Our BIG outreach event for November/December was a time of celebrating together for the first time EVER all the Therapy outreach children and school outreach children along with their families (parents, siblings, grandparents, etc.). I could never have imagined what a BLESSED...SPECIAL day this would turn into. It was a day full of
JOY...LAUGHTER...FELLOWSHIP...FAMILY TIME...
a day where the focus was on celebrating their special needs children...celebrating their accomplishments, celebrating how far the outreach program has come in the last 4 years
It was a time of ENCOURAGEMENT as the families took time to encourage 1 another.
For some of these family it may have been the first time they have taken their special needs child to a party and more than likely the first time a party had been for their special needs child!
This was a special day on so many levels!!!!! All the families came dressed in their BEST!
ALOT of preparation and planning went into this Party. We were expecting 60 families anywhere from 120 to 200 people could show up. We decorated the downstairs with lights and crate paper.
We filled treat bags with candy, cookies/crackers, little toys. Some of the Miriam Home children came upstairs the night before the party and helped fill the treat bags and get everything ready for the 2 craft tables. They were good little helpers (took 3 times as long but so worth it to have such eager helpers ;-)
The first hour & half of the Party we had various stations
set up around for the families to rotate through and participate in....
1. FACE PAINTING
2. FINGERPRINT ART
As I was walking around I realized many of the families with severe & profound children were not participating in the activities. I have realized over the years that they just don't know how to help them. I started taking their children 1 at a time and Hand Over Hand helping them complete the crafts. The parents got big smiles as they finished and we presented their parents with a hand-made gift.
3. CROSS TISSUE PAPER CRAFT
The children, siblings and parents worked hard and had fun making these crosses
4. PHOTO BOOTH
We had a PHOTO BOOTH with props where families could take family portraits and silly pictures together. I will print these pictures out while I am home and bring them back in for the families.
4. SLIDESHOW
We put together a slideshow of pictures taken from 4 years ago till now during outreach and school and had a slideshow where parents could sit and watch with their children.
5. We Had a DANCE PARTY
I went around and picked up some of the severe & profound children and danced with them demonstrating to their parents that even though they can't walk they can enjoy dancing!
After the families had finished the above activities we had them all head upstairs to the chapel
Everyone trying to rush up at once...the moment I realized how many people we had!!!
We started our time upstairs with a time of prayer and worship
(Nahum and Presidue lead the entire time upstairs)
I ran between upstairs and downstairs preparing for the meal to follow
The School children put on a program for their parents and
the therapy outreach families. There was group singing and solo's.
After the children were finished with their program we opened the floor for a time of sharing. We invited the families up to share how the outreach program had impacted their children and their lives. This was such a powerful moment for me. I was so glad I had Nicholson to translate. There were so many moments I was almost in tears as my heart was so filled...I was so blessed to hear from these amazing families how God has used the outreach program to impact their lives. I wanted to share just a few of the stories with you below
Nerlande’s mother shared how Nerlande was born without a
disability but got sick when she was little which impaired her ability to walk.
She is so grateful for the program that has provided therapy for her daughter,
helped her get into regular school and a few weeks ago enabled her to have
surgery that will enable her daughter to walk on her own. Since the surgery
even with the casts on she is standing and walking without assistance!
Ralph’s mother has been in the program for 4 years. She got
up and shared how much the program had impacted her and her son’s life. She
shared that before joining the outreach program she would cry daily and felt
hopeless. Every time she left the house with Ralph people would make fun of her
and her son. She felt helpless to help him, didn’t know what to do, felt
isolated and alone. Since joining the program she still has bad days…days she
cries but not like before, she has support of other mothers in the program, she
feels empowered to take care of her son. She shared how she has a heart problem
that now limits her ability to take care of her son. She encouraged all the
parents present to not take for granted the time they have with their children,
to work with them, follow through on the therapy at home, and spent about 5-10
minutes encouraging them!
Rosemeldrine’s mom shared how she has been coming to
outreach for the past 4 years! She shares how when she first started bringing
Rosemeldrine to outreach she could not control her neck or sit. She has come so
far. She can now control her head, sit on her own, transition from lying down
to sitting and can walk with both hands held. She also shared how the Miriam Center
Casandra’s mother got up and shared how when Casandra turned
1 year old and was not walking that her and her husband had decided the best
thing was to leave Casandra with the Nuns in PdP which is where they lived. Her
husband and her decided the next day they would go drop Casandra off. That
night she had a dream…and in her dream she was on her way to the Nuns to drop
Casandra off. She met an elderly lady who asked where she was going. When she
shared she was going to drop her daughter off at the Nuns the lady told her she
was making a mistake that her daughter has potential. The next morning she met
Nahum (the Haitian director of the Miriam
Center
Wilden’s mom shared how a few months her husband told her
she would have to choose between him or Wilden’s. When she chose Wilden’s he
abused her and kicked her out. It was the Miriam Center Miriam Center
The Families really enjoyed this time of FELLOWSHIP...ENCOURAGEMENT...SHARING
At the End Nahum, Presidue, Nicholson, and I shared an encouraging Poem with the parents that was translated into Creole. I even attempted to read my part in Creole which meant alot to the families.
I AM THE CHILD WHO CANNOT TALK.
You often pity me. I see it
in your eyes. You wonder how much I am aware of…I see that as well. I am aware
of much…whether you are happy or sad or fearful, patient or impatient, full of
love and desire, or if you are just doing your duty to me. I marvel at your
frustration, knowing mine to be far greater- for I cannot express myself nor my
needs as you do. You cannot conceive my isolation- so complete it is at times.
I do not gift you with clever conversation or cute remarks to be laughed over
and repeated. I do not give answers to everyday questions, responses over my
well-being, share my needs, or comments about the world around me. I do not
give you rewards as defined by the world’s standards…great strides in
development that you can credit yourself. I do not give you understanding as
you know it.
What I give you is much more valuable…I give you instead
opportunities. Opportunities to discover the depth of your character- not mine;
the depth of your love, your commitment, your patience, you abilities; the
opportunity to explore your spirit more deeply than you imagines possible. I
drive you further than you will ever go on your own, working harder, seeking
answers to your many questions- creating questions with no answers.
I AM THE
CHILD WHO CANNOT TALK.
I AM THE CHILD WHO CANNOT WALK.
The world sometimes seems to
pass me by. You see the longing in my eyes to get out of this chair- to run and
play like other children. There is much you take for granted. I want the toys
on the top shelf. I need to go to the bathroom…oh…I’ve dropped my spoon again!
I am dependent on you in these ways. My gift to you is to make you aware of
your great fortune: your healthy back and legs, your ability to do for yourself.
Sometimes people appear not to notice me- I always notice them. I feel not so
much envy as desire; to stand upright, to put one foot in front of the other,
to be independent. I give you awareness.
I AM THE CHILD WHO CANNOT WALK.
I AM THE CHILD WHO IS MENTALLY IMPAIRED.
I don’t learn
easily if you judge me by the World’s measuring stick. What I do know is
infinite joy in the simple things. I am not burdened as you are with the
strifes and conflicts or a more complicated life. MY gift to you is to grant you
the freedom to enjoy things as a child: to teach you how much it means to have
your arms around me- to give you love. I give you the gift of simplicity.
I AM
A CHILD WHO IS MENTALLY IMPAIRED.
I AM THE DISABLED CHILD.
I am your teacher. If you allow me-
I will teach you what is really important in life. I will give you and teach
you unconditional love. I give you my innocent trust- my dependency upon you. I
teach you respect for others and their uniqueness. I teach you about the
sanctity of life. I teach you about how very precious life is and about not
taking things for granted. I teach you about forgetting your own needs and
desires and dreams. I teach you giving. Most of all, I teach you Hope and
Faith.
I AM THE DISABLED CHILD-ENABLE ME.
After our time in the chapel we took some Group Pictures....
 |
| All the school children and their families |
 |
| All the School Children |
 |
| All the therapy outreach families and their children |
 |
| Monday Therapy Outreach |
 |
| Wednesday Therapy Outreach |
 |
| Thursday Therapy Outreach |
 |
| Me with Thursday Therapy Outreach |
 |
| Friday Therapy Outreach |
 |
| Me with Friday Therapy Outreach |
 |
| Presidue & I- My partner in Crime who has just as BIG of heart for outreach as I do LASTLY we ended the party with a HUGE MEAL- Complete with Chicken, beans & rice, fried plantanes, beat salad, picklees, etc. Each family got 2 boxes of food and 2 soft drinks. All the food was made by some of the Miriam Center momma's who were not working that day. They did an EXCELLENT job the food was delicious. |
I have to addmitt...This day may have just been the most FULFILLING day I have EVER had in Haiti. My heart was so full seeing all these families together, having FUN together...seeing them free of worry and concern for a few hours genuinely enjoying their families. Hearing them share how outreach has impacted their life meant ALOT to me as often I wonder if the program is making a difference. It was just a PICTURE PERFECT day... I don't even know how to put into words the JOY...LOVE...HAPPINESS...CONTENTMENT I felt...
I sure to LOVE each of these children...They and their families have impacted my life in so many ways and I will be eternally grateful for that. I feel so BLESSED that God has allowed me to get to know and serve each of them!
We could have never pulled off this day without ALL the help from Presidue, Nahum, Nicholson, The Miriam Center Momma's who cooked, Erin, Laura, and Stephanie all helping.
We even managed to have fun while cleaning up from the party!
No comments:
Post a Comment