Batman in Spanish

Last night, I went to the movies with Angelica’s sister, Hadiji, to see the new Batman movie (El Caballero de la Noche Asciende).

It. Was. Awesome.

In addition to a good plot line and amazing special effects, the theatre was also incredible. Tickets were the equivalent of $3 USD, concessions options included slushies, caramel corn, and hot dogs with every kind of topping imaginable (Super Dog, anyone?), and you reserve your specific seats when you buy your tickets. The theatre is in a mall a mile or so from my apartment that has four levels and is larger than most malls I’ve visited in the U.S. For that price and environment, I think I’ll be back. It was really nice spending a Friday night out and about for the first time in a month too.

The movie was dubbed in Spanish, which I prefer to subtitles, and I was surprised I understood almost all of it. I did miss the whole “Robin” line (I had to ask afterward why everyone gasped at that moment) and there were one or two other smaller things I couldn’t quite understand. However, overall I basically forgot I was watching a movie in Spanish!

I did miss Christian Bale’s deep dark Batman voice though… That one wasn’t quite the same with a Spanish accent.

-Abby

An Outsider's View

Last week, a family from the U.S. visited Chiquitines so that their two newly adopted sons could say goodbye to the people and places that have been a part of their daily routine for the last several years. They were a few weeks into their roughly one month visit in which they meet and bond with their new children, complete necessary Colombia/U.S. paperwork and wait. And wait.

While browsing Gladney Adoption blogs tonight, I came across their blog. What they had to say about the day they visited Chiquitines speaks the truth of what I have seen during my time here.

“The place OVERFLOWS with love.  From the guard at the gate, to the maintenance man for the property, to the ladies sitting at the reception desk, to the elderly woman mopping the floor, to the teachers and therapists, to the “House Mamas”, to the ladies in the cafeteria cooking lunch, to the large group of volunteers serving the children, there was not one person my boys did not run to for a hug… not one person who did not receive them with open arms… not one person who had a dry eye when we drove away.  Chiquitines loves the children.  Chiquitines advocates for the children.  Chiquitines understands the children.  Chiquitines shares in the children’s success and failure.  They are committed to the SUCCESS of every child in their care.  God bless Chiquitines.”

Indeed, God bless Chiquitines.

-Abby

China Love Pendant, Pat Reflects

A Gladney adoptive mom, Lisa Cohen, has created a Superkids pendent.  Superkids was created to give back to an orphanage in China.  Initially, Superkids was just in China .  The pendent displays a Chinese character for love.  I have owned this pendent since very early on in the history of Superkids it was given to me by Janet Fink, the founder of  Superkids as a gift in recognition of my service to the children of China.   You can see me wearing this pendent in China on my most recent trip.  Lisa donates the proceeds from this pendent to Superkids Asia.  Now she also makes a Mayan  pendent for Superkids Columbia.  I get a lot of questions about the pendent and Superkids.  

Why do you do this? What does it mean to you?

The answers to all these questions are complex.  I have been to China 7 times.  Officially, I am going to stop counting.

 I am changed EVERY TIME  I go to China.  I say about helping children, "You always get more than you give," I am forever changed by each hand I hold, each child I kiss, by the simple laugh or smile.  One visit, I played with a boy who had severe cerebral palsy.  We delivered a wheelchair for him, a boy that unless positioned in a wheelchair, he had to be held by a caregiver to sit up.  He spent most days looking at the celing.  Getting him in a wheelchair enabled him to grasp and release a small ball.  He dropped it off his tray table about 50 times and squealed every time I picked it up.  This was his version of catch.  I will never forget the sound of his laugh.

During my most recent trip, a boy with cerebral palsy had a great time dropping a crayon into my hand.  He could not speak but knew I understood.  This was one of the only things he could do to play.  He looked deep into my eyes when we were finished saying, "thanks for playing friend."  All with a look and no words.  When a child I have worked with comes home, it's the greatest feeling I can describe.  That child is no longer alone but part of a family who will love them forever.

I am proud of my work with Superkids.  I wear this pendent to commemorate all the children who live every day waiting for their forever family.  You can also wear the pendent and support Superkids.  Help make sure our work continues.  Follow the link below.  Choose the China love pendent to support, Superkids Asia and the Mayan pendent to support Superkids Columbia.  Please follow the link below and support Superkids.

Thank you, 

Pat
http://zannierstudios.com/pages/love.html

Keely is back in Cali Colombia and VERY BUSY!

Superkids' amazing PT, Keely O'Dell, is back in Cali Colombia for 9 days.  She has been so busy I am posting 2 of her blogs.

 It's Like Time Stood Still (well mostly)

Its crazy how easy it has been to just jump right into things here in Colombia.  In the taxi on the way back from the airport at almost 2 in the morning (my flight was 5 hours delayed) we flew through one red light after another.  The tiendas on each side a blur (literally, we were flying) and it all came rushing back to me: bus routes, cool shops and markets, the statue of Jovita (an icon in this city) safe neighborhoods and other to avoid, friends, …. everything.  And as we pulled into Magnolia’s apartment, I was struck with this feeling of did I ever really leave this place? And when Magnolia walked out of her house in her pajamas and chastised me for arriving so late, I definitely realized that a part of me never really had left.

This feeling of time standing still, that I had been here all along, continued as I walked in the gates of Chiquitines, an orphanage that I had spent so much time in over a year ago.  The guard, the same.  The secretary at the front, the same. The director and majority of the staff, the same.  I rounded the corner to the courtyard and thats when it hit me…. time had, in fact, not stood still.  The kids, the few that I knew anyway, were gigantic.  They weren’t babies anymore but full blown kids.  And there was a whole crew of brand new little bitty babies recently taken under custody of the state.  These kids had been living, learning, experiencing life for 15 months, the were growing up.
What a difference a year makes!!  There was one adorable little girl many of you will remember from my blog last year.  She is one of my favorite people on this earth…. a smile and sweetness that will break your heart! I left this chunky little baby with her first braces and walker 15 months ago:

 And arrived to find this giant!!

 You are probably thinking… that just doesn’t look comfortable (and those shoes are huge). And you would be exactly right.  This walker is definitely not working for her anymore.  So we brought her a new one (and some shoes that fit too).  And for those of you keeping score, no issues with immigration at all (unlike previous trips)… I was totally prepared with all the necessary documents and they didn’t even flinch as I walked through pushing the gait trainer.
So here is our girl in her AMAZING kidwalk that my AMAZING friends at CMC in Dallas helped me get in an AMAZINGLY short amount of time (thanks so much!)

She is leaving with her forever family very soon.  I am sooooo excited that this little girl is being adopted! Can’t wait.  So later today we are going to go back to Fundamor to try and find a forever home for the kidwalk.

For now, I think she likes it!

 More Later,

KO, DPT

FOOD FIGHT!

Use your imagination here. Imagine if you will, feeding over 15 toddlers at the same time.  No, no, no, its not just you.  There are 3 of you…. 3 caregivers that have to keep all these kiddos rounded up, in their high chair and fed.  To put it lightly, its an impossible task.  The only hope of keeping up with the demand these caregivers have is slopping heaping spoonfuls of food in one kiddos mouth after another. Some kiddos attempt to refuse, but these attempts are quickly thwarted by getting a quick spoonful shoved in their mouth.  They get fed… but it’s not always pretty.   I would actually say its one of the most stressful moments throughout the day. Abby, the occupation therapist that has been working here at Chiquetines has been fighting the good fight, the food fight, to try and make things a little less stressful for the kiddos.

Here’s a glimpse:

All lined up and ready to get started…

I think this little guy got tired of waiting his turn…

So did he… this poor little guy passed out for a while in the saucer before he got his lunch

Here’s Abby helping this little guy with oral motor issues have an enjoyable meal

And for those of you wondering what I, Keely O’Dell, was doing during all this chaos.  The answer would be loving on these adorable little things… oops.

Also, we went to Fundamor (another orphanage) today and the little boy that I had met last year is still there and definitely will be able to use the kidwalk when the little girl at Chiquetines is done with it.  I couldn’t be more feliz….

KO

Fine Motor Wednesdays

Today I relished in the fact that I was able to have a space of my own away from the hustle and bustle of the Chiquitines courtyard to work on fine motor skills with some of the toddlers. Trying to get one-year-olds to focus on tiny little finger and hand movements while they sit on a mat surrounded by the sights and sounds of a very busy environment is tough stuff! I’m happy to say I have found a weekly reprieve from the chaos: Wednesday!
On Wednesdays, the two psychology students completing practicums at Chiquitines are in class at their university, leaving their office gloriously empty. Even better, it has a little table and chairs just the right size for my little ones! After stumbling upon this bit of information earlier this week, I pounced on the open office today. Wednesdays will be fine motor days from now on – it’s amazing what you can get kids to do when you have their full attention!

 Working on sorting shapes

Goal: Pincer grasp. Getting closer 

Working on self-feeding counts as fine motor too, of course!

I’m thinking the office space would also be great for some sensory exploration that these same kids really lack, so we’ll see what I can come up with for next Wednesday.

Hasta luego!

Abby

Look Mom, Two Hands!

After wearing a cast for the last two months after a humerus (upper arm bone) fracture, this little guy is finally free to move about! It was big news at Chiquitines this week.

Since the cast came off on Tuesday, the little guy still holds his left arm as if it was casted and uses primarily his right arm for playing, so we’re trying to even things out a bit. At nine months old, he should be able to sit independently while playing, crawl and pass objects between hands. Because he’s a bit behind in those areas and has spent most of the last two months in a reclined position, we’re now concentrating on weight-bearing for strengthening, lots of tummy time and quite a bit of sitting balance work. He is such a happy camper and a delight to work with!
 

Working on propped sitting before the cast came off…

Weight bearing through the previously casted arm to build strength for crawling!

New Yorker of the Week

Gongzhan Wu, Gladney's VP and director of Asia Programs was chosen New Yorker of the Week.  Gongzhan is a true hero!

 

 

 

http://www.ny1.com/content/features/nyer_of_the_week/166672/nyer-of-the-week--gongzhan-wu-pairs-chinese-orphans-with-new-york-families