The kids are on the move at Bowy House!

Things continue to be busy at Monte Christo Miqlat's (MCM's) ministry at Bowy House.  On September 20th, 2011 last year we shared a blog posting about our new Occupation Therapist, Eleen van der Merwe, and the progress she was making with our children at Bowy House.  Well the progress continues!!!  At the time of that posting, two of our non-walkers were actually beginning to move better, and showing signs of crawling.  Since then they have not only mastered crawling, they are beginning to walk!  Those two children are pictured below, this first one in a standing frame with which she 'practices walking' for up to 30 minutes at a time.  Her feet and ankles can also be pushed into 90 degrees in the frame which allows her to participate in other group activities in which the Bowy House kids are involved.

This second child has also made fantastic 'walking' progress and is practicing his walking in between rows of the children's chairs.  Many of us feel that this is nothing short of a miracle, as he was so stiff and unable to perform the simplest of moves when he was a baby. 

In these next two pictures, Eleen divided our children up into two different groups.  This allows her to provide activities that are more age specific.  The younger children practiced their artistic skills in the creche, finger painting and mixing colors in their pictures.

And our older children participated in a new garden project that is underway at Bowy House.  This older group is very eager to participate in the garden, especially when it comes to working with the dirt.  Kids will be kids!!!

We continue to be blessed with volunteers who come and spend time with our children.  Michael and Pamela Hudson are two of those volunteers.  Two years ago, they actually lived on the Bowy House property for several months, offering their assistance during a very important time in our Bowy House history.  They continue to visit on a regular basis, offering their assistance and love where needed.

We still have visits from some of our Bowy House alumni who have been placed in a home environment.  We LOVE to see their smiling faces return for a visit!

But when these children move on, it makes room for other needy children.  Pictured below are some of our newer children who have come to Bowy House in the last few months.  They all have various medical needs, and we are honored to care for them ...however long that turns out to be. 

We are all blessed to be a part of these children's lives, and helping them to become all that God wants them to be. 

We are grateful to all of you...our Bowy House partners, supporters and volunteers!!!  We hope you all will join us to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the opening of Bowy House (October 14th-19th, 2012)!  We have a number of fun activities planned that week and we would LOVE to share these sweet smiles with you!