Progress

One of the best parts of being at Themba Care is seeing the progress that each child makes! Phumlani is 10 and is the oldest child at Themba Care right now...and really probably the one with the largest variety of health problems.

When he first came he couldn't really even walk much less communicate. He has several health problems ranging from having seizures which have left him almost like an old arthritic man, having teeth that are basically rotted out, and recently finding out he was deaf...just to name three of a long list of ''problems". It is so amazing the progress he had made and continues to make though...even since I have been here.

It goes to show you how much nurture really does come into play...give a child the attention and CHANCE to be better than they are and more often than not they will blow you away with what they do.

I believe the Occupational Therapist says that he has been tested to be about a 3-4 year old level. Since being at Themba Care he has gotten very steady on his feet and walks well even on the really uneven surfaces outside....he feeds himself (although he does try to con people into feeding him because he can be lazy)....he has learned to communicate mainly by pointing and such....learned how to use the toilet instead of being in a diaper...how to throw balls...build blocks....and there is so much more.

Today I was doing some computer work with Angie and Eva comes through the hall with Phumlani to take him outside for a walk. When he was walking by I said "Oh, are you going outside Phumlani?", and he smiled and then leaned forward and planted a big kiss on my cheek and emphasized it with a big ol' "MUAH!!"...then he leaned over to Angie and did the same thing..it was adorable....you can see why he steals everyone's heart.

Then after the Creche kids came back we had our small group time with them and Eva was drawing with him and he usually draws circles in lines across the paper...Eva drew a smiley face and he copied her....and added legs to his! May not seem huge but it was the first time he has ever done that....he continues to prove daily that he is smarter than people have given him credit for...he may not be able to talk like other kids his age but he is a smart boy and given the chance he is going to continue to blow us away. We were talking about him and the people he drew on our way home and I'm pretty sure we were all holding back tears...it was just so exciting to see him make more progress.

It is a little hard to see his people but the ones in blue are what he drew and he was so proud of himself and kept drawing them over and over again....he will definitely be one I miss when I come home.