Shalom

Not yesterday but the Friday before I went to visit the Shalom Center, which is a school which caters for children with special needs. It is run by Ruth Green (a long term missionary with Latin Link, she has been in Peru for over 30 years).

Shalom is a social aid project of the International Collegio (which have previously written about) and employs one teacher, one classroom assistant and a physio. Eight children attend Shalom aged from 6 years to 13 years old and they all have different disabilities. I met five of the children when I visited, Miguel Ankla, Rut, Anthony, Mable, Carolie.

It was great to be able to see this center which celebrates its 10th Anniversary in September. I have heard so much about it as my parents are great supporters of the work and two step teams from N.Ireland have been out and worked on the center - one team helped build a great Garden there. There is a piece of cement with the teams hand prints in it and it was cool to see the names of Ruth McKee and Nicole Craig, two of the people I met before coming out to Peru.

During the morning I was there, I took Miguel Ankla and Rut for a walk with Blanca (one of the workers there), we walked around the playing fields (which are for the collegio) - this was an interesting experience. The reason was Rut - she only started walking about 2 years ago (though she is 9 years old)... but she is not totally steady on her own so she would rather walk holding hands with someone, but they try to make her walk solo - so when she was being clingy I walked in front of her with my arms held out and she walked towards me trying to grab my hands... was so sweet and yet hard to watch - but for someone who only has had difficulties walking, she was amazing to watch.

Rut, Miguel Ankla and Blanca

After the walk, I played a few games with Miguel Ankla, well tried to play games, he was more interested in trying to throw things at me and pull my hair. It is his job every day to take the lunch boxes to the table for break time, so after we finished playing, we went and gathered the lunch boxes and he carried them without dropping them (normally he does this) and then we all sat and had break together. It was so nice to be there and see Ruth in action in the school, she loves those kids and is so good with them as are the other three workers as well.

After break I went into the classroom and helped Anthony with his work  - they were doing squares that day and he and Carolie were colouring in their squares. 

Anthony

Carolie

Another interesting bit about going to Shalom was meeting Mabel. Mabel is 13 years old and she lives in El Dios de Amor which is the children's home I am working in (start there today actually), so it was good to meet her before I go. I am looking forward to getting to know her better (along with all the other kids as well).

Mabel

To see a video of Shalom please click here.