Last year we spent a day at the camp and fell in love with these kids. This year we spent 4 days/3 nights at the Baby River Camp for Special Needs Kids. It was a humbling, rewarding and wonderful experience. The camp is surrounded by trees in a beautiful valley about 20 miles Northeast of Darkhan. We enjoyed the trees because there are not very many around Darkhan. It is our understanding that the hills are full of chalk, which is the reason for the many chalk mines in the area.
The ball was a big hit and helps them to put pressure on their arms and then roll the other way and plant their feet on the floor. The ball also helps with adjusting the spine and relaxing muscles.
Debbie is helping with massage and strengthening the leg muscles. The lady on the left is the mother. On the right is the Physical Therapist who also founded the organization for parents of special needs kids. It is the group we and Deseret International Charities helped get all of the rehab equipment for their center.
Our interpreter, Munguntuya, accompanied us and helped with all the kids too. She is an amazing person and a wonderful friend.
With the long winters, children do not get a lot of sun which means they might be deficient in Vitamin D, so the therapist encourages the moms and grandmas to have the children outside. They were out on the lawn every day sunning and massaging the children with yogurt which we were told protects them from sunburn and is also good for their skin. We used sheep tail oil to massage them inside and outside. I was entertaining the kids (and Moms) with bubbles.
We brought a number of activities for the older kids and some of their friends they met at camp. Some of the games were dodge ball, Twister and Hula Hoop relay.
They loved Twister.
The Mom's wanted to play too!!!
Below are the mothers and grandmas who came to camp and made it possible for these children to attend! These children are so loved!!! We believe this group included children with Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Cystic Fibrosis, Autism, Encephalitis and some had multiple disabilities. We will be visiting with each one of them in their homes over the next two weeks.
It was a great week. We are so happy we could participate and we learned a lot! It was so sweet and tender to watch the moms and grandmas tend to their children. Everyone of the caregivers reached out and helped one another. We all left with many new friends!
