Nothing further on my quest to open a clinic has happened recently but I will just keep praying about it and God will guide the way. The Spring semester has officially began, bluh... Actually it isn't to bad. I have 5 classes: Neuro rehab for adult, Assistive technology, Developmental disabilities, Teaching in practice and group intervention (doesn't start until March). I don't think they will be overly time consuming or super difficult material but all have huge reading assignments per week,combined, average 15 chapters. So my collegues collaborated and created a system where each student signs up to summarize 2 chapters and uses google documents to send to all collaborating students. This makes it less overwhelming and if I don't get to a chapter or 10 then atleast I have an outline which is better than not reading it at all. I am pretty sure you would hav to be Clark Kent to read that many chapters in a week :) Their aren't as many group projects as last semester but there are still atleast one in each class if not two.But last semester I had a lot more. As long as I keep ahead on the assignments like I did last semester I think I will do well. We get to pick our summer rotations in just a few weeks!! I have a couple different ones I am thinking about. Sooner start which is working with 0-3 years old, The reahab center which works with 0-18 in Texas and the Childrens Center in OKC which is an inpatient peds hospital. I don't know any of the logistics but these are some that I need to think about.
Oh another thing I have been pondering and researching is a new DSLR camera and I have come to the conclusion that all I want for my birthday is money to go towards buying my very own with a couple of lenses. I still need to figure out which one I would like and would fit me best but I have time for that. So just if you were wondering since it is my 25th and all :) Pass it along.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Lifesong for Orphans
This is an organization that has orphanages all over the world and also in Zambia. This organization also helps families adpot through scholorships and grants. I am going to contact them and ask them what their need is for help with children with disabilities. I didn't go the meeting at my church but I will be able to get more information this week.
The lifesong organization had an update on their Zambian orphanges and wanted to post it: Lifesong-Zambia Update
Lifesong – Zambia is the only school in the Kitwe community working to provide Christian education and 2 meals per day to 175 children. The primary objective of the Lifesong Zambia School is to teach the children to be followers of Christ. Though sometimes it is hard to hear the message of salvation when your belly aches for hunger, you are mistreated at home, you are sick with malaria or TB, or you don’t expect to live to adulthood. So, Lifesong provides food, health care, counseling and education to give the children abundance in their daily lives.
We have recently added extra classes to teach the children skills that will someday help them generate income. Arts and crafts projects have been well received. The children are learning to make rag rugs, hot pads from bottle caps, greeting cards, jewelry, and crocheted items.
The children recently completed their end of year testing, with closing day on December 4th. It was a great day including a Christmas party, a special lunch, songs, stories, and gift packets for the children. In order to continue to provide 2 meals per day, the children will continue coming to the Lifesong School for ½ days until the new school year resumes on January 11th.
In the meantime, the Lifesong staff is busy conducting interviews for staff and reviewing applications for the children attending during the 2010 school year. While we were accepting applications, we had over 200 parents lined up at 4am anxiously waiting to enroll their children, but had only 40 spots open.
Please pray for the Lifesong Zambia staff as they are making decisions, for the children who are anxiously awaiting their end of year results, and for Zambia and Africa at large. In Zambia the thief called poverty and AIDS has stolen and destroyed many of the simple pleasures that those of us who live in affluence enjoy. The causes are complex and hard to understand, but we believe we have all been called to do what we can to empower these people to provide for their families and teach them to be continually deepening their relationship with Christ.
The lifesong organization had an update on their Zambian orphanges and wanted to post it: Lifesong-Zambia Update
Lifesong – Zambia is the only school in the Kitwe community working to provide Christian education and 2 meals per day to 175 children. The primary objective of the Lifesong Zambia School is to teach the children to be followers of Christ. Though sometimes it is hard to hear the message of salvation when your belly aches for hunger, you are mistreated at home, you are sick with malaria or TB, or you don’t expect to live to adulthood. So, Lifesong provides food, health care, counseling and education to give the children abundance in their daily lives.
We have recently added extra classes to teach the children skills that will someday help them generate income. Arts and crafts projects have been well received. The children are learning to make rag rugs, hot pads from bottle caps, greeting cards, jewelry, and crocheted items.
The children recently completed their end of year testing, with closing day on December 4th. It was a great day including a Christmas party, a special lunch, songs, stories, and gift packets for the children. In order to continue to provide 2 meals per day, the children will continue coming to the Lifesong School for ½ days until the new school year resumes on January 11th.
In the meantime, the Lifesong staff is busy conducting interviews for staff and reviewing applications for the children attending during the 2010 school year. While we were accepting applications, we had over 200 parents lined up at 4am anxiously waiting to enroll their children, but had only 40 spots open.
Please pray for the Lifesong Zambia staff as they are making decisions, for the children who are anxiously awaiting their end of year results, and for Zambia and Africa at large. In Zambia the thief called poverty and AIDS has stolen and destroyed many of the simple pleasures that those of us who live in affluence enjoy. The causes are complex and hard to understand, but we believe we have all been called to do what we can to empower these people to provide for their families and teach them to be continually deepening their relationship with Christ.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Earthquake in Haiti
I have been interested goint to Haiti to a mission, which I have mentioned, and now I have even a greater desire. But with school and no money this will not happen. I have been praying for the children especially for those with special needs and those children who may need special help after the earthquake. I recently have been recieveing emails about some of my friends going to help. I got an email from an organization about a rescue flight for those children in need of 'foster' homes. I wish I was in the position now to help but I hope to do as much as I can from afar so please join me. Here is the news: Haitian Orphans Land in US
Many More to Come
January 02,2010 / Martha Osborne
Fifty-three Haitian orphans from the Bresma Orphanage arrived in Pittsburgh today as part of a rescue mission coordinated by PA Gov. Ed Rendell, who accompanied the plane to Haiti . The plane unloaded much needed medical supplies in the capital city of Port-au-Prince , then reloaded with the orphans from Bresma and their caretaker, Ali McMutrie.
The orphan airlift was initiated by Pennsylvania sisters Jamie and Ali McMutrie, who moved to Haiti to care for children at a Port-au-Prince orphanage four years ago. Unable to reach family and supporters by phone after the earthquake, Jamie and Ali texted the dire circumstances of the orphans in their care, reaching the world through social-networking sites, Facebook and Twitter.
"When the earthquake hit, my sister and I felt absolutely hopeless," Ali McMurie told a news conference in Pittsburgh . She added, "We knew we had to take action."
The orphaned children, most of whom are under the age of 4-years, were immediately transferred to the local Children's Hospital, where they will be evaluated, and then processed through immigration. ALL of the children were already legally adopted, or in process, at the time of the earthquake . This humanitarian airlift has assisted them in reuniting with their adoptive families, all of whom have traveled at least once to visit with their children and process adoption papers in Haiti . The effort to unite these children with their families is the first in a humanitarian visa program that will attempt to bring all children who were currently in the process to be adopted at the time of the earthquake to the US to be united with their adoptive families.
Meanwhile, Catholic Charities in Florida is attempting to begin it's program Pierre Pan , and bring hundreds of Haitian homeless children to the US. So far, 23 patients from the earthquake have been treated at Jackson Memorial Hospital, with countless more likely to be airlifted from the island for treatment. Florida Sen. Bill Nelson has contacted all the children's hospitals in Florida and requested that they receive critically injured Haitian children in the aftermath of the earthquake. Nelson on Friday said he also plans to introduce a "major Haitian relief bill," though details of this bill have not yet been announced.
"Operation Pierre Pan," as its being called, is an effort to relocate the thousands of children likely orphaned by the natural disaster in Port-au-Prince. Many of the children could already have relatives in Miami and around the U.S. The movement would need the approval of the U.S. government to at the very least grant the orphans temporary status in the country.
A similar effort occurred decades ago when "Operation Pedro Pan" was launched to help the children of Cuba during the political upheaval in that island neighbor. Some 14,000 children were relocated to the United States, many of them settling in South Florida .
Still, agencies in Miami-Dade and Broward are gearing up for the possible influx of children in need of a home, according to the Sun-Sentinel .
"We've already begun to make preparations and are willing to do our part," said Mark Riordan, Broward County spokesman for the state's Department of Children and Families.
Editor's Note: We caution readers, again, to understand that while the US is full of compassionate, loving families that long to ease the suffering of these children, it is imperative to understand that many of these children have families and will need to be re-united with them at some point. Currently there is no legal or moral way to bring children from Haiti who have an undetermined-orphan-status, and place them permanently into US families. We thank you for your loving compassion towards these children and will keep our readers updated as to any policy changes regarding these precious children.
Many More to Come
January 02,2010 / Martha Osborne
Fifty-three Haitian orphans from the Bresma Orphanage arrived in Pittsburgh today as part of a rescue mission coordinated by PA Gov. Ed Rendell, who accompanied the plane to Haiti . The plane unloaded much needed medical supplies in the capital city of Port-au-Prince , then reloaded with the orphans from Bresma and their caretaker, Ali McMutrie.
The orphan airlift was initiated by Pennsylvania sisters Jamie and Ali McMutrie, who moved to Haiti to care for children at a Port-au-Prince orphanage four years ago. Unable to reach family and supporters by phone after the earthquake, Jamie and Ali texted the dire circumstances of the orphans in their care, reaching the world through social-networking sites, Facebook and Twitter.
"When the earthquake hit, my sister and I felt absolutely hopeless," Ali McMurie told a news conference in Pittsburgh . She added, "We knew we had to take action."
The orphaned children, most of whom are under the age of 4-years, were immediately transferred to the local Children's Hospital, where they will be evaluated, and then processed through immigration. ALL of the children were already legally adopted, or in process, at the time of the earthquake . This humanitarian airlift has assisted them in reuniting with their adoptive families, all of whom have traveled at least once to visit with their children and process adoption papers in Haiti . The effort to unite these children with their families is the first in a humanitarian visa program that will attempt to bring all children who were currently in the process to be adopted at the time of the earthquake to the US to be united with their adoptive families.
Meanwhile, Catholic Charities in Florida is attempting to begin it's program Pierre Pan , and bring hundreds of Haitian homeless children to the US. So far, 23 patients from the earthquake have been treated at Jackson Memorial Hospital, with countless more likely to be airlifted from the island for treatment. Florida Sen. Bill Nelson has contacted all the children's hospitals in Florida and requested that they receive critically injured Haitian children in the aftermath of the earthquake. Nelson on Friday said he also plans to introduce a "major Haitian relief bill," though details of this bill have not yet been announced.
"Operation Pierre Pan," as its being called, is an effort to relocate the thousands of children likely orphaned by the natural disaster in Port-au-Prince. Many of the children could already have relatives in Miami and around the U.S. The movement would need the approval of the U.S. government to at the very least grant the orphans temporary status in the country.
A similar effort occurred decades ago when "Operation Pedro Pan" was launched to help the children of Cuba during the political upheaval in that island neighbor. Some 14,000 children were relocated to the United States, many of them settling in South Florida .
Still, agencies in Miami-Dade and Broward are gearing up for the possible influx of children in need of a home, according to the Sun-Sentinel .
"We've already begun to make preparations and are willing to do our part," said Mark Riordan, Broward County spokesman for the state's Department of Children and Families.
Editor's Note: We caution readers, again, to understand that while the US is full of compassionate, loving families that long to ease the suffering of these children, it is imperative to understand that many of these children have families and will need to be re-united with them at some point. Currently there is no legal or moral way to bring children from Haiti who have an undetermined-orphan-status, and place them permanently into US families. We thank you for your loving compassion towards these children and will keep our readers updated as to any policy changes regarding these precious children.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
more contacts
I love the new AOTA Connections forum. I have met so many other students and therapists that have the same goal and asperations as I. I have recently been speaking with a couple of students who have been on missions trips to current facilities. One that continually keeps coming up is the Miriam Center in Haiti. The newest contact from the forum has been numerous times and this is what she said: I am a graduate student finishing my last semester and have similar goals as you with working OT in 3rd world and developing countries. I agree there is not much literature out there but it is becoming more widespread. I have been working with a disabilities orphanage in Haiti for 3 years now. I am planning on going in this summer again prior to taking my boards. Since I have started working there, we have set up many programs. We have grown to 24 kids in the orphanage and the daily program for parents to bring their disabled children in and get 2 meals a day, therapy, and educational play has grown from 7 in June to 25 today. Very exciting! We are finishing up a new therapy room with an enclosed trampoline, foam playground, schedules, treatment plans for each child, etc. We are in the process of partnering in with four organization (orphans promise, kimmy's house, shephards crook, and global orphan project) to build a state of the art 150 disabilities orphanage. The land has been bought and plans are being drawn up. It is super exciting. You can check out the work we are doing at my blog www.autumnsreflections.blogspot.com or the missions website www.nwhcm.org or Courntey the director of miriam center at http://haitihappydance.blogspot.com/2009/11/god.html I have been in contact with an OT from Oklahoma who has started her own mission and goes to 4-5 different countries as well her name is Lori Basey and her website is http://nbint.org/founders.html. I did a project in school and read one of her articles, called her up and talked and this past summer she visited our orphanage :) If you would like more information feel free to contact me, my email is marshall010@gannon.edu
Is God not awesome?! I will have to pray about when to go and how but God works in wonderful ways to lead you thorugh your journey. Leaving for Tulsa now :)
Is God not awesome?! I will have to pray about when to go and how but God works in wonderful ways to lead you thorugh your journey. Leaving for Tulsa now :)
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The end of winter break
My time in Seattle is almost up. It is bitter sweet to go back I miss those in Tulsa but then I will miss everyone in Seattle. I have to go back to school and to the real world... I recently sent in an application in for a pediatric grant which will help me with tuition and after I graduate I will get a bonus which is always a plus. I will be taking about 4 special classes specific for pediatrics which will help me with my job search and confidence to start my career. I will know if I get it in just a couple of week!
I have contacted another organization that has developed a therapy clinic called Casa Bethesda. This is the ideal place i would want to develop in the future. I emailed the supervisor who emailed me back and told me to email the pastor who started it directly! I am looking forward to hear back from him soon. I am still planning on attenting the meeting at my church.
Wishing you all well
I have contacted another organization that has developed a therapy clinic called Casa Bethesda. This is the ideal place i would want to develop in the future. I emailed the supervisor who emailed me back and told me to email the pastor who started it directly! I am looking forward to hear back from him soon. I am still planning on attenting the meeting at my church.
Wishing you all well
Thursday, January 7, 2010
The New Year!!
Here's to the year of 2010! I have made a couple of new year's resolutions that I would like to put in writing so everyone can hold me accountable. The first one is commonly made and broken but I am going to strive to go to the gym at least 3x a week, I need to get my rowing like body back, it has been lost in OT school somewhere :) Second, I am going to keep up my blog and not just about school but new and exciting adventures and my prusuit as a professional. I am also wanting to blog about my search of how to open a therapy clinic in a needed area. I have had this dream for a while now but I figured if I can keep record of what I find it may keep me motivated and allow me to vent about the frustrations along the way. My third resolution is to not let the small things in life get to me, I want to enjoy the rest of my 20's and make a difference in this world not just live in it! These are some pretty large dreams, asperations, or resolutions but if you don't dream big then whats the point?
So to introduce to you my huge endeavor of opening up a therapy clinic in developing nations. I have always felt God has put missions into my heart eventhough I have yet to go on one yet. Everytime anyone speaks about a mission they are going on or my church pray for someone who is going my heart aches. I feel God has a calling for me but it has taken a long time for me to be in the right place for God to use me and my skills. But ever since I started OT school I knew what He wants me to do. He wants me to help children with disabilities in orphanges who are unable to get the neccessary care they need.
The biggest question is how? That I am not sure of... I have prayed and researched a lot. Very little comes up in the sense of a company or organization doing this as of now. I have recieved numerous ideas and advice from missionaries and collegues. I am slightly overwhelmed and not even sure where to start. I have been trying to network by using the wonder of Facebook and Twitter. I have found a couple of reputable companies that I have contacted. One current organization based out of britain is the closest I have found to my personal desires but as it looks they are only taking on british OT's and volunteers http://www.lcint.org/?lid=3044 The organization I have most recently contacted and spoke to was M.I. Africa who builds schools in Africa. They are a new org and are just starting their schools but seemed very excited about my idea. They told me they would keep me on their contact list and update me on their progress. The most recent news was an email from my church http://www.tcabc.com/ (who is huge with adoption and misson work), notifying us of a meeting with a person from lifesong for orphans about work in Ethiopia and Zambia. Zambia has a special place in my heart because Howard's brother is from Zambia. He is a doctor and would like to go back and open a health clinic. I would love to go with him to start a therapy clinci along side his medical equipment, they could work hand in hand. This meeting is on Jan. 14th the day after I get back to Tulsa. Coincidence, I don't think so. I will let you know what new information I get.
Sorry for the long post but needed to update and
start over for the new year!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)