My Girl Phoebe

Oh, I am so bad, bad, bad, but I have fallen for a little girl and I am spoiling her terribly. I've even neglected her little buddy, but I'm going to make up for that tomorrow.

I posted about M1 & M2, the blind girls and it's M1 I've fallen for. I found out they DO have blog names and they are Stephanie and Phoebe. Phoebe is my girl, M1.

Today I made her a page with her name on it in pipe cleaners and sandpaper so she could feel the letters.

When we did telling time with the clocks, we took one of the little cardboard student clocks and punched holes through the back at the numbers so she'd know where they were. Then Simona explained to her how it all worked. Phoebe's little fingers felt their way all around that clock and she listened and in 20 minutes, Sim had her making the hands on the clock tell the time she asked her to.

She repeats everything you say in English.

We did a weaving project today with only a few of the more capable kids. We didn't think we'd have the teacher there for help, but both she and the computer operator

(did I talk about her yet? She works in the office off of our room and does data entry, I think. Her English is very good and she'd been standing in the doorway of her office the first day, watching us and occasionally jumping in. Yesterday and today we began talking and she has really been helping out. Because of her English, she knows what I tell the kids and she'll jump in and tell them in Telegu what to do. She's very helpful and she's very good with the kids. I don't know if she works on Sunday, but she was there waiting for us.)

Anyway, both the computer operator and the teacher were there and we hadn't expected them on Sunday so Rose Bud and I planned to have just a small group and do some of the more complicated activities with them.

So we did our weaving project (don't have the pictures uploaded to my computer yet). Hannah, I hardly showed her what to do and she had it figured out. She also put her own glue dots on the ends of the strips after I showed her. The teacher worked with Christopher and he was a marvel with one hand, weaving. He, too, totally understood the process. The computer operator worked with Caleb and he did well. Isaac needed more help. I think Simona worked with him and I helped Rachel who had the hardest time. She doesn't catch on quite as fast as the others--she seems younger and I would totally attribute it to that. It could also be because she chose a purple mat and matching purple strips. It's really hard to see the pattern when there is no contrast. We all asked her to choose a different color to make it easier, but she insisted on all purple! I love Rachel!

After the weaving, I sent Simona and Rose Bud down to the courtyard with all the kids and I sat with Phoebe, showing her how to weave. She did all right for the first half with me guiding her fingers and explaining in English. But once the computer operator explained to her in Telegu, she just took off, doing it all on her own. The one funny was that the CO kept pointing to the places on the mat, forgetting that Pheobe is blind! I took her to show her ayah (or room mother or teacher, not really sure who she was) and she was very pleased with Phoebe when she understood she'd made it herself.

One other cool thing today. Linda came up to tell me that the ayahs were down in the courtyard playing Duck, Duck, Goose with the children! See! Already made a difference. I'm so pleased to hear they are getting involved.

The group deliced (deloused?) again today and got through another room.

This morning (this whole post is backwards!) Rose Bud felt a little under the weather and I was kind of eh, too. So while most of the team went over to the ICM headquarters to document the donations they'd brought, we sickies (Faye (also eh), Linda (threw up all night), RB & I) stayed back here to rest.

RB & I went and hung out with Faye in her room awhile, then we all went to our room to laugh at Indian TV. Next we went up to the roof to check things out. Linda slept. Finally, Faye, RB & I went out for a walk. We went to the sweet shop and got candy bars and sodas (mmm. Coke.) and then went looking in three shoe shops for flip flops for RB. Didn't find any good cheapo ones. We even crossed the street. Twice.

Now we're back for the evening and RB has already been out. Scott, Linda, Faye and all the girls walked down to the sweet shop for ice cream while Leslie and I came to the Internet to post.

Did I talk about the internet? I think I mentioned the alley next door to the hotel. It costs 20 Rs. an hour. Less than 50 cents. Makes my day!

Tomorrow morning we will post for the last time. Our day will consist of one more class session for RB and me. After lunch we will have the afternoon and I think we're being taken to the land that ICM has acquired for new offices and maybe a school. In the evening, our team is taking RB's and my class to the Exhibition, which is like a county fair so that the whole team can spend some time with our kids.

At 6 am on Tuesday, we leave in the cars for Hyderabad, babies in our laps. We will go to the airport and the babies will all see doctors for checkups. These are a small group of the new children who have not been thoroughly checked out yet, I believe. Simona has called dibs on Aloe and I don't think she'll share!

Tuesday evening we catch our first flight and by Wednesday night, we'll be home!

I can't believe the time is almost over already. It's been too short.