Creative fun

We have been busy with all sorts of creative activities over the last week or two. The Chaeli Campaign inspired us to write some poetry and do some art for their 4th annual Art and Poetry Competition. The theme was "Circle of Hope" and the brief was to depict disability in a positive way and focus on ABILITY and forget the DIS'ing. A wheel, circle or motif theme needed to be included in the art or poetry entry.

Above is Z's creation which shows a person in a wheelchair being pushed on the mountain, by a friend, and exploring. The title is "Even if I cant walk, I can explore"

K did a rather creative page with many wheels and called it "Circles of Life". She wrote all sorts of positive captions on her entry.

We wrote poems too:

CIRCLES OF MY LIFE

LOVE me for who I am

ACCEPT me for what I do

UNDERSTAND my life isn't easy

HELP me through my problems

INCLUDE me in your games

ENCOURAGE me to keep on going

MOTIVATE me to rise higher than expected

DREAM with me

PUSH me to my limits, not off the edge

have FAITH in my abilities

REJOICE with me when times are good

CRY with me when times are bad

RESPECT me as a person

By K

GIVE ME HOPE

Give me hope

So I can see the things you see

Give me hope

So I can do the things you do

Give me hope

So I can rise above the body

that has been given me

Give me hope

I want to be free

Give me hope

I can sing and dance and love the way you do

Give me hope

I want to be free to be me

By me

J had a hard time coming up with an entry as this is "not his thing" as he said. I really had to encourage him to go beyond his comfort zones and "do a hard thing". It was a big thing for him to come up with his poem and at the end of the day he did something which challenged him and stretched him....I am proud of him for not giving up!

CIRCLE OF HOPE

Can you climb a mountain?

I have.....

Right, you say, but I am in a wheelchair.

Certainly, you re correct but I

Let nothing stand in my way.

Everything is possible.

Of course it was a long ,hard,

Fight to the top, but

Hope is all we need to

Overcome obstacles and

Push through to the end.

Everything is possible.

By J

K has been making cards to sell as she she wants to earn some extra pocket money.

I purchased a few from her to add to a little birthday gift for a friend and to use for friends birthday cards. I love that she wants to do something to earn herself some extra money and doesn't just expect us to give her money that she wants for those little extras.

While I read, the children love to keep their hands busy and she has spent time working on this cute little "To Do Box" for her bedroom. It comes in kit form and one can be as creative as you like when putting it all together.

The finished product is now on her wall and she can write in her "appointments' or upcoming outings on the blackboard section.

I too like to keep my hands busy when watching a movie or our regular TV shows that we watch. I had a jersey that I knitted for myself many years ago that I don't wear anymore. Nobody else wanted it either so I have unpicked it and put the wool to better use.

I found a pattern for a little quick and easy jersey on www.knit-a-square.com . Once I have knitted a few I will send them off to warm and comfort a little South African Aids orphan.