Putting Up a Fight

There are beautiful days in Haiti, and there are heart-wrenching, tearful, difficult days. Sometimes it feels as if there are so many more heartbreaking days than good, beautiful days. Many days the needs are overwhelming. Many days I would rather just not think about how much my heart hurts and how nearly impossible it feels to come up with a sustainable, worthwhile solution.


Yesterday was one of those days. The children at Tree of Life are different than any others I have met at FPCH or Williamson. The children there have stolen my heart. There are only about 15 left, so we are able to get to know each of their hearts. Anne Marie was born to be a comedian. She is one of the relatively older girls (about 10) and loves to dance and make funny faces. She's absolutely crazy, but we love her for it. Nathalie captured my heart the very first day. She's a bit more quiet, loves for you to push her on the swing, and has the most beautiful laugher. It's been incredible to see her come out of her shell and to see how much happier she is after she eats. Elemnia is also small but full of joy. She loves to be held and talks up a storm in that little voice of hers. ...One of the most precious things has been dancing with the kids, singing Father Abraham in Creole, and hearing them pray together. Martine, the lady who is caring for the kids, is full of the Lord. Those kids are different than any other because of how she loves them and has taught them to love. They really are a family. One of the most heartbreaking things about most children's homes in Haiti is that honestly, orphanages are a good source of income for people, and there are a lot of people who take advantage of that. But Martine loves those kids with all her heart. And that's what made yesterday so heartbreaking.


When we got there, Nathalie wasn't there. Roosevelt wasn't there. Luciana, Jepson, Woudnea,   Geurlande, Kimberly...all gone.


Tree of Life has been struggling for awhile now. WWV brings them food and propane to cook with, but Catherine, the current owner of Tree of Life has pretty much washed her hands of the whole thing. They are behind on rent and had already sent about half of the originally 32 kids home. Most children in children's homes are not actual orphans, but their parents have sent them there because they either don't want them or are unable to care for their basic needs. So the kids that had parents or a caregiver in some capacity left, and the 6 who did not were the only ones left. 


So yeah, yesterday was hard. We knew that this was a possibility, but we had no warning that they would all have to leave at once. I will quite possibly never see those children again...and my heart breaks for them. 


So I poured out my heart like I never have before with those last 6 children. I pushed them on the swing, held them, tickled them, sang songs with them, cried with them and used every ounce of energy I had loving them. "Mwen renmen ou anpil anpil!" (I love you a lot alot!) 


There are a couple options for the children remaining and possibly the children who have left (if their parents still cannot meet their basic needs), so I'm fighting with everything I've got to see that those kids get taken care of. It may not be through WWV and there may not be a sustainable solution...but you can bet I'll try. Pray my friends. Pray for provision and resources and wisdom.


God is good all the time. All the time, God is good. Let's fight with everything we've got for those who cannot fight for themselves.