Guatemala – Day 7

We can’t believe how quickly this week has gone by! We were able to squeeze in one more visit to San Jeronimo orphanage before heading to the airport, and it was the perfect way to end the week!!

We only had about an hour and a half, so we had our game plan ready in order to do as much as possible in such a short amount of time.

Up first was fitting Catherine to a stander we had brought. With just one small adjustment, it fit her perfectly! And she LOVED it! Seeing the smile on her face as she stood there and played was absolutely priceless… We asked her if she liked it, and she smiled and said, “Si!” Such a sweet, smart girl.

Next up was adjusting a tilt and space wheelchair we brought for Martha. Charity and Kelly were in the zone and quickly made the necessary adjustments for the chair to properly support Martha. They were also able to use the seatbelt and chest harness from Martha’s old chair. The new wheelchair was perfect for Martha, and the reclining option will help her with pressure relief, position change, and safety during suspected seizures.

While Charity and Kelly worked on Martha’s chair, Carol delivered a toy to Juan that had intrigued and motivated him to interact on the first day they met.  He immediately lit up the room with his bright smile of thanks..  She was also able to see a new little boy with Down Syndrome named Austin. He is very bright, and Carol’s mind was spinning on ways to give him some opportunities for inclusion.  She had just whispered a prayer that he would somehow be adopted.  Imagine how overjoyed and  encouraged  we were a few minutes later to learn from the director that he is in the process of being adopted by a Guatemalan family!

Our last thing before heading out was fitting Juan to a stander as well. Again, with only one small adjustment, it fit him perfectly!! It will take him some getting used to, but the TEAM explained the benefits of the stander for Juan, and the orphanage director was incredible grateful. It was awesome to see Juan in the stander, and just a perfect way to end the trip!

With that, we said our goodbyes and headed to the airport. This week has left us with incredible memories, and images of so many precious children that have left a mark on our hearts. Our hearts are full, and we can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store for the years to come as we continue working alongside orphanages and families in Guatemala to improve the lives and futures of children with special needs.

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