonderful foods!!!! After the meal, the children found plastic Easter eggs that were stuffed with candies. Jaryse and Ecrissa did get to do this with me last year, but they did not really understand it. This year, Ecrissa could walk all by herself and she had a blast finding the eggs! Jaryse was such a great brother, finding eggs and

Remember Daylight savings time?????

Well, April 1st has come and gone with no further mention of daylight savings time!! So, we here in Haiti did not observe daylight savings time this year. I think it'll be interesting to see if they remember that they didn't, but still take advantage of gaining an hour in the fall!!! Anyway, this week has been fun and busy. I had quite a few therapy sessions and all of the kids are doing a really great job! I helped another missionary friend of mine, Dr. Ed, prepare for a medical team that will be coming in next week. I will have the wonderful opportunity of being a part of this clinic next Tuesday helping dispence medications to the patients! I love these mobile medical clinics. It is so much fun and such a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the Haitian culture, practice my Kreyol, and learn more about providing medical care here in Haiti. I also got to work out with my friend Shelley everyday this week! Shelley and I run in the mornings. It is such a needed o