Heading into the last week of our project, Im so humbled and honored to be working with great students and an amazing team of servant hearted people. The mother/infant play groups have proven to be a great success, so far. The mothers report their babies are more active and curious at home, and more importantly, the mothers seem more apt to interact with their babies in the language of infants...play. Our research data has been collected and will be ready for analysis upon our arrival home. Carly and her team have written a curriculum for a special needs classroom that will be installed in the Birla preschool, a first of its kind at that preschool. My team that works in a local Muslim slum had the opportunity to speak to about 40 parents. I cannot describe how extraordinary it felt to teach them, through a translator, about how childrens brains learn best in the absence of threat and stress in terms that were both interesting and relevant to their culture. It was an all time career high point...hands down. The parents shook our hands and thanked us individually as they left. And then, we were asked to plan a domestic violence training for the same community to be delivered in December. Through tears I said ABSOLUTELY! Our work here is only a drop in the bucket. Weve made friends with local NGOs who literally dedicate their homes and lives to the mission of making a difference here. What is so exciting is that the political and social atmosphere is, in many ways, ripe for progress. I have loved every single minute of this and look forward to building this program over the next years. Now Im preparing my heart to leave, and truthfully, my heart is yearning for my loved ones at home. This experience has been and will continue to be extraordinary. Holding my family in my arms will be heavenly.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Jul 2014 07:14:41 +0000