When I grow up

A conversation with my dad last night for me thinking. We'd been talking about Stephen Hawking and what Mol might be able to do with her computer in the future. So today I decided to talk to Mol about these questions.

We started the afternoon by watching a video about space. Mol was captivated by it. She is normally very easily distracted by things going on around her but she was totally focused on this. I then told her that there was a very clever man called Stephen who had taught us lots about space and that he was one of the cleverest people alive. Then I showed her a picture of him. She was excited that he was in a wheelchair like her but screamed when we saw him talking because he uses a computer to talk too!

I then asked her what job she wanted to do when she grew up. I put some options on her computer and we talked about what each person does. I was pretty sure she'd choose teacher but she suprised me when she said 'when I grow up I want to be a scientist'. That's right everyone, Mol is going to be the next Stephen Hawking.

The rest of the afternoon was spent being a scientist. She decided she was going to be a chemist so we made the clothes (white coat and goggles) and collected items to use to make a new medicine.

When our concoction was made we spent some time talking about what it does, how to take it and who to give it to. It was such a great afternoon and I really saw Mol understand the full potential of the computer for the first time.

Mol, please continue to dream and explore and discover. I know you will do great things in your life. I hope you know that too. 

Fun with eyegaze

This week has overall been great. It's had its ups and downs but Molly is doing so weel with her eye gaze and is really enjoying it.

At the beginning of the week Mol was very frustrated with the whole thing. She got upset when she found something difficult and would close her eyes or look away to avoid doing it (she learly understands how it works!). I wanted to work on it with her but I was torn between pushing through it in the hope it would get better or leaving it a few days to see if we could recapture the excitement from the first couple of days.

In the end I decided to keep going, and I'm so glad I did! I made a few grids of activities I knew she liked for her and Lilly and allowed her to choose what we did. This week we have played snakes and ladders, played babies, dressed up, made things and spent lots of time on the bike. During all these activities I had Mol (and often Lilly) make choices or explain what to do using their communication devices. Mol particularly loves being able to say what her doll wants or needs!

This coming week I am hoping to use this enthusiasm and skill on the computer to begin working on academics with her. It will be a lot of trial and error (aka making it up as I go along) but I'm hoping to find a method that will work as she continues to learn both computer and academic skills. She is so clever, we just need to find the best way to teach her.

Yesterday afternoon we took a break from the computer and went with about half of Molly's foster home to the park down the road. Mol cycles all the way there! (I may have helped push in the uphill bits....). She loved being able to cycle to the park and it was great exercise for her. The park itself was great exercise for me! Having carried her down about 50 steps I then took her on the slide, the swings and up and down the grassy hill! It was quite the workout! I'm just sorry I forgot to take a camera.

Ongole

8 years ago SCH started with a handful of kids in a small village by the sea called ongole. Today SCH is home to over 150 children and almost 30 have been adopted. Most of the kids now love in Hyderabad where there is better access to schools and medical care. However some still live in ongole. On Monday I was able to meet there kids and see the beautiful village for myself.

After a 7 hour overnight bus ride (not nearly as bad as it sounds!) We arrived in ongole, just a a the village was waking up. We ate some dosa, got some chai then headed to faith home to meet the younger group of kids living in ongole. The children there, like the rest of the village, live a simple life. They do not have access to the same things as our children living in Hyderabad however they are doing so well. They all receive education, either at a local school of with teachers who come into their homes and are clearly very loved by their ayahs. The school boys live going to the park and the beach and were keen to show us photos of them when we arrived. It is so easy to think that buying things for these kids will make problems disapear. Seeing the ongole kids reminded me that is not always true. They showed me that a little can go a long way and reminded me to use what we have wisely, rather than getting new things.

After lunch we visited victory home. This is now home to the older boys but was once the only SCH home. It is amazing to see where the organisation I love so much started and to be able to see how much it has changed and grown. The boys are working on starting a vocational program in the village focused on agriculture and were keen to tell us how they had been learning to ride a bike!

After spending some more time with the younger kids we spent the evening exploring ongole. It is physically a very small city but I'm typical Indian fashion they cram a lot in to a small space. We headed to one of the main shopping streets where I got some new ankle chains (I was told they were super by selah this afternoon!) And then out to dinner before getting the bus back to Hyderabad.

It was a crazy day! Still can't quite believe it all actually happened but it was wonderful to see where SCH started and have some time to acknowledge how much it has developed over the last 8 years. I hope it continues to develop and improve over the coming years ad there is always work to be fine.

India- season 2 episode 1

I've been in India a couple of days and already so much has happened! I've had a wonderful couple of days spending time with Mol and the other kids and catching up with friends.

I've wasted no time getting Mol using the computer! She already understands how it works and gets very excited by it! Today we used it to colour a picture and write a letter to her foster sister, teagan, who is recovering from an opperation. She also used the comunication section to tell me that she was worried about Teagan! Still not entirely sure if it was intentional or not but it's a great step either way in being able to communicate independently. 

Molly and Lilly have both been loving the adapted bike! It was such a struggle getting it here but seeing them smile as they do some really amazing exercise and PT makes that all worth it.

It's quite strange being back really. I'm some ways, so much has changed. Some kids have been adopted and new kids have arrived. Volunteers have come and gone and Molly has been potty trained. In other ways it feels like I never left. I settled straight back into working with the kids and still remember everything as if it was yesterday.

This weekend I will be making a plan of what to do with Mol to make the most of my time here. I am very aware that my time is limited but I know that if I do things right Mol will make amazing progress I  that time. I am so excited to see what Mol will tell us and learn more about what goes on in her head.

Back to India

Tomorrow afternoon I get on a plane back to India. I can't wait to see my friends, meet new people and most importantly see the kids I've been thinking about since I left over a year ago. So many exciting things have been happening at SCH since I was last there. Several kids have been adopted, new kids have come, volunteers have been and gone and of course all the kids have grown and learnt new skills. Sometimes it is easy to forget that it will not all be the same when I get there. I still imagine walking into my old room and seeing my friends there. I still remember my exact schedule and part of me still expects to be following it, despite knowing I have a very different role this time.

Then I remember why I'm going back. I am going to help give Molly a voice. My plan is to spend 3 weeks working intensively with Molly to teach her how to use the eye-gaze computer. My hope is that she will learn the basics and her teacher can then continue working with her. She is so intelligent and I know that she will grasp the concept so quickly. I know it will be difficult. Having had a go controlling the computer with my eyes I know how hard and sometimes frustrating it can be. I am praying that she will enjoy it and work hard to achieve what I know she is capable of, and that I will have the patience to teach her even in those difficult moments.

Over the next three weeks I will be writing about her progress. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who donated to make this possible for Molly. You have helped give her the most incredible gift in the world. I hope that one day soon she will be able to say thank you herself.