Big Changes for Danya

By Katie

It's been quite a ride since I last wrote about Danya about two weeks ago. She's seen more changes in her life than any one person can imagine with two brand new ways of communicating now. But, more than anything, she sees herself as an important human being, a child of God equal to all the other children of God, even those without disabilities. The difference is startling. Let me tell you the story...

It started with Danya finally going to the specialized school like I mentioned in the last blog. At the school she's starting to learn sign language. Hopefully by learning sign language she'll eventually be able to communicate more complete thoughts. She's also taking language therapy classes where she'll learn to improve the limited speech abilities that she has. Here's a video of her and I practicing the vowels in sign language.

But the changes certainly didn't stop there! After communicating with every single person possible in both the United States and Honduras, we succeeded in getting Danya and her dad Elvin to Tegucigalpa to get hearing aids. She arrived one day early and had all the stuff she needed (even though we had a few frightening days before hand of thinking she was missing some paperwork and ear molds). The medical mission from the Starkey Foundation came to the swanky Hotel Honduras Maya in Tegucigalpa. We got there at 6:45 am and left around 11:45 am with Danya hearing the sounds of her environment for the first time.

Her dad and I had a lot of fun letting her walk in front of us and then calling her name, just to watch her turn around, the signal that she had heard us calling from behind. It was really fun to watch people around the hotel who were experiencing hearing for the first time like Danya.
However, learning sign language and hearing for the first time were just signposts of the true transformation that happened with Danya. Not long ago she was a naughty little bugger, bent on doing her own thing and never helping her mother. Her dad reports that after five days at school she was already showing signs of calming down, maturing up. While we were in Teguc together they stayed at the Diaconia Office where she helped me cook and do the dishes. She was keeping her dad and I on track much of the time, being sure we got out the door on time and were ready when we needed to be at the brigade. It's clear that she fully understands the sacrifices being made for her (her dad takes every Monday and Friday off of work just to bring her to school, and she understood that I have been working very hard on her behalf too and that people have helped me financially so that I can help her). She has taken it all to heart.