Elli

Elli

Let me tell you about Elli, she is a developmentally challenged young woman who lives at the Chakra in Casa 3. I must say when I first met Elli she scared me! Elli, at times is very loud and she is no small framed woman. Sometimes DCA(developmentally challenged adults)can be loud. Elli scared me! When I found out I was having dinner at Casa 3 I was a little concerned and we sat facing each other which made me nervous, because she stared at me without saying a word. But for the most part she didn’t do much of anything but eat her food. I breathed a sigh of relief and the next time I ate at Casa 3 it went about the same. When I got to know her a little better Elli didn’t scare me anymore.

The clincher came the night Pauline, Michelle and I were praying for the Tias(pronounced chee a’s)and Elli was on the swing close to where we were and she decided to come and see what we were doing. We were standing by the pool so I moved closer to the dryer land Jjust in case Ellie felt like tossing someone in the pool, it wouldn’t be me! Then Ellie said something that would forever change my attitude toward her and also plainly melt my heart.

Avo, a simple word that has so much meaning. Tia Delores, said that I reminded Elli of her Avo, her grandmother. As Ellie was repeating this in Portuguese, she was also stroking my arm and gently squeezing(the fat, dangling part of my arm J)and looking right into my eyes and smiling at me. This gesture and those sweet words totally changed my attitude towards Elli She hugged me with all the tenderness of my own granddaughter.

By the way this young lady is twenty years old, and oh, one more thing, I’m not afraid of Elli anymore, she is becoming my friend and I have become her Avo!