We all have special needs

This week I spent a lot of time watching the individual development of our children.  We continue to work on making this a children’s home, and not an orphanage, and that requires being intentional about individual care and development.

I cannot tell you the joy that I got from seeing that  in practice this week. I will share a bit about a few of our most challenged children.

Morris is 13-months old and is very developmentally delayed.  He was abandoned at a rural clinic by his teenage mother and lived there for 6-months with little to no touch, stimulation or love. He cannot hold up his head, and while first receiving a diagnosis of severe Cerebral Palsy, we are now not so certain about that diagnosis. Our Occupational Therapist (OT) was working with him this week and identified a slight spasticity in one arm, but otherwise his biggest challenge is not being able to hold his head up. BUT look at the photo below of him with the exercise ball. He LOVES doing his neck exercises and we are seeing a huge difference his stability already.   I love seeing the Aunties cheer him on to lift his head and everyone claps to encourage him. 

Barry is also 13-months old and is developmentally that of a 5-month-old.  When I first saw him I thought he was blind because of how detached he seemed to be from his surroundings.  His mother was very neglectful and would leave him for days a time by himself, just lying on the floor. He had more abuse and neglect than love and positive human touch.  This week our OT noted that he is responsive to toys, music and TV, but not responsive to the human voice or touch.  We are beginning his daily therapy, which will include a lot of touch, massage and love.  I can’t wait to see this little guy in the months ahead.

Barry working on some exercises to help him sit.

Jonathan is 26-months old and still can’t stand.  He is cognitively smart, has quite the “attitude” when he doesn't get his own way, but loves to play.  Also, this little boy LOVES meat!  When we bring him a meal that doesn’t not include meat he gets angry. So, of course I said, “Let the boy eat meat!”.  You may recall that he only weighed 13 pounds when he came to us at the age of 2-years, but now he is almost 20-pounds!  Go Jonathan go!

Jonathan being assessed by our OT

 Princess is 3+ years old and is still not walking, but she sure wants to. She was off to a bad start with severe malnutrition, TB and related diseases.  Now we are working to put muscle on her tiny legs and challenging her to get her hands working so that she can put square pegs in square holes, and round pegs in round holes.  She works SO hard on her exercises and we are encouraged each and every day.

Princess working hard with her hands.

For the rest of our children we focus on individual childhood development plans. This week during school break the children worked on motor skills development, which included everything from paint-by-number to visiting the Kufundza center to hammer nails into wood, turn screws in to wood and even get to pull down on a drill press to make holes in wood.

Jacob and Allen teaching the kids to hammer and screw.

Gabriel doing paint-by-number

I am so thankful for an amazing team of people who are so commitment to each and every child.   Yesterday I was on a long drive to pick up out newest baby (#163) and our volunteer Program Director, Bryan Throgmorton, came along.   We had fun talking about so many of the things we love about so many children:

·      How Paul loves to say “thank you” for random things that he appreciates.

·      How Titus will tell me that he likes my hair.

·      How sweet Moses is when he runs over and gives a big hug.

·      How funny Caleb is when he gets his dance grooves on.

·      How sweet and happy Phephile is now, when 2-years ago she arrived with a broken femur, tibia and as a very angry and hurt child.

Our newest baby whom we are calling Bryan.  He is 8-months old.

Each and every child has a special need, just like each of us has a special need.   While we cannot  know about or provide for all of them, but I can rest in the knowledge that their heavenly Father knows them all and sees it all, and HE is our provider.

This full rainbow appeared last week and went from the Emseni chilren's campus to Dam #2.

Live from Swaziland … my heart is filled with joy.

Janine

PS – no updates on the break-ins. Nothing at all.