Her mother was
almost afraid to let her
try carrying the water
But Maricela was
stubborn—and she
did it! Maricela also
discovered that if she
floated a gourd dipper
(or a big leaf) on top
of the water, it helped
keep the water from
splashing out.
So, by trying different things, Maricela’s
family, and Maricela herself, learned ways to
create therapy and aids that were effective,
useful, and enjoyable.
Maricela did learn to walk better, and to use
her hands and arms to do many things. But
this took a long time. Sometimes she would try
something that was too hard, and almost give
up. But when her little brother would say she
could not do it, she would keep trying until she
succeeded.
Even when Maricela liked doing something,
because she was a child she would get bored
and not keep doing it for long. Her parents
always had to look for new ways for her to get
her therapy. It became a challenge and a game
for them, too.
Of course, Maricela loved horses. So her
father made her a rocking horse out of old
logs, branches of trees, and a piece of rope for
a tail.
Her father noticed that she was beginning
to walk on tiptoe, so he made special stirrups
for the rocking horse. With these, when
she rocked, her feet
stretched up in a more
normal position.
The rocking horse
kept her knees apart,
strengthened her hands, and helped her
improve her balance. Maricela loved her horse
and sometimes rocked for an hour or more.
When she got off, it seemed she could walk
better.
INTRODUCTION PART 1
After Maricela had learned to ride the
rocking horse, she wanted to ride the real
thing. She begged and begged. So one
day her father let her ride with him to the
cornfield on his donkey. He suggested she
ride in front of him where he could hold her.
But she insisted on riding behind, like other
children do.
So he fixed some stirrups and let her ride
behind. Her legs were spread wide and she
hung on tightly. It was excellent therapy— but
nobody called it that.
In the cornfield she helped her father and
brother clean the weeds out from among
the young corn plants. That was good for
the young plants—and for her, too! But after
several trips to the cornfield on the donkey
with her father, Maricela begged him to let
her ride alone. He was nervous, but he let
her try.
She could do it—and what confidence it
gave her! Soon Maricela was preparing lunch
for her father and brother and taking it to
them in the cornfield—all by herself. Now
she found she could do many other things
she never thought she could. Although she
was still awkward, and at times had to look
for special ways to do things, she found
she could do most anything she wanted or
needed to.
7
disabled village children