“You know when we wrote this curriculum, we wrote it with you all in mind. We hope to involve you, as we have before, in future training of other rehabilitation promoters. Much of the way we do training is because of the things you’ve taught us. You will always have a special place in our hearts.” These were the words I shared with the rehabilitation promoters at ASELSI last year as we broke the news about Shes’ transition as therapy director to working with TCI full time as the Guatemala Director.

Little did we know during that meeting that less than a year later, the ASELSI therapy program would be temporarily closed and our trainings would be on hold due to a global pandemic. We are hopeful both the clinic and our trainings will resume in time, but we are all now in a holding pattern. We are still under stay-at-home orders with no signs of starting to reopen soon. 

We decided now was a great time to get the rehabilitation promoters we had trained involved in our curriculum once again. We decided they could each look at the contents of Module 1 and give us their feedback. If they were to use this to train others, was the information provided helpful or not? What changes or recommendations did they have? 

When Shes, our Guatemala Director, called one of the rehabilitation promoters to see if she’d be interested in helping us, she was thrilled. Yes, she was thankful for the extra income during this time, but also shared the following:

“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to keep working during this time, and the opportunity to not let my mind die or to lose what I’ve learned about therapy.”

Another one said, “Thank you for including me and reminding me I have a purpose. I can still be useful.” 

When Shes called to provide further explanation to the rehabilitation promoter who wasn’t home when we dropped the materials off, she heard another story. As she reviewed the section on pressure sores, an ill family member came to mind. The family had noticed red spots on his hips when they helped him change clothes. Reviewing the section reminded her to make sure her family member was changing positions regularly to prevent the skin from breaking down. She has read through all three of her sections once already, less than three days after receiving them, and will be reading through them again this week. 

I look forward to hearing how else God will use this time with each of these rehabilitation promoters. I have no doubt it will not only benefit them, but us as well. I am eager to hear their thoughts on the curriculum as we’ve developed it so far. They’ve taught us so much and I have no doubt they’ll continue to do so. They have so much to offer us and others. Whether they know it or not, they’re investing in others right now, too, even if it feels as if they’re just stuck at home. They’re helping train future rehabilitation promoters in places yet to be told.