Faces of The Fellowship: Jonah

The Fellowship  |  August 1, 2018

Jonah, young IFCJ recipient.
Faces of The Fellowship: Jonah

When Jonah started having odd communication problems as a toddler, his mother, Marina, was devastated. She had seen these same behavioral difficulties with Jonah’s older brother, Anton, when he was a toddler. Anton wouldn’t drink from a cup, was afraid to wash his hands under running water, had trouble communicating with others, and exhibited other problems Marina had originally chalked up to personality quirks. Surely they would pass as he got older.

But Anton’s behaviors didn’t pass – and eventually were given a name by doctors: autism. And then Jonah was given the same diagnosis. Between the two boys and their sister, Anya, who is healthy and manages to communicate and play well with her brothers, Marina had her hands full. She also worried about her boys’ future.

Thankfully, she found the Fellowship-supported Chamah Center for Child Development in Moscow. Their specialists began working with her sons, using computerized programs and various therapies, and soon they were showing signs of improvement and interacting well with other children. Marina is grateful to the excellent professionals at the center and to Fellowship friends around the world who made this transformation in Jonah and Anton possible.