Freestyle Friday

Day 11

Today was Freestyle Friday. Freestyle Friday includes rapping as we walk to and from the Havens. Unfortunately, none of us are good are good at rapping so it was about as successful as all the other days. This morning was by far the coldest day. I wore a long sleeve shirt and my jacket as we walked to the Havens this morning. Its finally starting to cool down here, which is kinda nice. Less bugs, less sweating, but it does make taking a shower quite cold!

Today the toddlers did a little better in therapy. We had more words said, and more imitated motions as we sang and danced. Working with the smaller babies today was also fun. I worked with Miller again today and another baby named Megan. Megan is a very big baby, and she likes to “beach” herself on our laps. “Beaching is a term I use to describe her as she crawls up into a person’s lap and then turns over so she can lay on flat on her back or stomach in a beached position (like a whale or seal) This is humorous because she really is a noticeably bigger baby and she is lazy. She is old enough to walk and stand on her own but she doesn’t, so today we worked on standing and walking. I walked her around the room as her little fingers held tightly to my fingers, and when she would start to whine and want to sit, I would pull a little harder and keep walking her. She was pretty entertaining today. Miller continues to make more and more sounds which is great. I’m glad he is catching on.

For lunch we had really good chicken and rice. After lunch I went to take a 30 min nap, then woke up 15 mins into my nap thinking that I was going to be later for therapy! In my mind I was so upset with my class mates for leaving me behind and not waking me up in time. As I got out the door, I slowly remembered the correct time for therapy to start. Disappointed, I went to the front porch and waited for the correct time to leave.

For the first time today in Haven 3 I worked with Mary. Mary only has one expression on her face at all times. It is a very serious look that never changes, and she never says anything. Today it was my turn to work with her. I had no luck. We did color together on my note pad, as I made sounds and talked to her. I tried to feed her, her snack but she wouldn’t eat it until I wasn’t looking. Many of the clinicians are starting to think that she is just really stubborn. But at the end of our time there, I saw her walk to the window so she could watch me leave. She is so frustrating! I hope someone gets her to talk or show any expression.

Dinner was great tonight; we had chicken and beef pie, along with potato salad and carrots. It was all very good. After dinner the group went to play soccer but found out that our soccer ball has a hole in it and it is too flat to use, luckily I brought a Frisbee, so the group played ultimate Frisbee on the soccer field. On the way back we ran into Jonathan, who is a student here. He talked to us about what he does and his family and what he wants to do with his life. After he graduates from bible school he wants to go preach out in the untouched places of Africa. He asked us to keep him in our prayers. It was hard to understand him at times, but I appreciated his openness and wiliness to talk with us.

Later in the evening I found that there are bats in the tree behind my room. It was neat to follow them with my light and see their eyes glow in the dark. God is the master creator, God is good.

Thank you

Ben

Thumbs Up Thusday

Day 10

It’s Thumbs Up Thursday! This is a very exciting day that involves always having your thumbs up in all pictures taken throughout the day, and also trying to get the toddlers at the Havens to participate in thumbs up Thursday. This day was somewhat successful compared to walking Wednesday. Today we found out that walking from where we stay to the Havens is 1.55 miles. That means we are walking around 6 miles a day if  you don’t ride in Kaki Jackie. Pretty exciting.

I thought therapy today went much better than yesterday. For the toddler session in the morning we had chairs for them to sit in which made it much easier to control them and it provided them with more structure, something they are not use to, and we also worked with the children as they played on the playground there at the Haven. After working with the toddlers we went to Haven 1. I continued to work with Miller. He is a little boy that I have been working with the past few days and hadn’t said much at all but today we made huge progress. He started talking and babbling all sorts of stuff. It was very rewarding.  So he received the “Most 

improved award”

Which reminds me, Kara brought up that I like making up awards for the children, and this is true. Today Miller received the “Most improved award” Lee received the “Cutest Sweater Award” (It had a t-rex on it) This one child won the “Wet pants Award” (She peed three times during our first morning session) and Sydney won the “Cutest Baby Award” She so far has one every day since I met her, because she is the cutest thing in her oversized sweatshirt one-zee. She has not been beat. That is all for today, I will try to think of different awards as I go along.

Today for lunch we had a traditional African meal. We had Shema (not sure on spelling) It is a very popular traditional meal here in Zambia. It is very bland and tasteless. I was told about it before the trip and had very low expectations for it, but it ended up not tasting as bad as I would have imagined from what I had heard from other people. And we put this delicious tomato sauce with onions over the top of it and white rice. It wasn’t too bad at all. Chicken and rolls and cabbage where also served with the meal. I personally am a fan. I thought it was a great meal, but not everyone agreed and had my enthusiasm.

The last part of our afternoon was spend working in Haven 3 again. I found out that 3 babies for sure in that haven cry or get fussy when they see me, Bennet, Leo, and Matt. Matt is the worst of all and will start to cry when he sees me. I have never felt so rejected in my life! Haha just kidding. The girls tell me it’s because they never see men in the Haven, but I think they just tell me that so I’ll feel better. : )  

After therapy some of us walked back and then we all had dinner. Today was much cooler out than the other days. I think it’s finally going to start their Zambian winter. Tonight the power went off so it was a perfect time to go stargazing. The stats here are truly amazing, I love seeing the Milkyway, and shooting stars. I spend a majority of my evening gazing at the sky. God is good.

Thank you

Ben

Walking Wednesday

Day 9

Today was the first official day of therapy. It was also Walking Wednesday! Which means you must walk everywhere. Unfortunately only three people knew that it was walking Wednesday and only few were informed later throughout the day. So over all, waking Wednesday, not a success, but for me and Tessa, success!

Once we all arrived at the Havens we split up into our groups, for the first session my group also worked with a second group at the Toddler house working on language simulation. We first worked on teaching the kids basic body parts, by pointing to pictures in books and singing songs like Head shoulders knees and toes. We also watch them to see if they imitate our motions and sounds. We sing these songs in English because first off, we don’t know the Tonga language and second in Zambia they learn English as well.  After our session was finished we moved onto Haven 1 and worked with smaller babies, trying to get them to babble. Often these babies in Haven 1 and 2 just sit and stare and make few responses to us, so it is quite a challenge sometimes. During our Haven 1 session I learned that I can be very stern when I need to be, which has been a struggle for me as a growing clinician in previous settings.

Next it was lunch time, but after walking all the way back because of Walking Wednesday! When lunch was finished I decided to take a short 30 minute nap, which was much needed. Apparently Walking Wednesday and working with babies all morning can wear you out. After walking back to the Havens my group worked in the 3^rd Haven. We drew faces for the kids and worked on learning parts of the face. Some of them really enjoyed the coloring and others wanted to eat the colors. After the group session was over we had the opportunity to pick one child and work with them one on one for the remaining time. I chose Thomas. He has not made a vocalization except for crying since I’ve been here, but he can point and wave by after someone models it for him. We worked and I talked and played. No sounds. But he did wave bye at the end. I guess I’ll have to wait till tomorrow.

Tomorrow is Thumbs Up Thursday! You will have to wait to read what that means tomorrow!

Thanks for reading!

Ben 

Mango, Mango Tree!

Day 8    

This morning we had biscuits and gravy. We went to chapel at the George Benson College here in Africa. It was very similar to the chapel we have at Harding University. There was a few songs, and short devotional and announcements. The announcements were basically us though. We all had to stand up and say our name. I’m sure we sounded funny again just like Sunday morning, but that’s all right.

After chapel we headed over to the Havens where we started working with the toddlers in Haven 2. We all sat on the porch and read books for a while trying to get the children engaged and point and teach some basic words. After while, one of the nannies taught us a song. I guess it’s called Mango Tree. It goes kinda like this

Mango, mango tree

Yes, mango tree

(repeat)

I sleep under the mango tree

I jump under the mango tree

I dance under the mango tree

I eat under the mango tree

I walk under the mango tree

I sit under the mango tree

(the order of those lines changed every time so you kinda just watch the nanny)

After singing it was time for the toddlers to eat, so we headed over to Haven 1 with the smaller babies. We worked with them till lunch time. For lunch we had meatloaf, coleslaw, roles and cake. It was all very good. After lunch we talked about the different children we were working with and where their skills are at. After a small break we headed back to the Havens and spent the rest of the time at Haven 3 with the sick children. I spent most of my time with Leo. We worked all afternoon on making some kind of vocalizations. My voice was so tired after saying “mama” “dada” etc for an hour ish, but by the end he was talking to me. I enjoyed working with him even though I was exhausted by the end of the day.

Haven 3 is pretty entertaining. There are a group of boys that are older and can run around. After their bath then all ran naked out into the play area and tried to hug all the girls out working with other children. It was pretty funny.

After finishing up at Haven 3 we walked back to our place. On the way the college soccer team was playing so me and Tessa stopped and watched them as they played soccer. They are really fun to watch.

Dinner was good, we had macaroni and cheese. After dinner a group of us headed over to watch the end of the college soccer practice. There were a lot of students watching, so I decided to be brave and introduce myself to all of them. It was fun as I went down the long line telling them my name and then trying to pronounce their name after they had told me. It wasn’t so bad and they seemed to enjoy me stumbling over their names.

After the team finished practicing, our group wanted to play soccer, but it was time for dinner for the students. We went ahead and played soccer and some of the younger kids in the area that aren’t in school joined us. It was really fun as usual.

After soccer we all hung out in the Man house. There was one group playing Phase 10 and another group playing trivial pursuit. I played Phase 10 and lost again to Shanna. Grr. After phase 10 Tessa tried to teach me to play Skip Bo, but we were so tired that we quit half way through and went to bed.

Today we were assigned our groups that we will do therapy with in the Havens. The groups will rotate around to the different Havens throughout the day and participate in different types of therapy. My group consists of Cari, Anna, Liz, and Me and we are all supervised my Kara. Sounds like a good group to me. I look forward to working and learning with them.

Ben