TEAMWorks Reflections:: Sophie – Speech Therapist

September 29, 2012 was the day that TEAMWorks embarked for Ukraine!  I had never felt so many different opposing emotions at once, a wonderful concoction of exhilaration, fear, naivety, anticipation, and tranquility bubbled inside me as we prepared to board our first flight.  There were many different scenarios running through my head as to what might happen, but as always, things never go the way we expect or the way we would like them to occur.  It is just God’s little way of reminding us that we are always in HIS plan.  I had to remind myself of this constantly on the trip, and so I kept a list of things to pray for every day:

I prayed for a new perspective on things.  I know “things” is such a generic word but when we were in the airport, I did not know what to expect, I just knew to rely on God to enlighten myself and the other therapists for whatever might occur.

I prayed that each one of us was able to reflect God’s grace through our gifts.  I work with such an amazingly talented and knowledgeable group of therapists and it is obvious to me that God has blessed each of them with the capacity and aptitude to help anyone in need.

I prayed for the children, parents, caregivers, doctors, or anyone else that we might encounter, in that we would improve their lives in some way.  Again, God’s grace in action will take things much farther than we ever could ourselves.

As a fresh-out-of-school, new-to-the-clinic speech therapist, I am not ashamed to admit that I felt out of my league and quite overwhelmed on the first day at the orphanage.  I kept praying and praying that I would relax, but it only seemed the more I thought about it, the more anxious I became.

Upon entering the first room, the infant room, I had never felt so vulnerable and inexperienced in front of the caregivers as we interacted with the little ones.  But as soon as I looked into the big, beautiful, blue eyes of the adorable little girl in my arms, instinct and training took over, and I was no longer anxious.  The caregivers even commented that she was responding well to me and that she usually does not do so well with strangers.  Needless to say I felt very grateful for their comment and this moment was definitely an answered prayer.

We are thankful for the opportunities God provided that allowed us to love and help care for each of the children we worked with on this trip.

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