Spirituality in a Refugee Camp

Abstract

Occupational therapy intervention guided by clients' spiritual beliefs can be a powerful force for change. This paper describes an occupational therapy project with Maya Indian families returning to Guatemala after 14 years refuge in Mexico. The project was designed and carried out over a 12 month period. Its aim was to assist the families to re-adapt to village life and to establish roles and habits which would ensure a better quality of life. Mayan cosmovision was used to guide the project. The needs of the community were assessed using the model of human occupation. Community enablement was used to guide the intervention. Different problems were faced by the different age groups in the community, i.e. the children, adolescents, adults and older adults, and the project was tailored to meet the needs of each group. Outcomes of the project demonstrate the utility of occupational therapy intervention guided by client spirituality.