Well Hello everyone....long time has passed since Joni on the Go has been updated! It was a year of no travel after I finished up school! So, after about 14 months, it was time to GO! ....and going I have been going.....I returned to CasAyuda at the end of June.....two weeks in Honduras and I had the privilege of having a speech therapist (Valerie Lew) come with me! I have been waiting 9 years to have a speech therapist come, so I was just so happy!
Lake Yojoa....largest lake in Honduras
Jeffry, one of the students working on an art project
Anyhow....I couldn't post when I was there because we didn't have consistent internet and well, haven't posted until now because I couldn't figure out how to access my blog - a harsh reality of no "going" for a long time! However, here I am - on a lay over, on the go again! Back to CasAyuda....the school is doing very well despite many cut backs and very poor economy. The classrooms (students and staff) are flourishing! Lenin's class (the one in which I did my doctoral capstone) is just AMAZING - he has the children so engaged, it is really something to see. I spent the majority of my time this trip working with three of the new staff. They are all doing well and were very open to suggestions/strategies that will make their jobs better and assist the children at the same time. Nelly and Nelson (who run the school) are doing well. Their youngest daughter will be getting married in November. The are so appreciative of the continued support to the students and staff and will be awaiting my return in March 2014 with Kim and a group of OT students from Misericordia!
So, with that, I will sign off.....hopefully I can make my way back to my blog portal and update you on a new project! I am headed to Costa Rica on a mission trip. My friend and colleague Tia is a program chair at Adventist University of Health Sciences in Orlando....each year the university has a mission trip...well, Tia and I are joining in to see what we can do about having her OT students go down as part of the mission trip, but doing some OT type service (ahhhh...to think that is how it all started in Honduras at CasAyuda!)....So....we are going down to do a needs assessment and see what the future may hold! So, I will keep you posted....hopefully an update to come sooner rather than later!
