It takes a village...

"It takes a village to raise a child"

Indeed, powerful things can happen when people come together to aid a child. In this story we have several kind villagers on several continents.

Over the last few months I've enjoyed regular visits with a very motivated young boy and his equally motivated family. Win, just turned 5 and is what we Americans call "all boy". While unable to walk independently he is eager to move and crawls about (more of a hop) at a speedy pace. Although effective in getting around his home we all wanted him to begin working on his walking.

But how??? My limited understanding of equipment distribution here is that the government provides very basic walkers and Win was in need of more support. In comes Nicola...

Nicola is a dedicated woman from the UK who has been working in-country for many years providing both direct support to a group of youngsters with cerebral palsy and providing more far reaching support through study tours to the UK with Thai staff and through activities like this...

Nicola's charity, 1step 2 step, has delivered much needed rehabilitation equipment to several institutions around Bangkok. The donated equipment is cleaned and sorted in the UK - shipped (literally) to Thailand where it is distributed. In February, Nicola coordinated a visit for Win to try out a gait trainer at one of the government homes.

Win stepped like a pro and we all felt this piece of equipment would serve him well. But how??? do we get Win his own gait trainer? 

A little RESOURCE COORDINATION (for those unaware this is the department I worked under before leaving for Thailand). Many hours of internet searching lead me to find similar gait trainers on ebay and some Assistive Technology Exchange websites. Cost was a factor but a bigger factor... How??? do we get it to Thailand?

In comes Seth... Seth was a volunteer at my school for 3 months in 2010 and ... I was hearing staff at school excitedly talking about he and his wife making a visit. 

In comes Crotched Mountain... On March 10th, I found just what Win needed on their website and wrote a letter of  appeal. 

I'd say "In comes Tyra" but in fact Tyra has been here all along. Tyra's last walker was this very one, the next bigger size as my girl had long legs. When Tyra died, we donated this and other equipment to organizations and individuals. 'Donate' is not the right word, I was deliberate in the distribution and "found homes for Tyra's things". We were very fortunate over the years to have the support of our community both through covered services with numerous healthcare companies going above and beyond to get Tyra just the right items and also through the support of civic groups when an item was not covered by insurance. 

"It takes a village..."

So, if on March 10th, just one week before Seth & Christine were leaving for Thailand, you recall hearing a high pitched sound - that would have been me squealing with delight when I received the reply that Crotched Mountain would be donating this gait trainer to Win. They too believed in finding "good homes for donated equipment".

Mapping its course -

New Hampshire to Tennessee   -                                  

where Seth skillfully repackaged it for flight

from Tennessee to Chicago to Hong Kong to Bangkok

Bangkok, Win's home and mine, where his family coordinated transport and delivery and early on the morning of March 20th I was greeted at school with this. Did you hear me squeal???

by mid morning there were steps, smiles and a few tears to be shared

and... just last week there was this...

LOOK AT HIM GO!!!!

Many thanks to everyone who came together to make this happen.

"It takes a village..."

Where the HEART is...

February...

When did that happen??? Five years... when did that happen???

February is filled with images of hearts, sentiments of love, and the birth of my sweet girl. In February of 2009 these hearts went up on our sliding glass door. I always enjoyed decorating and Tyra delighted in any holiday that involved sharing treats (actually the holiday did not have to involve sharing treats for Tyra to make it so).

"Where the HEART is"

 

Shortly after these decorations were put up Tyra and I left for what was to be her final hospital admission. Valentines day and her birthday, February 26th, were spent at duPont (unquestionably surrounded by LOVE).

 

I returned to our home late the night of March 6th, no longer physically carrying Tyra though that sliding glass door but continuing to carry her in my heart where she took up residence from the moment I first saw her. These hearts remained in place over the next years. Fortunately, hearts are 'in season'  year round. Although Tyra with her very 'twisted' sense of humor might have enjoyed my getting strange looks from neighbors if the month had been October and the stickers were witches. Oh how she enjoyed stirring things up :-)

 

As I was in the final days of packing up our apartment before embarking on this current journey I found myself sitting on the floor of the nearly empty living room a bit 'emotion-filled' when I looked up to see this...

This wall had been previously covered with decorations and this day was the first and perhaps most needed time for me to view the casting of these shadows - HEARTS filling my home and re-filling my heart with the knowledge that the love and memories are mine forever.

 

This Thursday marked Valentines celebrations at school. I was able to share some treats all the while thinking of my own sweet girl. I came home that afternoon with my shirt pocket covered in the days gifts from students & staff.

and...

I looked to the window of my new home...

“When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy. When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.”                                                              ― Kahlil Gibran