First, missing you all and loved seeing all of your 4th of July posts. For me, yesterday was just another Monday, but in South Africa of course, so not really just any old Monday. The most patriotic I got yesterday was wearing my stars and stripes socks, my Patriots shirt and listening to the National Anthem when I was live streaming Evan’s Hockey Tournament. Funnily enough I convinced one of the British girls in the house to come get burgers and dogs with me for dinner. Clearly we can leave our past in the past;) Next year I will get after it again.
And Second, even when you are aware of your privilege and your access to resources in the United States, it never quite prepares you for the injustice in other areas of the world. It turns out that while I will be helping some of the children at the Learning Vine School, it’s also been put out into the community that there is a very FREE Speech therapist in town and people can make appointments. I’m not quite sure what I can even do for some of these people that have made appointments, but if I can leave having just helped one that will have to be enough.
Yesterday I went to visit the home of a little Congolese boy and was saddened and quite shocked to find out that because of his disability (non-verbal autism), his mother who was out of resources and options had to lock him in the their apartment when she went off to work and his sister went off to school. And before you start judging and thinking how terrible and they must not care about him or love him, it’s just the opposite. There was nothing but love for this darling little boy and when faced with make money to keep her house and feed her children or stay home because no school would take David decision, she chose. As people and as parents we make choices every day, but I honestly can’t imagine having to make one like that. Just FYI this boy now attends the Learning Vine School and from what I hear is making great progress.
Today I started to put together a basic Picture Exchange System (PECS) for that same boy and it was a true labor of love. Something that would have taken me 10 minutes to do back home took me two hours and I’m not even finished. At least I now know how much time to dedicate to some of the materials making. I guess I’m just having a hard time wrapping my head around just how much harder it is here. And I don’t mean for me making the pages, but just how the access to things for these children and adults with disabilities is almost non-existent save for a few self-less people who themselves don’t have a ton and give more than they have. Tomorrow I have another appointment and I’m hoping for the best.
Just came in from a run in the rain with another girl in the house. It is great to have a running partner here and especially since she’s quite a few years my junior, she’s pushing me to my limits. But now it’s time to warm up in the shower before curling up with my book. Hey Cousin Matty you were right, the book Brighton is great so far!
XOXO