Meeting More Kids with Special Needs (July 10, 2010)

After a delicious lunch prepared by the women of the town, I was approached by the mayor’s wife, telling me about a deaf child who lived nearby. I asked Dick if we had time to visit this little boy, and he said we’d make the time! We started out for the home, only to find that word had gone out that we would see children who were deaf, and within a few minutes, Jorge and Wendy were both at the mayor’s house. The father of another young man who could not hear also came by. We discovered that they are all in school, and can read and write. The difficulty was that the children would write to their parents to communicate, but unfortunately the parents cannot read. They did know some sign language, and both the children I met today can lip read. After talking to their parents, it became clear that all three children must have some residual hearing, as they had hearing aids they had outgrown. We will be finding out when the hearing clinics are at Hermano Pedro, and getting back with these families to help them get the kids in to receive new hearing aids.

What has impressed me about all of these children, including Bayron who lives nearby and is also deaf, is how intelligent and well-adjusted they are. Jorge, upon meeting me, immediately gave me a big hug and a smile that could have melted Scrooge’s heart. Wendy, though a bit shier, also showed much confidence when we spoke. They are all in school, a credit to their local school, since many children, like Bayron, are “kicked out” of school because they can’t hear. What also impressed me was the concern of these parents that their children receive the best education possible, and the pride the entire community took in the accomplishments of these children. If it “takes a village” to raise a child, this village is doing a remarkable job of raising these kids.