Saturday, October 5, 2013

It is not supposed to be easy . . .

We continue to accept the challenges presented to us as we walk the colonias. Lately, we have encountered many children with severe disabilities. We visited a school that serves many of the more severely challenged children.

Parents are depressed and most know very little about the potential of their children. Many are constantly consumed with putting beans and rice on the table while caring for their child. We've met mothers that carry their child everywhere. They have no wheelchairs; these children need pediatric wheelchairs. Some children can hardly communicate simple 'yes' and 'no' answers. Many are malnourished. School teachers have no training to teach children with special needs. Even the special education teachers have very limited training. There is no help for a blind child to learn to read Braille. Many of the mothers suffer from deep depression and anxiety.

It is too easy to say, "This is not my problem".

So, we move forward. We are already working with DREAMS to secure one pediatric wheelchair. We are working with teachers and with families. We are working to have families receive weekly psychological help. We are also developing a long-range plan.

We will 'find' the money. People will ask why we help in Mexico when we have so many similar situations in the USA. In the colonias, the situation is compounded by the extreme poverty. Families that live for a week on $6 worth of groceries and parents that skip meals so that there is enough for their children are financially crushed by the needs of a disabled child. They cannot afford the cost of transportation for their children to receive physical therapy. Some carry their child to the outhouse.

We will do what we can with what we have today.

No comments:

Post a Comment