September/October Update from Children of Blessing Trust!
In October we were able to give out 6 bicycles to moms who are faithfully bringing their children long distances to therapy. 2 of the moms are from Mgwangwa, 20 kilometres away, while the other moms travel even farther! Most of the moms had to learn how to ride the bike before they could come and pick it up. Now that is dedication!
Many of our children have visual impairments that interfere with their function. This month we sent 14 children to Nkhoma Mission Hospital Eye Department for assessment. 2 of them received glasses and another child has had surgery. Another 7 children are all lined up to go as well, a great blessing as we really do not have any expertise in this area at all!
A number of children have faced significant illnesses over the past month. We were blessed to have a pediatrician and nurse with us for 2 weeks. They were able to assess many children on the nutrition and epilepsy programs as well as those who were ill. Several children needed urgent medical treatment that required funding to attend the private hospital best suited to their needs, thanks to the sponsorship program and a team visiting from the Maritime Provinces in Canada for covering the costs.
We have also been blessed to have Jessica, a Physicians Assistant from the States, with us for several months. She has also been instrumental in referring children to the hospital. Our kids are very vulnerable so it is great when we can pick up illnesses before they become life threatening! This really highlights the need for a nurse to be on site full time! Between assessing the children who are ill, reviewing the kids on the nutrition clinic, assisting with the epilepsy clinic, providing burns and wound care and assisting with the Parent Workshops there is certainly plenty of work to be done. Perhaps you have a calling in this area? Contact us! We would love to hear from you!
October we held 7 different Parent Workshops including our first ever Communication Workshop. We were overwhelmed with the response of the parents with every session having 35 to 50 parents in attendance! The workshops are very important as they give us the opportunity to explain what is wrong with the children, why it likely happened, how we at Children of Blessing can help and what the parents can do to help their children at home on a regular basis. It is also a great opportunity for the parents to have their questions answered.
This month the 3 rehabilitation technicians and the CCP sponsorship secretary have started their motorcycle lessons. They have all taken the written driver’s test and passed and will now start on road lessons. The 3 girls are quite nervous so please pray for them!