Peru – August 2017
In August of 2017, BRIGHT Children International took their first trip to the Southern Hemisphere to visit Lima, Peru! For a week, BRIGHT partnered with Casa Hogar Padre Martinho, an orphanage for approximately 20 children with severe disabilities. The team consisted of a physical therapist, a music therapist, a special education teacher, a speech/language pathologist (SLP), an infant specialist/recreational therapist, & a registered nurse (RN) who doubled as our photographer.
Many of these children needed intense interventions from a physical therapist, to help with positioning, equipment, and comfort. Four of the children living at Padre Martinhos required the setting up of feeding pumps in order to successfully gain nutrients and gain weight. The SLP spear-headed this with assistance from the RN. The other team members assessed needs and provided suggestions, information, and therapeutic donations to the home to better serve these children.
Each child received a personal bag with therapeutic materials designed just for them, along with an information sheet in English & Spanish for workers and volunteers to refer to when visiting with that child. BRIGHT was praised for being a blessing to these children, but the blessing we received from being in this house for a week was undeniable.
