a full sunny week

A busy sunny week! I returned to a very full center. We have slowly grown to have 9 boys and 2 girls in the nutrition center ranging from newborn to 9 years old. And it has been the greatest blessing to actually see the change in health of the two ninos who have been here since the beginning. The young girl we brought to the hospital has also returned to the center for treatment and it warms my heart to see her smiling at meals. I love the chaos of little boys always running around the center and calling for me.  

I have also started to notice improvement in patients which is such a joy because they work so hard. I started working with a new pediatric patient, a young boy with a hip subluxation resulting in a leg length discrepancy. I am starting to notice how I am drawn to the pediatric patients and the creativity involved in the sessions. I have also started to practice more spanish with patients and we joke that it is PT plus spanish/english class 🙂

Finally, I went on several outings this week! This week there is a fair in Gualan to celebrate the origin and culture of Gulan. As a part of the fair there are three different parades in the town… the school kids, trucks, and horses! I got to see Deisy (my friend at the center) walking in the parade for her school. And I went to see the trucks at night with one of the women who work at the center and her grandchildren. I also went to catholic mass with another woman from the center and her family, which was special for me and I went out to dinner with a patient. It is sweet to see the whole town come together to celebrate this week and I am starting to truly feel connected to the sweet community of Gualan. 

Here is a quick high, low, God moment check in! 

Highs.. homemade coconut icecream from the trees at the center, daniela’s excitement at the trucks with ojos (eyes), my first real spanish lesson, & a card from a friend 

Lows… the heat it has been very very hot 

God moment… the kindness of Candi welcoming me to church & the kids’ joy here