| Summary of Honduras Visit, October, 2006, by Sam Feitelberg, P.T. Directing Committee
The Physical Therapy building was painted and prepared for opening on October 17, 2006. The colors were bright and lively.
On the 18th we moved in some furniture and planned for the first children to visit. The staff was ready and very appreciative of the building. The building was very hot inside and I promised to come back with fans for Thursday.
Lincoln, Al and I shopped for fans and brought them to the Center. It was a "god-sent" gift. On this first day we saw 15 children. They came as a family walking as many as three miles to the Center. We were immediately overcrowded, "standing room only".
The staff consists of 1 special educator, 1 audiologist, 2 PT assistant/aide, a secretary and the Director and Program Coordinator. We all worked very well together and saw all the children.
It was heart warming to see some immediate results after a little physical therapy and heart breaking to see the damage done by the lack of intervention for the older children. You could see the appreciation on the faces of Mothers and Grandmothers and how the Sisters and Brothers watched intently and took it all in.
Based on the turnout of children we knew we did not have enough space, staff and equipment to reach the goals for which we had planned. Records are not available as to the number of children with disabilities in the community. The availability of the Center was passed on by word of mouth and the doors were open for all.
Plans are under way to expand the building, raise funds for equipment and increase the hours of coverage.
In the face of all the challenges we knew we had really completed the "First Phase" and helped bring into being "The Divine Paradise of the Children" Integrated Habilitation Center.
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