Amy OT

Mothers gather together for a devotional at the end of the day before riding the program bus home.  This is Tesoros de Dios - the place I spend my days, Monday to Friday. It is not your typical school on any level but rather a conglomerate of programs for children with disabilities. It is a beacon of hope within the community, as the other special needs school in the country has stopped operating for the time being.   Here is the education building. It used to be a house, but has been transformed into a number of classrooms.  The first floor of this building is for palliative care, physical therapy, and a kitchen. The second floor holds offices where the program planning and administrative duties take place.  I had the privilege of riding a horse this week! And I had the chance to help with a horse therapy session. They engage in activities for core strengthening and eye-hand coordination. It was special to be a part of; the highlight of my week...

I arrived safely!  My host family is amazing.  The staff at Tesors de Dios,  the special  needs school, are amazing!  There's a large missionary community close by of North Americans who are either teaching English or serving in various capacities. I met some this week. Culturally, there's so much to learn!! I'll speak more on that later. Bugs are not fun. Ants. A cockroach. The BIGGEST spider of my life! Like a mini tarantula. It came out of no where in my room and praise God my host family was still awake. Thankfully there was a clear path to the door... not sure what my plan would have been otherwise!   I learned that the school year here is from January to November. Winter break is equivalent to summers off in the States. I didn't realize this until I arrived. I came during the last week of vacation for the children, a week of preparation for teachers.  Because it's a prep week, there hasn't been a whole lot I can do. ...

"It is better to give than to receive."  I truly believe that. I feel so giddy packing toys for Tesoros de Dios , the special needs school in Nicaragua. Their Amazon wish list  is surprisingly simple. Even the most basic items are cherished.  Can you picture the faces of the children? The impact? When they see much of the wish list come to life? I'll let you in on the joy!   Picture an 8-year-old with spaghetti muscles. He has poor muscle control and is working hard in horse therapy to strengthen his core. These balls hoop will make his therapy more fun and effective! Now we're inside the therapy room for children functioning at a very low level. The light is on but no one is home. Or they are trapped in their body and very much awake. Both are true in this room. A 12-year-old lays on a mat, able to sit up only when fully supported in the therapist's lap. They stack these rings together, hand-over-hand, naming colors, and stretching muscles.  ...