Linda - Special Needs Home
Linda in Portuguese means “beautiful”. However, if her parents gave her this name, they did not treat her this way. Both parents were alcoholics and Linda was left on her own to fend for herself, especially after her mother died. Linda learned to walk hanging on to the tail of a dog. She would eat whatever she could find, mainly vegetables from people’s gardens. Even today, she will prefer a salad over candy or ice cream.
Linda was never taught how to talk. When the situation came to the attention of the authorities, and was taken away to the half way house. She had not learned to control her bowels nor any of the basic hygienic needs. She came directly out of the bush, so to speak, suffering from social retardation.
Soon there after she was put in a school for the exceptional, and began speech therapy. Our house mother Romilda began to visit her, to prepare Linda for the move to Chain of Love. She saw her both at the half way house and the school for the exceptional over a matter of several weeks.
When Linda did come to us, she was already saying a few words. She is extremely bright but is only now learning to speak. Her bowel movements are now being controlled but she still sleeps with a diaper. She loves the smaller children where she is at. Being a big girl for her age (remember she ate only health food), she sometimes can be over bearing with the smaller ones. She loves adventure and has never known physical limits so the front gate has to be closed at all times. If not, who knows if we would ever find her again.
Her teeth were totally rotten. She obviously had never seen a tooth brush. In spite of this she is always smiling and happy, showing us her toothless grin. Her permanent teeth have come in nicely in the meantime. We also had never seen so many lice as in her case. She was also covered with bruises and scraped up pretty badly upon arrival.
Linda is 11 years old and enrolled in a special school. She is a pleasant girl and is always excited to see you. She had recently fell down some stairs and broke her arm. Please pray that the Lord will heal her. And also pray for her house parents so that they will know how best to take care of her.
Update: Linda likes balloons. She also likes to draw. Her hands are usually full of pencils. If she is not involved in this activity, she can be seen combing her doll’s hair.
January 2007 Update: Linda is 12 and goes to a special school. Linda has shown great progress! Her motor co-ordination has improved, she is better behaved and integrated in the home. She is obedient and understands everything! She is smart and does her chores gladly. Even though she has not developed her speech, she communicates with signs. At school she “tells” the teachers when there has been company in her home, and even what they had to eat! She loves going to church, the songs and Sunday School.
Main Prayer Request: For her speech development and that in her heart she would truly understand the plan of Salvation and open her heart to Jesus.
2008 Update: Linda is fourteen years old and attends a special school. She is not able to speak. Her work at home is to dry the dishes and take care of the silverware. She is able to dress herself and make her own bed. She enjoys drawing, colouring and painting and her coordination is improving every day. She is a sweet, loving person who enjoys being with people very much. We do not know if she is saved because she cannot tell us. However, she loves to praise the Lord as she listens to music and she prays in her own way, even reminding her house mother to pray before meals. She loves to go to church but is not active in any of the groups. Linda’s doctor says that Linda’s condition is likely to worsen. Please pray for her future.
2009 Update: Amazing things are happening in our off-campus special-needs home. When I spoke with their housemother, Romilda, I was very encouraged that despite the many challenges that his family has, it is able to overcome them by the spirit of unity and cooperation.
Altamir and Linda and Romilda function as an interdependent team and for this Romilda is most grateful to God. As you read, you will see that both Altamir and Linda are thriving in this situation.
Linda is progressing in her development. For years and years she scribbled but now she is drawing distinct shapes including animals and flowers in different colours. She loves to draw and is constantly asking for more and more and more paper. She loves helping with the household chores and going to school where she is progressing.
Please pray that Linda would overcome her fear of going to the doctor. She regularly makes a scene when she goes to the hospital for shots. She screams and carries on for hours, even after she returns home. As you can imagine, this is tiring for everyone.
Linda is a very happy, excited and contented child who understands most things you want her to do, but lacks the coordination to do it.
Romilda asks that you pray for Linda, that she will always be happy and not suffer more.
Sergio and Romilda ask that you pray for God’s wisdom and guidance as they raise these special children. They are so grateful for what they can do by themselves, and how they complement each other in the family dynamics. For example Instead of calling for Altamir who is hard of hearing herself, Romilda sends Linda to call for him.
Birthday: April 27, 1994
Photo: Jul 2010