Provide HorseTHERAPY to 50 Nicaraguan Children

  Tuesdays are designated as special education days in our horse therapy sessions. Our special education assistant, Walter, who is blind, has motivated the mothers to become more involved in their children's therapy. On that day, the mothers take turns helping Gustavo guide the horses and learn more about the therapy. Walter works with them as they await their turn for therapy, sharing their stories of having a child with a handicap. We have found that this intervention has created a greater interest in the mothers giving them more poise in their interactions. They have developed a great respect and confidence in Walter as he helps them share more about their children's therapy. "Walter calls these sessions "horse grazing." Because it is as if the mothers are enjoying the quiet time to share and graze with each other.
Special Families have hired an additional physical therapist to help more children. The number of children who need therapy has increased with many first-time cases.
Darling, our other physical therapist, has been on maternity leave. The new therapist is the former head of physical therapy from the regional hospital.
She is excited about working in the community model instead of the medical model, which she led in the hospital setting. She is a highly skilled therapist with much experience and a deep love of helping others in rehabilitation. "Actually, this allows me to get to know the children and their mothers and to find new ways to help them reach their goals together. I like trying to get the mothers to help one another out and to find how much they have in common as they work with their children." This was never possible when she worked the medical model. She was Gustavo's boss when he started his first job, which was at the hospital. And now she is working alongside him to organize our annual Mother's Therapy Assembly. The assembly accomplishes three goals: 1. Recognition of therapy goals for each child and mother. 2. Create unity between mothers as they accompany their children with their therapy.
3. A forum for mothers and children to share their therapy experiences and give ideas for the future. The assemblies always create a lot of motivation and excitement. This year they are working on new ways to keep the COVID distancing and generate a learning atmosphere using more videos and doing more individual work with the mothers ahead of time. We are hopeful that this will create unity among the families. The majority are women heads of households. "They are becoming more interested in hearing each other's story. Since each child has different disabilities and reasons for being in horse therapy, it becomes fascinating," said Martha, the new therapist.
This is the last month of the Dry Season in Nicaragua, which is essential for horse therapy. We are trying to take advantage of this time. When the rains start, there are times that we cannot continue the horse therapy outside since we do not have a sheltered area. However, we have to move the therapy from the vast field to a well-conditioned front entrance to the Farm. The reason is that the field begins to become soggy and, at times, flooded during the rainy season.
We have a special ramp to help children mount the horses and continue their therapy in rain or shine.
The staff of integrated therapy wants to thank you for your support as they continue in these times of COVID.
Their prayers are with you in gratitude for the opportunities you give them to serve these children to reach their health and well-being goals.