Big steps forward

Heaps of stuff has happened. I'm bursting to tell you all, but struggling to find a way to make it comprehensible.

One biggie is that our plane tickets are booked for 8.45am on the 12th of July. The other biggie that came at the same time was the fact that OMF is not totally happy with our support level. It is approximately 88% and they'd prefer 100%. That makes me feel shaky. It actually highlights how passionate I am (we are) about what we're doing and planning to do - that the chance that we might be sent back to Australia in two years time if our support hasn't improved makes me feel sad. Aren't people hard to understand?

Another exciting piece of the puzzle was put into place yesterday. Another answer to prayer. I've mentioned a few times here and here and here that one of my goals for home assignment was to prepare myself to help out children at at CAJ (Cee-Aye-Jay - Christian Academy in Japan) who have handwriting difficulties, using my Occupational Therapy (OT) skills. It hasn't been an easy goal. I haven't gone about it in a mainstream fashion - i.e. regaining my registration, getting a job or studying at uni. I've mostly been reading recent literature on my own, but I've also sat in an observed a couple of assessment and treatment sessions of the children of a friend of mine. But up till now, I've not made much progress in actually laying my hands on resources or making up a clear strategy.

I am setting up something that no one has done before at CAJ, so I'm in virgin territory - not my favourite place to be. I'm not really certain of what I will be asked to do or how much. It may be as little as two referrals a year. I'm also not certain of the rules I will have to obey as a 'volunteer' OT. Both the Japanese OT Board of registration and my visa restrict me from gainful employment as an OT in Japan.

BUT yesterday I made a leap forward. Through a prayer partner who we met five years ago I've made contact with a Christian paediatric OT here in Brisbane. Not only that, but one who has her own business and sells resources designed for teacher's aides to use with children who have needs that they'd usually see an OT for. A resource that can be used in a school with little supervision from an OT. AND she's given the resource to me. I'm sure she'd hate me to name her, but if you'd like to visit her website, you can have a look. Add to that, the fact that she is a delightful lady who I got along with really well. I'm going back to observe her in action next week. And I'm really looking forward to our ongoing relationship. I think I've met the mentor I was looking for. Praise God!