Update from Susie Krabacher
I returned from Haiti last week and wanted to give you all an update. One of the main purposes of the trip was to make good on a few promises I made to the children at HaitiChildren Village orphanages. On my last trip we had a children’s meeting in which the kids talk about kid stuff. We talk about everything from silly to serious things. On our agenda last week were the following topics:
- The older boys feel like the littler boys don’t respect their space. And they want to draw a line down the middle of their dorm room so the younger boys have to stay on their side. Ugh! I guess I knew that was coming. The little kids want to copy everything the older boys do. I find it adorable, but it can annoy one if it were all day, every day. So we are putting some rules in place that will give the older kids a little space to read and study in peace and quiet.
- The children at the orphanage asked to visit another orphanage on my last trip. So last week we visited an orphanage of 35 children in a remote area near in Bon Repos. The children from both HaitiChildren and the orphanage in Bon Repos were very shy at first so the grown-ups stepped away to see if they would interact more freely. Wow! They started talking and within fifteen minutes it was clear they were going to be great friends. They asked lots of questions about their lives and school and the food they eat. During the ride back to the orphanage we talked about their new friends. They asked if we could invite them to come eat and play with us at our orphanage. I was delighted that they made new friends. But I was very proud of our children when they showed such concern because the children at the other orphanage did not have a kitchen or enough beds. Our children suggested that we ask them all to come live with us. So, so precious and sincere. I answered that we aren’t able to do that. I took the opportunity to explain how the people who support each of our children work very hard to make money so that they have a good home and plenty of food and medicine when they are sick. We talked about how, when they are grown-up, they will work hard to make money to care for themselves and help others just like all of our sponsors do for them. They had lots of questions like; “What will happen to us if our sponsor goes away?” I told them that I will ask you all to never go away.
- Some of the children wanted to come along on a trek up the mountain to the villages where many of our the elderly in our orphan sponsored “Widows Meal Program” are dwelling. We were very sad that one of the widows had passed away a few days before. We delivered the medicine needed by 2 of our friends who suffer from epilepsy.
I spent a few days in meetings with some wonderful Directors of Catholic Relief Services who have been so supportive of HaitiChildren. Then I met with the US Ambassador, Pamela White, who is working with the Government of Haiti to rebuild the “General Hospital” or the University Hospital. I met with our Medical Director, Dr. Leslie Agenor regarding some of the upcoming surgery requirements for some of the children with special needs. I had a meeting with the women of the Williamson Community to keep them updated on HaitiChildren’s work in the community. The meeting took a very serious tone, when 5 of the 20 women who attended spoke about a solicitor in the area who was encouraging women to give up their newborns to an orphanage in Port-au-Prince. Very disturbing. Possibly more on that later.
I am back home and trying very hard to raise funds for this year so that we continue to do the Lord’s work in Haiti. We have been so blessed by your support. The children and staff pray for you all every day and every night. That is one of the most amazing thing to me. They always ask questions about you all. Thank you, deeply for giving them someone to love and pray for.
From the Heart,
Teen’s Speech at HC Fund Raiser
Allison Judy’s Speech at Tapping Into Haiti’s Future
Pray for Stevie’s Healing
Thank you, brothers and sisters, for your prayers.
Again I ask you all to keep asking our Father to heal Stevie, our 5 year-old boy at our orphanage in Haiti. Stevie has recently lost his sight after an infection related to Hydrocephalic Syndrome and complications after several surgical interventions. We are praying for supernatural wisdom for all the doctors in Haiti working to save his life. I know beyond any doubt that God wants to hear our prayers about this child and what we desire for him. Please pray for Stevie’s life.
Also I would like prayer for Joe and I, the HaitiChildren staff in Haiti, all of our children, and the widows as well.
Jesus Christ died for them and wants us to think and pray for them as His little children. Let’s claim God’s promises that he will not abandon them (Psalms 37:32-34).
We believe in our Lord Jesus. We do not doubt. We will never give up. We expect victory!
Susie Krabacher
Steve & Freddy Need Prayer
Dear Friends,
Two orphans at HaitiChildren Village are not well. Thanks for your support and prayers as our staff attends to their needs.
Steve Joseph continues to have leaking from the site of his hydrocephalus surgery last month. He has an infection in his brain and is receiving antibiotics. Our staff physician, Dr Agenor has found a neurosurgeon who can provide a consultation and hopefully treatment. We are hoping the surgeon can help the surgery site begin to heal and that Steve can have a shunt inserted in May. Steve’s condition is extremely critical and we are very concerned!
We have just learned that Freddy Hebron has a malformation which inhibits his breathing and he will need oxygen full time — perhaps for the rest of his life. Dr. Agenor is pursuing further testing to determine a treatment plan. We are also working to get portable oxygen for Freddy to have at HaitiChildren Village. We are very concerned because he is so frail, but he is a fighter!
Please share this with your friends and if you are connected to a prayer chain, please add Steve and Freddy!
Newest family member @ HaitiChildren
Freddy Hebron is a two and a half month old little boy who was abandoned at the Government Hospital in Port au Prince at birth. Freddy has a birth defect which caused his lower limbs to form incorrectly. He came to join us at the orphanage in Williamson on March 14! On that day, Freddy had his first peaceful night’s sleep. He is safe with his HaitiChildren family and he has a very good chance of having an operation to fix his little legs.
Susie Krabacher
Medishare provides surgery for HaitiChildren boy
Many thanks to Medishare who provided hydrocephalus surgery for Steeve Joseph. He is a precious little boy who is six years old. Steve is a very active and intelligent boy who has been with HaitiChildren for four years and we are excited about his future! Read more about Medishare here »
Haiti’s President, First Lady, Give Gift of Food
HaitiChildren is honored that the First Lady of Haiti, Sophia Martelly, donated food to the orphanage at HaitiChildren Village. This gift was part of a larger effort on the part of the President and First Lady to assist the most vulnerable members of Haitian society. “The State has an obligation to supervise the children and provide to their physical well-being, mental andmaterial,” Mrs. Martelly declared.
The President and First Lady have consistently demonstrated their commitment to children, regardless of their background, and took this opportunity to convey a Merry Christmas to the orphans at HaitiChildren Village. Included in the gift were rice, canned fish, baby formula, and dry milk.
HaitiChildren is delighted to partner with President and Mrs. Martelly to improve the lives of orphaned and abandoned children. We continually look for ways to work together to helps these precious kids!
Lee Pardee Update
Thanks to ALL of you who offered financial support and prayers for Lee Pardee during his recent surgery. The surgeons successfully removed a large tumor that was near his carotid artery. I visited with Lee for a long time yesterday. He is in a nice hospital and is being very well cared for. We are also very thankful this hospital has agreed to provide free post-operative care for him. Lee has a very large incision from the tumor removal site, but there are no signs of infection.
When I walked in the room, he lifted himself up and started making happy sounds in spite of his autism and recent surgery! I am SO proud of the way he has responded and his cheery attitude. He is eating on his own. When I handed him a teddy bear, he hugged it closely! We hope he will be back to HaitiChildren Village in ten days. I learned that this little trooper had TWO heart attacks during the surgery and battled through it all!! The six doctors who performed the surgery ALL consider him to be a little miracle and a testament to your support and prayers!
Again, thank you for making a difference for Lee.
Susie Krabacher
Reflections on Haiti: Challeges Met with Love
By Jeff Leck, Member of HaitiChildren’s Board of Directors
I visited Haiti in July, 2012 and was reminded of the difficult conditions HaitiChildren faces every day. The oppressive heat, constant dust, overwhelming traffic, severe poverty, and incredibly crowded real estate in and around Port-au-Prince do not make for an appealing working environment. I have traveled to many places in the world and in terms of day-to-day logistics, Haiti is easily the most difficult. I think the government of Haiti, considering the tragedies and setbacks, is doing all it can do to stabilize the country and protect children. Yet, the task is enormous. Reflecting on the trip, I wanted to share with you some observations about the difficulty of caring for kids in Haiti:
Electricity. The power grid in Haiti is unreliable for sustained power needs such as refrigeration or night lighting. The constant power outages throughout Haiti mean HaitiChildren’s staff must care for children mostly without relying on electricity. While we do have generators, diesel fuel costs dictate limiting use of generator power to only the most essential needs.
Transportation. The roads in Haiti are worse than any I have observed (even in places such as Africa). The capital’s “roads” are essentially potholes joined with occasional pavement. Rocks and debris are constant. Traffic jams are ubiquitous. HaitiChildren’s staff cannot simply drive quickly across town to secure supplies or attend meetings. Every journey, however short, is an adventure with a very bumpy and convoluted ride. domain expiring Further, virtually all the vehicles experience extreme wear and tear.
Sanitation. There is dust everywhere. Sewage management is rudimentary at best, open and flowing at worst. Garbage piles are part of the landscape. While the average Haitian no doubt has a stout constitution, it is very difficult to keep our children from exposure to disease and infections. I am proud of HaitiChildren’s efforts to provide clean water to students and orphans. At HaitiChildren Village, the kids take two showers each day and the facilities are spotless. I now have a better understanding of the priority we must place on sanitation for all of the children in our care.
Reflecting on my overall visit, and especially the time I spent at the HaitiChildren Village, I continue to be amazed that HaitiChildren can help so many children with so few dollars. The promise HaitiChildren makes to orphans—to provide food, a home, 24/7 care, medicine, vaccinations,education, therapy, recreation and love—is monumental. It is no cliché to say—this is a labor of love.
Shoe-ing Love
In May we received a very welcome donation of shoes from Newton Running Company and Tumiani Ministries. Over 2000 pairs of shoes are now being worn by children and poverty stricken families in Haiti! The shoes have been distributed to the very grateful and needy children in HaitiChildren’s orphanage, the students at two HaitiChildren elementary schools (HaitiChildren Learning Academy and C.I.T.E. School) and all of our Haitian staff members received a pair of shoes. These shoes were a very needed and welcome gift. Many thanks to Newton Running and Tumiani Ministries!