The first thing I did this morning (while Mr. Coffee was perking) was reread the blog I posted last night at 11:00 pm—past my brain’s nightly expiration date. I’ve noticed that the blogs I write at night differ in tone than those I write first thing in the morning or later in the day. Nighttime = definitely snarkier.
Yesterday’s blog was about Russia. I had to check this morning to see if what I had written would get me thrown in some Gulag Camp (probably) or have Hillary’s henchman banging on my door and yelling: “Shut your pie hole, lady, you’re ruining our Poo-Poo-Head Putin Russkie-Red Commie international diplomacy!” (Probably not.)
But I did make one change. I deleted the phrase “Too bad” and replaced it with “NYET!” Sounded funnier. The rest of the blog ragging on Russia: I let it rip.
Then I plodded out the door in my jammies and up the driveway to retrieve the San Jose Mercury News paper. In the LOCAL section was a photo of two adorable boys on bicycles. The title of the story was: Boys save up to help orphans.
I love these kinds of stories. Plus these kids have a connection to Russia, so I decided to blog a positive story that mentions Russia.
The boys, Darren, 6, and Mark, 7, live in Los Gatos, CA. Four years ago Travis and Kat Bertelsen adopted them from a Ukrainian orphanage called Kharkiv Baby House.
[From 1923 to 1991 Ukraine was a republic in the former Soviet Union and now borders Russia.]
Even though the boys came from the same place, they had a totally different upbringing. As Travis explained in the story:
“Darren, a redhead, was showered with attention because red hair is considered good luck in Russia. Mark…has a dark complexion that marked him as of gypsy heritage, so he received almost no attention from the orphanage’s caregivers.”
As a result, he did not walk or talk until he was three years old.
Darren came to the U.S. as a happy child. Mark did not want to be touched. He was diagnosed with autism.
But here’s the AMAZING PART: Travis said, “We devoted a lot of attention to him and REVERSED HIS DIAGNOSIS.”
WOW. The healing power of love! I bet the attention included lots of hugs.
Here’s why I say this:
This story reminded me of another one I heard on NPR Radio years ago. It was about a Romanian boy adopted by an American couple. They named him David. He had severe behavioral, hyperactivity, and anger problems—got kicked out of school and the synagogue he attended. The parents tried everything to turn David into a loving little boy. They were not successful. But they never gave up hope.
David hung out with a buddy who suffered from the same level of autistic affliction. The parents thought this friendship might help David improve. One night the buddy had dinner with David and his parents. He ate calmly, then went home. Later they found out that the buddy had killed somebody that same day!
This was a wake-up call for David’s parents. They took him to MANY doctors. No one had answers. Finally a psychiatrist told David’s parents about a treatment that amounted to what I recall as “intense hugging.” David’s parents were told to encircle him and give him a group hug—strongly applying pressure—and not to let go for a certain length of time.
I can’t remember how often you’re supposed to hug the child or how long it took David’s parents to see results, but it worked! David’s parents literally hugged the psychiatric problems out of his brain. David went on to succeed in school and his church.
This was a wonderful story. So is the one about Darren and Mark from Los Gatos. They had started to save their allowance to help build a playground at the Ukrainian orphanage where they are originally from. In addition, the boys are helping their parents stage a fundraising event next Saturday—a mountain bike ride and other activities at a local park. They are hoping to raise $150,000 to cover the cost of the playground. Good luck to them!
The moral of this story: David’s parents and Travis & Kat Bertelsen are FANTASTIC PARENTS.
And, kids are sweet and lovable—no matter where they come from.
For more info on the bike ride: www.rideforplay.com
To donate: www.orphanbaby.org. This nonprofit organization is helping the Bertelsen’s build the playground. In addition, they sponsor “The Human Touch Project.”
P.S. Here’s an interesting article titled Calming Effects of Deep Touch Pressure by Patients with Autistic Disorder, by Temple Grandin, Ph.D./professor, writer, animal rights activist, and autistic person. She’s a fascinating person. (I blogged about her on 2/05/10.)
http://www.grandin.com/inc/squeeze.html
