First Visit: This time we could feel the winter. It was a cold weekend that of the 5th and 6th of June, and the number of volunteers also decreased, but the strenght towards the task ahead and the warmth of our hearts remained still very alive in each of the 40 volunteers present on this ocassion.
The medical work was continued by five doctors, who attended patients in all their available times. The patients (both children and adults) were very happy to see us again. Some said that they would not know what to do without those little balls that had done such a good efect on them. With this people there is much education done about healthy feeding, habits (about watching TV, etc.), the meaning of fever and how to manage it, the meaning of illness in our biography, so that they can asume their and their children’s health from their own responsability and be able to find a relation between their health or illness, and so that they do not feel helpless towards this last one, feeling that what happens to them occur just by chance.
Two rythmical massage therapists came aswell, who worked with much dedication; two dentists who worked on diagnosis and prevention and two chemists who carried an essential labour within the therapeutic team. The medicines were given to the patienets free of charge, because most of them are very poor. We are very glad to be able to bring anthroposophical medicine to such little corner of our world, where it would hardly reach otherwise.
The Waldorf teachers continued to work with toddlers and older children. The same children usually come back, whom in ceratin way have the experince of “there’s something special given to me here”. Mothers were given storybooks for them to read, every night at home, a tale to their children. This is something that now they learnt to do, therefore they ask for it (Many thanks for the storybooks donations!). As a present, some wonderful toys, handmade specially for Itahue children by a group of equatorian Waldorf teachers, were given to the smiling kids.
The knitting workshop carried on. This time the participant ladies took little knitted squares for them to finish off the blankets as homework for the next visit, something that they learnt to do this time. They also learnt how to circle knit socks with 4 needles, eventhough some of them did not know how to knit at all! Around 26 enthusiastic women participated and most of them could knit at least a sock and a half. It was encouraging to see 4 ladies of the same line of descendence knitting together (greatgrandmother, grandmother, mother and daughter).
The “Rebuild Itahue” embroidery workshop continued to work, embroidering town images that now are just kept in their souls. They worked with great eagerness, which is helping them to go through their mourning in an artistic way.
This time only one psychologist came with us. She had work to do, though it was clear that the needs of the people had already declined a bit in this regard.
A new beads workshop was offered and was very succesful among teenagers. We believe is good for them to put their hands and creative forces into something that they would like to have and probably would buy al ready done.
We took a truck nearly full with warm clothes. Many thanks for the generosity of the friends in Santiago that gave away warm and very good quality clothes! We also took ten equipped beds which were delivered very consciously. Is important for us to know that people there will have enough warm during the winter.
On this occasion we also had the strengh to build two more houses and insulate two shacks, with what we had finished two more houses. One of them was for a family with a two years old boy who’s father was jobless at that time, so he worked with us industriously building his future home. The other house was for an old lonely woman who had least priority in the council’s housing list as she was on her own, without family.
“Shelter for Chile” volunteers are very grateful that fate has put us ahead the possibility of accomplishing this work with Itahue’s people. This is made possible largely due to the tremendous support we have received from you. Deeply from our hearts, MANY THANKS.
Carina Vaca Zeller
On behalf of “Shelter for Chile” / “Cobijo para Chile”
www.cobijoparachile.blogspot.com
The medical work was continued by five doctors, who attended patients in all their available times. The patients (both children and adults) were very happy to see us again. Some said that they would not know what to do without those little balls that had done such a good efect on them. With this people there is much education done about healthy feeding, habits (about watching TV, etc.), the meaning of fever and how to manage it, the meaning of illness in our biography, so that they can asume their and their children’s health from their own responsability and be able to find a relation between their health or illness, and so that they do not feel helpless towards this last one, feeling that what happens to them occur just by chance.
Two rythmical massage therapists came aswell, who worked with much dedication; two dentists who worked on diagnosis and prevention and two chemists who carried an essential labour within the therapeutic team. The medicines were given to the patienets free of charge, because most of them are very poor. We are very glad to be able to bring anthroposophical medicine to such little corner of our world, where it would hardly reach otherwise.
The Waldorf teachers continued to work with toddlers and older children. The same children usually come back, whom in ceratin way have the experince of “there’s something special given to me here”. Mothers were given storybooks for them to read, every night at home, a tale to their children. This is something that now they learnt to do, therefore they ask for it (Many thanks for the storybooks donations!). As a present, some wonderful toys, handmade specially for Itahue children by a group of equatorian Waldorf teachers, were given to the smiling kids.
The knitting workshop carried on. This time the participant ladies took little knitted squares for them to finish off the blankets as homework for the next visit, something that they learnt to do this time. They also learnt how to circle knit socks with 4 needles, eventhough some of them did not know how to knit at all! Around 26 enthusiastic women participated and most of them could knit at least a sock and a half. It was encouraging to see 4 ladies of the same line of descendence knitting together (greatgrandmother, grandmother, mother and daughter).
The “Rebuild Itahue” embroidery workshop continued to work, embroidering town images that now are just kept in their souls. They worked with great eagerness, which is helping them to go through their mourning in an artistic way.
This time only one psychologist came with us. She had work to do, though it was clear that the needs of the people had already declined a bit in this regard.
A new beads workshop was offered and was very succesful among teenagers. We believe is good for them to put their hands and creative forces into something that they would like to have and probably would buy al ready done.
We took a truck nearly full with warm clothes. Many thanks for the generosity of the friends in Santiago that gave away warm and very good quality clothes! We also took ten equipped beds which were delivered very consciously. Is important for us to know that people there will have enough warm during the winter.
On this occasion we also had the strengh to build two more houses and insulate two shacks, with what we had finished two more houses. One of them was for a family with a two years old boy who’s father was jobless at that time, so he worked with us industriously building his future home. The other house was for an old lonely woman who had least priority in the council’s housing list as she was on her own, without family.
“Shelter for Chile” volunteers are very grateful that fate has put us ahead the possibility of accomplishing this work with Itahue’s people. This is made possible largely due to the tremendous support we have received from you. Deeply from our hearts, MANY THANKS.
Carina Vaca Zeller
On behalf of “Shelter for Chile” / “Cobijo para Chile”
www.cobijoparachile.blogspot.com
