Thursday our group split up. Gregg went to build more standers and corner chairs. Amanda and Kym delivered equipment and packets for individual children at the regional children's hospital and back at our "home" orphanage. Donated toys/therapy materials were also delivered. The rest of us worked in a big gym with families and their children. When we were with the children and families Wednesday and Thursday, we put together packets (containing therapy recommendations, instructions for how to do stretches and exercises, and a DVD demonstrating how the exercises are done) while we were with them, but for the orphanage and the children's hospital, we assessed while we were at the locations and put together packets at night (sometimes nearly all night long) later at the hotel.
Slavyansk:
We saw many more families on Thursday who have chosen to keep their children with special needs at home rather than taking them to an orphanage. I guess this is a good time to mention that the Ukrainian culture has been that if you have a child with special needs, they're given to an orphanage. They don't have family supports in place, like therapies and schools (or classrooms in schools), for these children (unless you have lots of money). I'm sure there are some things going on that we don't know about or haven't yet tapped into, but on the whole, this is the situation in Ukraine. Our whole goal for going there and doing what we do is to change the view society has for these children that we KNOW can thrive in the right environments.
This trip, we were able to meet many families who are (for the time being) attempting to keep their children at home. They may be families who are trying to decide between keeping their children or placing them in an orphanage. Our desire is to give them what they need to make the decision to keep their children. We want them to have the equipment and knowledge they need to care for their kids and be encouraged that the kids can AND WILL make progress. Each life that God gives is precious and should be cherished and lived to the fullest!
Bringing in the luggage. Always so much luggage!
Just as the day before, families were waiting for us to arrive.
And just as yesterday, we hit the ground runnin'. Amy was trying to entertain this youngun' with a Koosh ball while Kirill (the translator we worked with the day before) and I were talking with the mom.
There was so much to talk about and so little time.
Kati was pulling OT handouts left and right.
Christie worked the hardest for sure! PT seems to attract the most families.
The parents listened so intently and clung to every word that was said.
"What does this thing do?"
So many families craving information....
New braces... but the young man isn't so sure about it all....
Some play time among the children....
Work, work, work! Christie looks interested in what's going on at the speech station.... Ha!
Translation in progress. Listening intently...
"What was that?" We haven't slept but a few hours here and there... Could you talk slower and repeat what you say numerous times?? Hahaha!
Amy and SWEET Alice! Alice is Olga's sister and also helps with translating. We LOVE this girl!
Alice and me!
After-work entertainment provided by the "headset guy" mentioned in the previous day's post - the same one who came into the hotel room speaking Russian to us with no translator, and just began speaking louder and faster when we didn't understand him. He was quite the gymnast! And he loved to compliment us girls! He told us how the woman he loved broke his heart and moved off to the United States, to Florida. On the bus ride back from Slavyansk, he entertained us with his impersonation of Woody Woodpecker. We videoed it with Amy's phone, but I'll save the poor guy some embarrassment by not posting the video. Hahaha! It was so funny that we had to ask him to repeat it several times. Sometimes, when Amy and I are having a rough day at work, she'll pull out the Woody Woodpecker video, and it makes our hearts happy. :)
Our "men" loading the bus again.
Very important-looking men...
So.... we were on the bus, all packed up and leaving, when a mother walks up carrying her daughter. The people we were with said they'd tell the woman she was too late, but we were like, "No way! We'll get off the bus and work with them right out here!" We were NOT going to turn away ANY child ANYwhere. There's no telling how far the woman had walked, carrying her daughter the whole way.
Outside of Vova's car. Watch us all pile in.....
Ta-da!!!
We took small gifts for our translators and drivers. They're sooooo appreciative of the little things. We LOVE shopping for them! Olga is a big reader, as several of us are, so we thoroughly enjoy choosing books we think she'll like reading. :)
Explaining use of the corner chairs with the orphanage staff.
Look at this sweet little girl here.... And then when she's put in a corner chair 2 pictures down...
Pure cuteness!
Look at how she's sitting upright, alert and happy! Ready to play, learn, eat, work, whatever comes her way!
Oh MY! They ALL love the crib mirrors!
This guy was so very excited about having his own walker!
The picture's a little blurry, but Vova's getting ready to carry the walker out with them.
Exchange of names and ways to contact people was key in getting all supplies where they needed to go after we got back and sent more things to Ukraine.
Amanda explaining the information given to a parent. All information was translated into Russian of course.
Amanda showing how to use some of the therapy materials provided to the parents.
Amanda showing a father how a walker can fold up.
Like this.....
We love Vova!
And finally..... dinner! I'm not sure whose dinner this was... But I'm sure they loved it! I can't remember the name of the restaurant, but I can picture it in my head. :)
Pickled vegetables were a staple for us.
Ahahahahaha!!!! Just an extra picture for you! The hard, brown toilet paper in the hotel.... Niiiiiiice!!!
Slavyansk:
We saw many more families on Thursday who have chosen to keep their children with special needs at home rather than taking them to an orphanage. I guess this is a good time to mention that the Ukrainian culture has been that if you have a child with special needs, they're given to an orphanage. They don't have family supports in place, like therapies and schools (or classrooms in schools), for these children (unless you have lots of money). I'm sure there are some things going on that we don't know about or haven't yet tapped into, but on the whole, this is the situation in Ukraine. Our whole goal for going there and doing what we do is to change the view society has for these children that we KNOW can thrive in the right environments.
This trip, we were able to meet many families who are (for the time being) attempting to keep their children at home. They may be families who are trying to decide between keeping their children or placing them in an orphanage. Our desire is to give them what they need to make the decision to keep their children. We want them to have the equipment and knowledge they need to care for their kids and be encouraged that the kids can AND WILL make progress. Each life that God gives is precious and should be cherished and lived to the fullest!
Bringing in the luggage. Always so much luggage!
Just as the day before, families were waiting for us to arrive.
And just as yesterday, we hit the ground runnin'. Amy was trying to entertain this youngun' with a Koosh ball while Kirill (the translator we worked with the day before) and I were talking with the mom.
There was so much to talk about and so little time.
Kati was pulling OT handouts left and right.
Christie worked the hardest for sure! PT seems to attract the most families.
The parents listened so intently and clung to every word that was said.
"What does this thing do?"
So many families craving information....
New braces... but the young man isn't so sure about it all....
Some play time among the children....
Work, work, work! Christie looks interested in what's going on at the speech station.... Ha!
Translation in progress. Listening intently...
"What was that?" We haven't slept but a few hours here and there... Could you talk slower and repeat what you say numerous times?? Hahaha!
Amy and SWEET Alice! Alice is Olga's sister and also helps with translating. We LOVE this girl!
Alice and me! After-work entertainment provided by the "headset guy" mentioned in the previous day's post - the same one who came into the hotel room speaking Russian to us with no translator, and just began speaking louder and faster when we didn't understand him. He was quite the gymnast! And he loved to compliment us girls! He told us how the woman he loved broke his heart and moved off to the United States, to Florida. On the bus ride back from Slavyansk, he entertained us with his impersonation of Woody Woodpecker. We videoed it with Amy's phone, but I'll save the poor guy some embarrassment by not posting the video. Hahaha! It was so funny that we had to ask him to repeat it several times. Sometimes, when Amy and I are having a rough day at work, she'll pull out the Woody Woodpecker video, and it makes our hearts happy. :)
Our "men" loading the bus again.
Very important-looking men...
So.... we were on the bus, all packed up and leaving, when a mother walks up carrying her daughter. The people we were with said they'd tell the woman she was too late, but we were like, "No way! We'll get off the bus and work with them right out here!" We were NOT going to turn away ANY child ANYwhere. There's no telling how far the woman had walked, carrying her daughter the whole way.
Outside of Vova's car. Watch us all pile in.....
Ta-da!!!
We took small gifts for our translators and drivers. They're sooooo appreciative of the little things. We LOVE shopping for them! Olga is a big reader, as several of us are, so we thoroughly enjoy choosing books we think she'll like reading. :)Delivering items to our "home" orphanage:
Kym and Amanda headed off to make deliveries. Not all of the standers and corner chairs were completed, but they were able to give some of the corner chairs and walkers we brought and the toys/therapy materials. The rest of the standers and walkers were completed and delivered by Vova after we left. Thank God for our Ukrainian friends and the work they continue after we leave! We were able to buy supplies for I believe 20 standers and 10 corner chairs to be made there. On a side note.... it's MUCH cheaper to make equipment there than it is to purchase it here.
Explaining use of the corner chairs with the orphanage staff.
Look at this sweet little girl here.... And then when she's put in a corner chair 2 pictures down...
Pure cuteness!
Look at how she's sitting upright, alert and happy! Ready to play, learn, eat, work, whatever comes her way!
Oh MY! They ALL love the crib mirrors!Regional children's hospital:
Kym and Amanda also made deliveries to families at the hospital that same day.
This guy was so very excited about having his own walker!
The picture's a little blurry, but Vova's getting ready to carry the walker out with them.
Exchange of names and ways to contact people was key in getting all supplies where they needed to go after we got back and sent more things to Ukraine.
Amanda explaining the information given to a parent. All information was translated into Russian of course.
Amanda showing how to use some of the therapy materials provided to the parents.
Amanda showing a father how a walker can fold up.
Like this.....
We love Vova!
And finally..... dinner! I'm not sure whose dinner this was... But I'm sure they loved it! I can't remember the name of the restaurant, but I can picture it in my head. :)
Pickled vegetables were a staple for us.Ahahahahaha!!!! Just an extra picture for you! The hard, brown toilet paper in the hotel.... Niiiiiiice!!!
1 comment:
Hi Carmen,
I have so enjoyed all of your posts! So much interesting stuff to read! Thanks for sharing with all of us. Hopefully ou you remember who I am-- we adopted Alosha from Antoshka. He is doing well. Out of curiousity I was wondering if you could email me-- I have a few questions about different medical supplies available in Ukraine. Thanks! thereed8@yahoo.com
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