Last Week with For Jonathan's Sake

So last this past week was my last week running For Jonathan's Sake. I am now working on finishing all the paperwork and treatment planning so it can be passed over to Courntey to continue running the program. It has been a great joy and challenge at the same time working on revamping this program. I beleive this program is going to change how parents look at their disabled children. I have already seen it. I had a dad who did not know how to interact with his daughter come in this past week and automatically start playing with her. I had a mother walk in and have a blast interacting with her son. I have story after story of how this program is changing families lives and childrens lives. I love how this program has provided community for teh families. Who are going threw similar situations and now have a support system. My Teusday group of higher functioning kids are learning to play with each other and the children are becoming friends. I saw a child's eyes light up when he learned to use a switch toy and realized he could play and interact. I had the wonderful opportunity to provide the families with a gift last week. I was a little dissapointed the boat never arrived with my supplies to make gifts for the families BUT on another shipment that did arrive a school in Kentucky made bags with soap, shampoo, comb, etc. in them and there were exactly enough bags. So what I did was specialize the bags to the kids. By adding toys to them that fit the child's developmental level and would help them improve their skills at home. It was so great to be able to send parents home with supplies to work with there kids during the week. The hope is to eventually get enough toys in here that we can start a toy loan program for our parents. I started a test run with my Monday families and for 2 weeks now I have been sending my parents home with toys to work with their chidlren and the next week they bring them back and get new toys. If they do not return the toys they do not get there food for the week. It is working great with the Monday group.

I originally was going to try to add an hour of sewing for the mothers every week. In order to teach them a trade they could use to help support their family. After talking with Courtney we have decided to start a seperate program. We are going to get each parent sponsored and the mothers will come on a seperate day (without the children)and have an hour or so a week to use electric sewing machines and learn to hand sew. This will provide them time to learn a trade but also time to socialize and build relationships with the mothers. It will also have time away from their children.

I got news that my plans may be changing and I may not be heading to PAP for a week and instead staying here at the mission a week longer. If that is the case I will be able to surprise my parents and children next week.

Yesterday a pediatric physical therappist came in and so today I have been working with her and having her look over my PT portions of my evaluations and adding to them. I am so excited to have the opportunity to work with them. Although I am a little bumbed about PAP getting cancelled I do beleive God has BIG Plans for me here at the mission. Because for 4 days I will have an OT student, a PT student and a Pediatric PT who has 15 years of pediatric experience. My trip to Haiti this time was to lay a foundation...and I believe I will be able to lay a firmer foundation with these extra days to finish up paperwork, finish wheelchairs, set up special education lesson plans, and learn from the PT and add a better PT portion to each child's file.

I hope you enjoy the pictures. These are pictures of each of my groups me with the kids and parents. I had quite a few children out last week. For Jonathan's Sake now has 30 parents and children in the program.