Written by Vanessa:

In the summer of 2017, in a bustling town bordering the grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau of China’s Qinghai province, a dream was ignited… More than a fleeting thought, it was the kernel of a hope that implanted itself deeply and doggedly persisted, growing quietly beneath the soil despite the sometimes scant water that fed it in the years that followed. I had spent a second summer working as an intern and traveling in western China, but this time, my departure left me determined to return with a skill that would allow me to be part of the community and help meet the needs of others in that place. A fateful layoff left me unemployed in December 2021 and began a string of events that led me to find the field of occupational therapy. It struck me as a field of work that had the potential to help bring hope and freedom to a person through helping provide greater autonomy in their daily life. My heart leapt – I suddenly realized this was the very thing the seed of a dream had needed so that it could sprout.

I was referred to Momentum Pediatric Therapy Network by a friend and began working as an assistant in MPTN’s Leaps and Bounds early intervention program in March 2022. As I prepared to apply for an occupational therapy master’s program, I saw that I was already receiving an indispensable foundation for my education by way of the therapists I worked with and their interactions with the children and families we served. Each child was received with compassion and an unwavering commitment from all staff members to learning how to best meet their needs and help foster their growth. This only grew my desire to one day use my skills and experiences as a future occupational therapist in western China for those who would otherwise not have access to needed therapy services.

Little did I know that each story I brought home of the day’s memorable moments was not only stirring my own heart to press on, but was also leaving an indelible impression on my mother, bringing her to one day ask me, “Do you think I would do well as an assistant?” My mom’s love, joy, and energy with young children is undeniable. I encouraged her to apply. In September 2022, “Mrs. Pilar” joined MPTN at the Long Beach clinic and considers it “one of the biggest blessings to work with the children in Leaps and Bounds and encourage the parents”. Now with twice the amount of stories to share at the dinner table, we find ourselves not only laughing over the sweet moments from that morning, but also putting our heads together to consider what could be most helpful for particular children in our classrooms and what questions to bring to the therapists the next day. As my mom and I continue our work in LBL-2 and LBL-1 classrooms, respectively, we consider it a joy to not only share the experience as coworkers, but also to see the growth in each child that joins the program and the relationships formed with families. In due time, there may be yet more stories that will come to bloom from children growing and learning in the far-flung reaches of western China, but in the meantime, every day spent at MPTN is a celebration of being able to serve others, both alongside family, and alongside those who come to feel like family.