Hope Haven Guatemala - Our First Seating Clinic

I went back to work today and it was very difficult to concentrate. I thought about the children in the seating clinics. I missed watching the OT and PT students assessing the children, playing with them and working their magic to create the best custom wheelchair for them. It truly was a blessing to be there..

Hope Haven Guatemala

After a delicious breakfast we traveled to the Hope Haven's facility which wasn't that far from the Guest House. As we approached the ramp into the clinic I noticed a family with young 12 year old girl with a disability. She had a beautiful smile. Her mother wanted to show me her leg. She lifted her trouser leg and showed me the large lump just above her ankle. If she was in the U.S. she would have received the medical care she needed..

Her name was Marelyn and having a wheelchair was going to help her finally go to school. She was so excited!!!

When we entered the facility several parents were already waiting with their children. The first four children we helped were from an orphanage. We took them from the waiting area into the warehouse where a couple of tables with mats were set up for them to lie down on. The students conducted their assessments, pulled out their measuring tapes and got to work. I gave them some sensory items to entertain the children while they worked. It was rather overwhelming for the children. They were surrounded by strangers and in a large warehouse with lots of people coming and going and lots of noise but with some toys and tickles from the students they managed through it.  I made my way back to the waiting area and met 4 year old Katheryn...

Katheryn has untreated hydrocephalus. Again, if she was in the U.S. she would have received a shunt. The back of her head was flat because she could not support her head properly as an infant and spent a of time on her back. She jabbered away and loved the doll and slinky I gave her. She was a cutie and will benefit greatly from her wheelchair.



Brad and I took photos of each child with their new pediatric wheelchair provided by Wheelchairs for Kids International via the Annenberg Foundation.

Hope Haven is being renovated, and in the future, will have rooms for families to stay overnight and medical and dental clinics. The workers there have disabilities and use wheelchairs. Many of them received wheelchairs from Hope Haven when they were children. The warehouse where the workers assembled the chairs was fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the workers and speaking with them.


As we drove back to the guest house the students were conversing about the children in the seating clinic that day. The experience changed their lives...







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Donations change the lives of children with disabilities all over the world. If 100 people donate just $20 each then 6-8 children will receive wheelchairs. Please visit Wheelchairs for Kids International and learn how you can make a difference; help a child go to school; play with their friends, and just be kids..

Visit: http://kidchairs4life.org/WFKIDonate.html