Hard Things

Hard things happen here. I share photos of beautiful kids on the mend. Smiles. Laughter. Sunshine. Light. Miracles. Healing.

But, hard things happen here. Don’t forget that. I can’t. I won’t. Rarely are photos shared of the hard things. Those are private. Not to hide the hard things, but to protect those that must endure them.

Today I held a precious baby boy. 10 months old. 3 lbs. I held him a long time. Rubbed his back. Felt every rib. Trimmed his nails. Held his tiny fragile hand.

As I go to bed tonight……. will I get the chance to hold him again? Tomorrow? Ever, this side of Heaven????

It’s one of many hard things in Haiti. Here, at Real Hope, they fight hard to save little lives. When the fight can’t be won…..they grieve. They cry. The loss is deep.

It’s the worst of the hard things.

But, for a few hours, he was held. Close to my heart. Outside in the fresh air.

That wasn’t a hard thing at all. It was holy.

November 13, 2018

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Glimpses of Wednesday and Thursday**WARNING** long post ahead

All day yesterday we witnessed the RHFH staff care for a critically ill young mother, Anelie. She just had her baby two weeks ago and had developed postnatal cardio-myopathy. Her body was retaining so much fluid that her lungs and heart were barely functioning.

RHFH folks were loving, attentive, gentle, kind and respectful. Women in most of Haiti are not treated this way, especially when they are poor and sick. Before turning in for the night,  Jess told us that the staff were going to take shifts sitting with Anelie. They didn’t expect her to make it through the night. She was incoherent and in great pain.

This morning we were overjoyed to see her, eyes bright and eating! I really can’t explain or show you how sick she was. But I can say it was only God through RHFH that she is alive.

More to the story: when Anelie’s husband brought her in, he said her baby had died. Unknown to everyone, their baby was already here!

He was afraid his wife would not be taken care of if the staff thought her baby would be coming in as well.  Anelie was afraid that she would be told to take care of her baby and not receive care herself. Those fears couldn’t be further from the truth. God loves and cares for every one of his children. And here, Every One of his children gets that care, mothers, babies, men, women, abandoned children, EVERY ONE.

Its an amazing thing to witness. I’m so honored to be here.

Thank you to everyone that has helped me get here. I Love You all.

Photos:
*unwrapping surgical gloves to be used at the cholera house

*holding Gerlina, 13 months old and weighs 8 lbs.

*Tena with another intensive care baby

* view from the cholera house

* counting, packaging and labeling pills

* a little one brought over from the Rescue Center w/ cholera symptoms

Exciting stuff, right! Feel free to share this blog with friends, Sunday School classes, FB, neighbors, perfect strangers……I think you get the picture. :  )

news from Cazale

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Happy Place………….

Ahhhhhh, I’m in one of my ‘happy’ places in time. I am packing for the first of two upcoming mission trips. I’ll be making my third trip to Haiti, Sept. 12-21. My sister, Tena, and I will be working with Real Hope For Haiti. realhopeforhaiti.org. We both found this ministry independantly and fell in love with their mission, servant attitude, heart for the Haitian people, outreach…….yeah basically everything about them, we love!! Please check out there website!

Getting Supplies…….

SCORE!!! Thanks to the proceeds from Covenants first Coffee House event, I was able to get this entire basket of supplies. Real Hope For Haiti helps many, many children. I bought diapers, shoes and baby formula!

Watch for updates from Haiti. Keep in mind, sometimes, most times, things don’t exactly work as planned there!

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