"Fatigued, but I feel so alive here!"

I’m back! Sorry for the long pause…it’s been crazy busy! However, the teams are all gone now and today was my first day being home alone without work to do…all day! Woo hoo!

As I mentioned in my last blog, we had 4 teams here within a 2 ½ week period. I think I only stopped when sleeping, but it was a very blessed time. The teams brought people from Missouri, Kansas, California, Indiana, Hawaii, Norway, Sweden and what great people they were. It was wonderful getting a chance to spend time with everyone and hearing their life stories…something I love! The time was filled with labor projects (turning soil with shovels all day, moving big rocks and sand at the ranch with rickety wheelbarrows, painting, planting flowers), helping teach English classes, hippotherapy sessions, time in the rehab room and bakery at the special education school, medical clinics in neighboring villages, time at an orphanage in town…everyone was busy! There was also time to plug in some tourist stops and massages. By the way – the massages here are crazy! You are literally gumby being twisted all around, walked on, and slapped around – it’s hilarious and a bit painful but so good! Ha!

The hippotherapy sessions started last week and are going well. It’s actually therapeutic riding that I’m doing so less focus on the physical therapy aspect. To do true hippotherapy I want only one horse at a time in the arena and consistent sidewalkers. We have three horses going at a time due to the number of children involved and we generally have the short term teams volunteering their time at the ranch which is fabulous. Regardless of which type I’m doing, it’s still so good for the children…balance work, coordination, following instructions, attention to task and the wonderful interaction with an animal. It’s so amazing to see the faces of these children when they arrive out at the ranch. They are all smiles the entire time. It’s so beautiful and it touches my heart! Ah, I’m so blessed to be here!!!!

Things in the rehab room are also going well. The two teachers in there are incredible! They work so hard and they really love those kids. They have said they are relieved to have a PT around again to teach them more things and to ensure that what they are doing is right. Ms Wong and Ms Chong both speak Korean and Chinese so thankfully I’ve had a translator! And thank goodness for good ol’ charades! I’ve had the chance to evaluate three new children since I’ve been here. One especially stands out to me. He has what seems to be muscular dystrophy (by what was attempted in translation, history and by physical presentation). For those of you who don’t know about MD – it’s a progressive disease with the life span of about 21 years. The muscles get weaker and weaker until the person needs full assistance. This boy is 9 years old and can only walk a few steps. He can’t go from sit to stand or into sitting without help…he drops like a noodle. But when he was 5 he could ride a bike. Ahh. Well, I met with the mother who didn’t fully understand what was wrong with her child. That was a very difficult meeting. While we were talking (with a translator) I was watching her. Wow, how she loves her son. She has to put him on her back to carry him around if it’s more than a short distance. She moved to Hunchun so that he could go to school. The Special Education School here is the only one around. That might not seem like a very big deal but most people with disabilities are kept in back rooms here in China. The fact that she moved her family to give her son a chance speaks volumes. I just looked at her and told her she was such a good mother. She started crying which is very unusual. Women here don’t show their emotions like that. I sat down beside her and hugged her then held her hand as tears streamed down her face. She said she wasn’t a good mother because she couldn’t afford medicine or surgery. But there isn’t surgery or medicine for muscular dystrophy. I told her that her unconditional LOVE is what makes her a good mother! We got through the tough questions about the disease and we discussed the wonderful benefits of her son being around other children and attending the school here and all of its programs. We may not make a major difference in his physical deficits, but we can love him and give him a better quality of life – together!

See – my heart is already beating stronger while writing this. There are tough situations and often a fatigue, but I feel so alive here! My desire has been to have a servant’s heart and for the love of Chri*t to pour out of me as if the flood gates have been opened. Every good thing that has occurred here is because of Him! ☺


****Hey folks, our lovely friend seems to have no access to her blog. We do not know if it is temporary or not, but for the meantime, I will be posting her messages to us in her absence. Please keep her in your pr hair time
~Bobby James, some random dude****