Artist for Hope

You have heard me mention this wonderful group before. They are raising funds for the children in the Resuce Center.  This beautiful portrait by Alexis of Soline is now for sale on their etsy site. Thank you AGAIN Alexis for your generosity and for sharing your talent with all of us. This portrait will definitely be a special addition to anyone’s art collection!

Isaiah 52:7

Sometimes the road is not easy to walk, sometimes it long, sometimes it is hard, you may stumble along the way,  you may get bruised up and knocked around, you may fall down a few times,  you will be discouraged at times, you will question God, but in the end I hope we all count it PURE joy that we were had the opportunity to walk on the road that God has called us to walk on. 

Ezayi 52:7 (Haitian Creole Version)

⁷¶ Ala bèl sa bèl lè ou wè sou mòn yo mesaje a k’ap kouri pote bon nouvèl k’ap bay kè poze a! L’ap fè konnen delivrans Bondye a. L’ap di moun Siyon yo: Se Bondye ou la k’ap gouvènen!

Lavi nou pa fasil

God hath not promised skies always blue,
Flower strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

Refrain

But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.

Refrain

God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain rocky and steep,
Never a river turbid and deep

Moun mwen yo, eske ou la?

This is Peterly.  He is 18 months old and weighs 11 pounds.  His father went to the Dominican Republic to find work.  The mother got mad at left Peterly at an aunts house.  She decided she would just leave him in the outside kitchen.  The aunt was not home.  When she did get back she found him covered in ants.  She called the dad in the DR and told him.  He had to scrap together money to get back to Haiti.  He was very emotionally upset to see his son this way.

This is Sonie (on the left) She could not fully extend her leg.  She had surgery on her leg.

The skin behind her knee did not heal well.  She will be staying with us for a few weeks until the wound heal.  She will have surgery in a few months to finished making her leg straight.  Then she will not have to use crutches like she has since she was younger.

This is Elisnel.  He is 14 months old and weighs 11 pounds.

This is Sonise.  She came in last week.  Her leg has three HUGE abcess in three diferent places.  She is staying with us until they heal.  She is in a lot of pain.

This is Kensley.  He is 6 years old.  He has kwashiorkor.  He has 6 siblings at home.   He only wants to drink water and does not want to eat anything.

This is Bickenson.  He is 2 years old.  He fell into a pot of boiling water.  He lives a 6 hour walk one way from the clinic.  Even though we are full we decided that it would be impossible for the mother to walk back and forth to get dressing changes.  She has no family or friends that live closer.  She has 6 other kids at home.  Sometimes even though we FEEL like we cannot do more we must.  Sometimes life does not give us the option of saying “no”.  We have seen so many untreated burns.

This is Vanel. He was burned last week with hot tea.  He should heal fairly quickly. The black part of the burn is what they scrapped off of a the bottom of a cooking pot and mixed with butter

The more we depend on God, the more dependable we find HE is!

  Keverly’s dad, Tommy, was able to spend a week with us here in Cazale.  We had a lot of fun talking, working and taking walks.  He was able to work two days with the community development group.  He helped lay block  to make walls for two of our outhouse pojects. 

 

Another day we planted trees and vetiver grass.  The group has to sift dirt, manure and sand.  It was a fun day.

 We weigh all the kids in the RC each Saturday.  He was able to get his hair braided by the girls!

 He spent lots of time with Daphca

 and Keverly

This morning they left to return to their family.  If you have an extra minute, send up a prayer for Keverly, she has had a hard few days here.  Goodbyes are not easy and leaving a place that you have lived at for 6 months in not easy.  We love you Keverly and will NEVER forget you!

Medika Mamba

I wanted to share with you again today about the Medika Mamba program.  This program is produced by Meds and Food for Kids  .   T & T Livesay and World Wide Village have taken on the task of getting a Medika Mamba program started.  We were blessed to be a part of this wonderful project. I want to share with you today about another child that just graduated from the program this past week.

This is Milienne.  She was admitted into the RC on Jan  27 2009.    She was very malnourished and sick.  She could not walk and it was difficult for her to sit up.  From Jan until May 3 2009  her weight only went up a few  pounds.  When we began thinking of kids for the MM program, I was excited to try this program with her.  She had been eating well and getting vitamins daily.  Everything we did to get her to gain weight was not a success.  That happens sometimes.  So she started eating the MM on May 3rd.  She was on the program for 8 weeks.  During that 8 weeks she gained close to 5 pounds.  I cannot tell you how excited that makes me.  This product it working.  It is helping.  It is changing the lives of malnourished children.  It works!  I could write more about it but I think the pictures tell the truth of her story.  Amazing!

Some great things are happening with the raising of funds for this program.  People are giving in a great way to this need.  It is exciting to see me to see those that are wanting to get involved in helping children.  Not just any child but those that are severly malnourished and many times near death.  It really encourages me.  As of today there has been 99 contributors.  That is great!  Thank you to all that have given!  You can go hereto read about the new goal that has been set.  There is a proverb here in Haiti  “Ampil men, chay pa lou”  With many hands the burden is not heavy. Think about that today. Open your heart up to what God wants.  Thanks so much!

 

Ephesians 5:1-2 (The Message)

 

 ^1-2Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that

From Keverly

It’s hard to believe that Wednesday I will have packed my bags and be flying out, concluding six months here in Haiti.  How fast the time has flown!  So often I’ve looked at the calendar and wished that I could just stop time and make the moments last a little longer.  I know it is impossible to describe these six months in one post.  I’ve fallen in love – with my wonderful students, with this country, these people, the children, the mission – Oh, how hard it will be to say goodbye!

Eight months ago, my mom and I were doing the Bible study Experiencing God.  I felt that God was placing something on my heart that He wanted me to do.  I felt a calling to teach, and I longed to teach in a place where God was at work – where a family truly needed someone so that they could focus on their ministry.  At a time when I was searching and asking God for His will, we received a forward about the need for a home school teacher here.  I am convinced that it was a direct answer to prayer.  That same day we believed that we knew God’s will and contacted Licia.  I could never have dreamed what it would be like here.  The experiences I’ve had, lessons I’ve learned, and friends I’ve made will always be a part of who I am.

When I first got here, it was overwhelming to see all that Real Hope for Haiti does every day.  It’s incredible.  Over and over again I’ve seen love, sacrifice, and perseverance modeled in both Licia and Lori.  They are so willing and quick to fill any need, so gracious with their time and energy.  They give of themselves daily for the people they love – and they have so much love for the people.  I am so inspired by their example. 

Carmelo, Henley, and Trey are my first students; there is just something special about that.  They have been so much fun to teach.  They are so enthusiastic, cooperative, and smart.  In these six months, not one of them has ever complained about an assignment – I consider that a miracle.  I have LOVED getting to work with each of them, getting to know them, watching them learn and grow this semester.  It has been such a privilege for me to get to be a part of their lives.  I will miss them more than they know.

           

I could never have anticipated all the many ways God would bless my time here.  It has been unbelievably exciting, and at times heartbreaking to live above the rescue and clinic.  So many lives are saved, hungry mouths fed, children given educations, people given jobs, I can’t begin to name it all.  Often when I go to sleep at night I know that there are already people in need lined up outside the gate waiting to get help in the clinic in the morning.  Just downstairs there are always so many babies and children being nursed to health and cared for.  To watch a lonely, starving child be given food and love until he recovers and learns how to smile again is an experience I can’t compare with anything else. 

 Another unexpected, enormous blessing was placed in my arms three months ago.  Daphca was a seven month old baby girl abandoned in the clinic.  When she came she was brought upstairs and I have been taking care of her since.  In no time, I was completely in love – as I am today.  My parents have decided to adopt her.  How do you express the kind of joy of being told that the beautiful child you’ve been caring for is your sister?  I’m in awe of the perfect timing and circumstances God planned to bring us together for life. 

I am so thankful to Licia and Lori for being so open and accepting to me, showing and teaching me so much.  You have given me so many fun memories to take with me.  Thank you, Enoch and Licia, for being willing to open your home and school to me.  I can not tell you how much the time I have spent teaching your wonderful boys has meant to me.  Thank you Mr. Zack for giving me a place to live, and for the way you work to keep this going.  I will miss you all so much and hope to be back someday.  Real Hope for Haiti is so real and offers so much hope.  I will always think of you and keep you in my prayers.  Again – Thank you!

Um…it is really hot

Ronel graduates..

Ronel has been with us since 2006.  He birth parents died and an older sister brought him the the clinic.  We have not seen her since.  He is in the beginning stages of his adoption to a wonderful family.  In Haiti, you go to kindergarten for three years.  It is kind of a combination of pre-school and kindergarten.  After three years you graduate.  Ronel graduated this year.  He was first in his class!  Bravo Ronel!

This is the god-mother, god-father and me and Ronel at the graduation.

walking into the church

Here he is with hsi diploma

Ronel, Keverly and Daphca

He received two gifts.  This is a container to carry food in.

Just liek the kind they are working on the road with.  He loved it!

We made a big meal with cake for him.

We are so pround of Ronel and are excited to see him grow and develop into a young man.

Beach pictures