This is a new family to outreach
as of this year. Caladina is in the therapy part of outreach & shammana is
in the sensory/autism classroom & comes daily to school.
Caladina is non-verbal, has very
low muscle tone and her joints are hyper flexible. She can sit on her on for
short periods of time but is unable to stand or walk. In therapy we are working on increasing her core-strength, weight-bearing through her arms, sitting unsupported and standing (weight-bearing through her feet) with knee blocks to assists. She is a happy soul and usually has a BIG smile on.
Shammana can walk but
frequently trips or loses her balance, she is very hyperactive requiring a lot of
attention. Both girls are non-verbal. She enjoys coming to school and loves playing with toys. She is not a big fan of sharing though. After school on Wednesday Shamman comes to outreach while her sister gets therapy.
There mother is a single mother with 4
children (2 with special needs). The children’s father disappeared when she was
pregnant with the youngest child (now 14 months) & she has not seen him
since. She is doing everything she can to care for her kids without a job. You
can see the love she has for her children & God has definitely gifted her
with patience! She has tried to find work but is unable with limited options,
no job skills, & 2 special needs children to take care of. Often mom is
unable to come to outreach because she is trying to find ways to earn $ to put
food on the table. She believes in the program & will send the oldest
daughter with Caladina she can still get therapy.
While visiting her home I asked if
she could sew…she said no but that she would like to learn. They live in a
small home made out of twigs with dirt floors. They have one room in the house
with only a bed inside as the other rooms other families live in.
Despite
having very limited physical resources one thing this family does not lack is
JOY & LOVE! Both Shammana & Caladina radiate JOY through their smiles
& eyes. Both the girls were giggly during the most recent homevisit. Their
mother got the biggest smile when we gifted her with a solar power Christian
Radio from radio 4VEH that has a MP3 version of the New Testament in Creole on
it. When asked how we could be praying for their family,
she responded that she would like prayers that she could find a job & provide for her family.
2 of the families current needs include a wheelchair for Caladina and Job training/finding a job for their mother so she has an income to provide food for the family.
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