Nigel Oakley

The child on the floor was almost two. In many ways he looked normal, but his body was twisted slightly. And he lay so still. His mother had six children: three had died, and three were at home.

“And this one?” Judith asked.

“Oh, and that one,” the mother replied abruptly, averting her gaze.

You may remember that story from the March-April 2006 edition of Newslink. Judith’s work, as an Occupational Therapist in the Middle East, has led her into many situations like this one – where often the first break-through is for the mother (and it is usually the mother) to bring the disabled child to one of Judith’s clinics. In the culture where Judith works, disability is often seen as God’s punishment on the parents, and a mother will often say that she has brought shame on her husband by bearing a disabled child. The reality behind that disability is more mundane. Firstly, the diet that is available is sometimes less than what a pregnant woman needs. Secondly, the health care that women receive during pregnancy and birth falls far short of what we expect on the NHS. And, thirdly, through generations of marrying cousins, the gene pool is less mixed than it might be.

Also, although they have to be careful in a non-Christian environment, Judith and her team do try to talk about a God of love who created a beautiful world; who shares in our sufferings, and who is able to help us cope with the bad situations that, yes, do happen – even in the best families.

Abdul, the little boy who was so still, has cerebral palsy, which has no cure. However, he can, nearly two years later, now smile, and he does look at you when you talk to him. But, through attending Judith’s clinic, Salma, his mother, has learned to treat him like a little boy. She talks to him, she looks at him, and she spends time with him. He is no longer the family embarrassment. This was brought home to Judith when Salma gave a farewell party for her just before Judith left to come back to the UK for six months.

When Judith arrived at Salma’s home, Salma insisted on introducing her to her relatives, saying:

“This is the woman who made me realise that I have had seven children.”

Judith works with Middle-East Christian Outreach [MECO]; to find out more about MECO and its work, visit: www.aboutmeco.org

‘I sat crossed legged looking at the two and a half year old lying on the floor in front of me. He looked like a baby but his body was twisted slightly and he was very still, so unlike an ordinary baby. The mother said she had six children. Three had died and three were at home. I looked at her, then at the child on the floor.

“And this one?” I asked

‘“Oh, and that one” she replied abruptly averting her gaze from him.

‘I may be bad at maths but to my mind that makes seven children.’

Judith (not her real name) works as an occupational therapist in the Middle East. As a Westerner, she faces many obstacles in her work: there are obvious ones as people tend to assume that all Westerners are American. Also, she has different beliefs and ways of doing things – even though she tries so hard to talk in their language, and adopt their customs. But how do you transform the common attitude that disabled children are evidence that God does not love the parents and this is His way of punishing them?

Generally, you do it bit by bit: you show that even these children can laugh and play, and love. Fatima is blind, deaf and dumb; but she sat with Judith, with a lump of clay between them. Gently, Judith took her hands and, even though she’d never touched it before, Fatima manipulated the clay with ease, and, after a while was communicating by touch with Charity (Judith’s local co-worker) and using the clay to create what she could not see.

Sometimes, more can be done. The two boys (see photo) can walk with the help of crutches, but only around the house. Judith’s team managed to get a wheelchair for the eldest one. However, the two boys usually shared it! Then, after two months, they got one for the little lad too. Both boys can now push themselves and can now go out into the street by themselves.

Judith puts it this way: ‘I know not everyone loves kids as I do and especially not disabled ones. But my mind goes back to Jesus’ response to kids… he had to work against cultural norms too. I know each child I handle I do so because of Him and for Him. I sometimes forget that this is enough to make it worth while!’