Music is Magical

It was my first day at the Special Needs Childcare center in Xi'an, China.
I had never worked with children with special needs before. The range of disabilities was big. We sat in classrooms with them at tables with many unengaged completely. I felt overwhelmed and limited in how I could help.
But, when we returned from lunch, they were all outside and dressed in these fantastic animal costumes! Little did I know, they were going to be performing for their families in a few days and practice was starting now. The teachers handed me an elephant costume and with lots of giggles, I was soon a part of the group.
The music began and everyone's energy matched our smiles! We had so much fun dancing and singing that afternoon. The music created magic to connect us.
As the week continued, the kids and I went to their favorite songs to share some very special moments together. Whether we sat drawing to the tunes or watched them share their talents playing instruments, it was then when I felt we were meant to spend this time together.