Flood Update

I heard from Jude and he says that Cap Haitien is in pretty bad shape right now.  When he went to Milonia's to see if they were OK, they were already gone.  I heard from Amy and she said they have gone to Madeline (a close by community) to stay with some friends.  I'm not sure if their home will even be habitable when they return.  Surely this flooding has destroyed Roseny's business and who knows what else.  Their family will be needing prayerful help as well as financial help to get back on their feet.  Please keep this in mind as you consider in your giving and prayers this month.  

This water is very contaminated to say the least.  Please pray for the health of all those in Cap as a cholera outbreak is of great concern right now.

This is close to Milonia's neighborhood.

This picture is just outside the orphanage we work with in Cap that is about a block from where  Milonia lives.

This drainage ditch is about a block from Milonia's house.

No Higher Ground

Jillian wrote this blog about the flood that happened in Cap Haitien last night.  Milonia lives a block away from the orphanage and her family would have had no higher ground to go to.  I am waiting to hear from Jude as to how everyone is doing, but it may be awhile before he can get somewhere to the internet.

Please pray for all of Cap Haitien.  This much rain would be tough on America (look at Sandy), but Haiti, with it's lack of drainage system and infrastructure, a situation like this becomes nearly impossible to deal with.  This will affect everyone in Cap.  Again, please pray for those we love in Haiti.

Don't you Know There's a War Going on?

"We really want Rosenie to trust the hospital in Milot."  Amy, the nurse from Second Mile writes to me in an email.  Milona had been sick the last two weeks and instead of going to the hospital they tried natural remedies and other "remedies." Later, Jude tells me that Roseny believes that Milonia's diabetes is "caused by an evil spell someone had cast on her, so she took her to someone who could help her with some special remedies."  If you are going to be involved in Haiti at all, it is important to understand their culture, their belief system.

In the book of Ephesians, Paul talks about the "heavenly places" and in chapter 6:11, he says that "our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."   In case you're wondering, you're sitting in the heavenly places right now.  This battle is constantly taking place all around us and we rarely take notice.  In Haiti, the battle is real and unlike in America, it's in your face every day. 

In Haiti, VooDoo is rampant.  All Haitians believe in VooDoo, even the Christians.  And, although I believe Satan to be a very powerful and active force in our world (I Peter 5:8) and that we in America tend to minimize his power, he only has as much power over me as I allow him. Haitians turn to VooDoo out of fear, they are fully aware that Satan is prowling about seeking out prey.  

To us, it sounds irrational that Satan could cause something like Diabetes, but for those we love in Haiti, it is a daily struggle to let go of this pervasive belief that controls almost every aspect of their culture. Most problems; illnesses, poverty, unemployment, death are believed to be caused by a curse or from someone casting an evil spell.  So, our dear Roseny and Milonia are also acting out of fear and not trust.  Please pray that they do learn to trust not only conventional medicine but their Creator as well.

Trust is a difficult thing to earn.  It's also a difficult thing to give.

The Difference of a Mom

Orphanages fill a great need in many aspects.  Without them, thousands of children would be dead.  That's just a fact.  But nothing can replace a mother. 

 In Haiti, there are so many reasons children end up in orphanages. You say, "Well, aren't their parents all dead?" Some yes... however, many end up in institutions due to extreme poverty.  Parents feel they have to make the impossible choice to give their children up in order to give them a better life; three meals a day, clean clothes, medical care, an education to name a few.  These parents choose an institution over parenting their child to simply improve their living conditions and give them a better chance at life...or even just to prevent their death.  A child needing the type of medical attention that Milonia does, many times is "thrown away" as caring for a child with this serious of a need seems hopeless. 

I have always respected Roseny (Milonia's mother) for choosing to keep both of her children. As an unemployed single mother in Haiti I'm sure she has lived through countless nights of listening to the whines of her girls going to bed hungry. I know she has seen Milonia deteriorate and get sicker, near death lying in a hospital bed.  As a mother myself, I can hardly stomach the thought of what this woman has been through with her dear daughter. This could be so easily solved by walking her girls right down the street to the nearest orphanage. There, they could have adequate nutrition, schooling, and life saving medical care for her daughter, Milonia.  Instead, Roseny chose to hang onto her girls.  I've never discussed with her as to why... however, as a mother myself; my guess is that she just couldn't bear the thought of her babies not being with her.

Milonia has a mother, someone to love her and ultimately take care of her.  This isn't the case for so many just like her in Haiti who suffer from such a serious disease as Diabetes.  

Here is the story of Kelinise.  I have heard her story several times but this time it resonated with me in a different way.  She is just as sick as Milonia.  However, in addition to the nearly impossible daily struggle of dealing with a disease like Diabetes in Haiti...she must also deal emotionally with the fact that her family, those who by nature should love you most...have turned their back on her.  To quote Amy in her post "The difference between Kelinise and Milonia is that Milonia has a mom. She has someone that she can call during the day when she isn't feeling well. She has someone that believes in her enough to send her to school even though she might not be able to attend everyday, even though she might never make it past the 5th grade."

What a difference a mom makes!

On Insulin

Milonia is now on insulin.  This is great news because several doctors said she should wait before starting on insulin until she was a bit healthier.  She must be a bit healthier.

She has started school and Jude says she is doing great.

Tony and I are hopefully heading back to Haiti in the next couple of months or so to pick up our boys we are adopting. I can't wait to get there and see how well Milonia and Roseny are doing for myself.  If you have any special notes or small gifts you would like to send along with me to take to Milonia, get them to me and I'll make sure she gets it.

Thank you to all who are supporting this family prayerfully as well as monetarily.  I can't wait to tell them all about God's people who have stepped up to help them.

Things Just Keep Getting Better!

  You may recognize this young lady as Roseny (Milona's mother.)  Second Mile has hired her on to help with their bead making.  If you have never seen the paper beads these ladies make, they are very fun!

  This will be in addition to the business that she is running outside of her house.  She is a hard worker and they are excited to have her as part of their team.  This job is helping Roseny to become more independent and rely less on others.  Her expenses with Milonia's healthcare are such, however, that she may never make enough money to fully support Milonia and her health.  Please continue to pray for this strong woman as she works to provide for her sweet girls.

Recent Facebook status for Second Mile:
Meet Rosenie!
This is our newest bead maker. Rosenie lives in the Cap Haitien area and has two daughters. Her oldest daughter is an 18 yr old living with Type 1 Diabetes. Having a child with a chronic illness isn't easy in the United States

. Imagine the extra obstacles one might encounter in Haiti. Rosenie is an amazing mom and we are excited to have her a part of the team! We are thankful for all the jewelry sales (and sellers) that are making these jobs possible!!

These are examples of the jewelry that they make.  Each piece comes with a card telling about who made the jewelry as well as her story.

Progress!

I got word from Jude yesterday that Milonia is starting school today!  This is a big deal for her as it takes a great deal of energy just to walk there when she is feeling sick.  So, that means she is feeling better!

I also got word from Jenn that the doctors have started her on insulin.  Milonia seems to be doing so much better.  I can't wait to get out there myself to see her.  Thank you to all of you who have prayed and supported her financially to make this possible.