We went up the night before the training was to begin. That allowed us time to meet the people in charge and check out the venue for any problems not considered ahead of time.
Upon arrival we were directed to the Mayor's Office. Mayor Ricardo V. Rivita took the time to meet with us and discuss the training that was about to take place. Whenever possible, we take the opportunity to talk about LDS Charities and the initiatives we are engaged in. He is very appreciative of the service we will offer his city. I would guess he has about 25.000 to 30,000 residents. Elder and Sister Notarte are with us. He does most of the training and does it in Tagalog. Even though my ability is minor, I follow along well and interject information when needed.
The cities we visit all have a seal and they are very creative. This says 'City of Rosales'. Pangasinan is the Province in which it is located.
This is the smallest class we have ever taught. There are only 7 participants, but they are all health care workers and have a good knowledge of the items we are presenting. These really helps in moving the training along
They are really having fun playing with the wheelchairs during our skills tests. We teach that wheelchairs are not a 'Toy', but you couldn't guess it from this picture. I enjoy watching them during this time. They really let us know who they are and what their personalities are like.
On our second day of training, we assess real people with disabilities. We get a chance to see how effective we have been in our training. I am going to focus on two of the recipients of wheelchairs we assessed. This little boy is 6. His is very weak and has a heart condition that doesn't allow him to exert much energy. He can't walk and he can't speak. It took us about an hour and a half to get the assessment done on this young man. In one part of the assessment we have them close there eyes so we can determine if they have areas of diminished or no sensation. We taught him to close his eyes during this part of the assessment, but he kept peeking and then laughing. We had so much fun with him, I'm surprised it didn't take longer. This is just one of those times that I am so grateful for the assignment we have. He is just a wonderful little guy.
This gentleman is about 60 years old and has had a disability for a long time. The stroke he had has left him with no ability on his right side. Even with a wheelchair, he will need a lot of assistance. He is a very gentle man and so appreciative. As we thanked him for coming, he burst into uncontrollable
tears. He had never had such a great thing done for him before. He and his family's life will be changed for the better. Within a few seconds, tears flowed from everyone present. This is a special group that really understands the opportunity they have before them in serving their brothers and sisters in the world.
As we finished the training with this marvelous group, without thinking I asked, 'Have I done any good in the world today, have I helped anyone in need?'. Unanimously they all said, 'YES'.
No comments:
Post a Comment