Give Trauma-Informed Care to Orphans in Macedonia

Hi friends!

We're busy with the work of play and loving every minute of it! I'm not sure who is happier - the kids or the therapists - that the weather is now warm enough that we can play outside! It's absolutely beautiful!

Here's a quick update about what we've been doing at The JOY Home this Spring:

We're very excited about our new partnership with the Physical Therapy Department of the University of St. Kliment Ohridski in Bitola.

Students who are studying physical and occupational therapies are visiting The JOY Home each week, with our new internship program. It's great to meet young adults who are excited about helping our kids reach their potential through play, exercise, and connection.

Speaking of play and connection, sometimes life skills are learned in the most interesting of ways. Like yesterday, when we were about to rock on the rocking chair, and H* and I realized that the rocking chair was a bit shaky.  Imagine our surprise when we saw that some of the screws had become loose over time and use! 

What a great opportunity to work together, exercise our fine motor skills, and fill a little one's "love bucket" with a whole bunch of "atta girl" and "wow, what a great helper you are!" She was so excited about being a big helper that she spent a good 15 min (after the screws were already tightened) just making sure everything was up to par.  It was great fun - and a learning experience as well!

We've been focusing on fine motor skills a lot recently, as we try to prepare some of the children at The JOY Home for preschool and beyond. And we're super grateful for the gifts that some of our friends in America recently sent us for that purpose!

We're having a great time over here, at The JOY Home! Hope you have an awesome rest of the week. Sending big hugs and smiles from beautiful Bitola!