I have had many new blog ideas rattling around in my head and haven't fleshed any out in a while. And this isn't even one of those, but it was an experience that I keep thinking about and reflecting on all weekend, and I want to do my best to describe it to you! :)
This semester I have been volunteering with a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) at a nearby school 3 hours each week. It has been such an amazing experience! She is an absolutely wonderful woman, and I am blessed to have learned so much from her and see her passion for these precious children.
One of these darlings has particularly captured my heart. He is 7 or 8 years old, and has autism that severely limits his spoken language, among other disabilities. Since his verbal output is so limited, he uses an app on an iPod that speaks the words and symbols as he touches them. With the app, he is able to combine 2 or 3 words to make a basic request, which is huge progress even from when I saw him at the beginning of the semester. (This is relevant later, hang in there). A major focus on his therapy is for him to initiate conversation, to accurately say yes or no, and to engage with the people around him.
So on Friday (here's the good stuff) the SLP was testing him for the triennial evaluation. Before coming to us, he had been throwing a tantrum in class, laying on the floor with his shoes and socks off. As he came in and sat down, his behavior calmed and he was able to focus on the task before him of pointing to the picture that the SLP named. After a couple questions he would be reinforced for his calm sitting and attempts at labeling the pictures.
During this process, especially in the breaks when he would be eating the snack he was given, he continued to look over at me and reach his hand out to take hold of mine. The first time he did this, he looked at me and said, "Hi"... He actually said hi!!! That was so huge for him! He also waved to me a few times. It was so exciting to see him desiring to have that connection with me. One time when he was holding my hand he even brought it up to his mouth and kissed it. Oh how it melted my heart! Once the testing for that day was over, he got to make a choice for his next activity. As he was eating the skittle he had chosen, the SLP, her aid and I were talking and he took his iPod, chose “tickle” and looked at me to respond to his request! He completely initiated that interaction, and continued to ask me for more tickling until the session was finished. When the SLP told him it was time for him to go to class, and that he could walk with me, this boy who usually struggles with transitions, hopped out of his chair and walked over to me, asked me to tickle him one more time, then held my hand the whole way to class!
My heart was so full the rest of the day, and I texted the SLP explaining how I was feeling, and her response was very powerful to me. She said, "I cried so many times today thinking about it (happy tears). For it to happen now, and for you to experience how moving those moments of connecting are, is no coincidence... What you experienced today no one will understand with us describing... Thank you for being such a beautiful human being; he felt it :)"
This lovely SLP has so been on my heart to be praying for, that God would break into her life and set her free from the bondage she is in and draw her to the abundant life He is offering her. And for her to recognize and even make me aware of the fact that my connection with this sweet boy is no coincidence, was so amazing to me. I love her and this precious little one, and am excited to see how God can continue using me in the last couple weeks of the semester with them.
This semester I have been volunteering with a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) at a nearby school 3 hours each week. It has been such an amazing experience! She is an absolutely wonderful woman, and I am blessed to have learned so much from her and see her passion for these precious children.
One of these darlings has particularly captured my heart. He is 7 or 8 years old, and has autism that severely limits his spoken language, among other disabilities. Since his verbal output is so limited, he uses an app on an iPod that speaks the words and symbols as he touches them. With the app, he is able to combine 2 or 3 words to make a basic request, which is huge progress even from when I saw him at the beginning of the semester. (This is relevant later, hang in there). A major focus on his therapy is for him to initiate conversation, to accurately say yes or no, and to engage with the people around him.
So on Friday (here's the good stuff) the SLP was testing him for the triennial evaluation. Before coming to us, he had been throwing a tantrum in class, laying on the floor with his shoes and socks off. As he came in and sat down, his behavior calmed and he was able to focus on the task before him of pointing to the picture that the SLP named. After a couple questions he would be reinforced for his calm sitting and attempts at labeling the pictures.
During this process, especially in the breaks when he would be eating the snack he was given, he continued to look over at me and reach his hand out to take hold of mine. The first time he did this, he looked at me and said, "Hi"... He actually said hi!!! That was so huge for him! He also waved to me a few times. It was so exciting to see him desiring to have that connection with me. One time when he was holding my hand he even brought it up to his mouth and kissed it. Oh how it melted my heart! Once the testing for that day was over, he got to make a choice for his next activity. As he was eating the skittle he had chosen, the SLP, her aid and I were talking and he took his iPod, chose “tickle” and looked at me to respond to his request! He completely initiated that interaction, and continued to ask me for more tickling until the session was finished. When the SLP told him it was time for him to go to class, and that he could walk with me, this boy who usually struggles with transitions, hopped out of his chair and walked over to me, asked me to tickle him one more time, then held my hand the whole way to class!
My heart was so full the rest of the day, and I texted the SLP explaining how I was feeling, and her response was very powerful to me. She said, "I cried so many times today thinking about it (happy tears). For it to happen now, and for you to experience how moving those moments of connecting are, is no coincidence... What you experienced today no one will understand with us describing... Thank you for being such a beautiful human being; he felt it :)"
This lovely SLP has so been on my heart to be praying for, that God would break into her life and set her free from the bondage she is in and draw her to the abundant life He is offering her. And for her to recognize and even make me aware of the fact that my connection with this sweet boy is no coincidence, was so amazing to me. I love her and this precious little one, and am excited to see how God can continue using me in the last couple weeks of the semester with them.
Oh Lord, please make me more aware of how powerfully your Spirit is moving within me, and continue to fill me with more of You. Thank you for making me aware that even just by sitting and observing a therapy session, Your love can be flowing through me to influence the lives of this little boy and this dear woman. May I continue to rely on You and find joy in You so that those around me may experience the overflow of Your love and feel your presence. I praise You for the work You are doing, and for my identity in You that I am even able to fight this battle of showing others who You are.
