Today, we spent the day pursuing Ministry Outreach opportunities at La Escuela de Educacion Especiales (The School for Special Education). Today was a special day as the teachers and students were finishing up their school year and the kids were getting their final report cards. Sharon and Pam again jumped in, identifying the needs of the children, and the resources and tools at the disposal as they worked alongside the teaching staff.

But just as important as the practical interventions is the context in which these interventions take place. In each setting we’ve visited here in the DR, we have witnessed different capabilities on the part of the staff, different resources available to the organizations, different goals and expectations for the children, and different philosophies about the nature of the care they provide. Those differences play a huge role in the ongoing assessment of how Elim’s Ministry Outreach efforts can be resourced to meet the needs in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

As you watch the video below, you will see a school environment that is comprised largely of students with learning disabilities or milder developmental disabilities. We did not notice many children who required the level of intervention that we often see at Elim. By God’s grace, both Pam and Sharon had plenty of expertise in serving children who function at that level. Take a minute to watch the video now.

In the afternoon, Pam and Sharon were able to share some teaching and intervention techniques that they felt would best equip the teaching staff. While this was the final day of school, all the teaching staff stayed behind to participate in this impromptu special needs seminar, underscoring once again the significant need and hunger that exists for Elim’s special needs expertise.