It seems hard to believe it has been 10 days since I last blogged. Our days have been filled with so many things. A few days ago I had a meeting with the director of an organization asking permission to visit the children in prison.
Yes children. Age 14 and up are placed in the local prison because there is no place else to put these kids. I was asking this agency because they are the child advocates under the Haiti government and you need their permission to see the kids.
I met these people because one of their caseworkers is in my English Class. Now because of this meeting two more have joined.
The meeting went well and I have been given permission to visit after I write up a plan explaining exactly what I plan to do. I made it clear that I would be reading the Bible with the kids and talking about God and his plan for them. They did not object to this. We also talked about what it would take or the kind of place it would take to find a better place to put these kids. These discussions will continue. Pastor Jean Alix will be a part of all of this and I depend on his advise in all of this.
During the meeting the officer who picks up kids on the street for this agency walked in with a 10 year old girl. She had gone to the police station and told them she was lost and could not find her family. Later we found out she was a runaway because of abuse.
The police officer shared with me how difficult it is here in Haiti when they have emergency situations and need to place kids somewhere for a day or two while an investigation is done and find permanent housing for the kids. This little girl had been riding around in the car all day with the officer because he could not find a place that could accept her.
Well you know me, and Bud was not surprised either when I called and told him we would be having a house guest for a few days.
It turned out the little girl had been abused and permanent placement would have to be found. Bud and I know we cannot take a child on a permanent bases because we will eventually go home and that would leave the child behind. Adoption is so difficult here. The agency continued to search and found that the child's real father lived in Port and the two were reunited. Bud and I have offered to be available again if an emergency home is needed.
That afternoon the rain began to fall. It started at 4:30 and heavy thunderstorms filled the entire night. By the next morning 12 inches of rain had fallen. Bud and I awoke to a yard full of sand and gravel that had flowed down the mountain. It took out the fence around our yard and downed a small tree. We had a ditch in our yard but it is no longer there. Our yard was 8 inches deep in mud. After digging out our chickens we walked down to assess other areas. The water had continued down from us and took out part of the wall down by the road.
The village on the side of us lost the road to their homes. The boulders and rocks that were brought down from the mountain fortunately did not damage the homes but the creators the water left made it impossible for the people to get their cars out of their yards. The taxi driver who takes me to work is one of those people and until some large equipment comes to fix the road he is out of business. This is his families livelihood.
One of my students stopped by to see if we were okay and 10 children died in his neighborhood. The water came and was moving so fast it swept the kids away. They were found dead. One home collapsed and killed a mother and 5 kids. It was his neighbor. His home is flooded and he cannot return yet.
I walked around my neighborhood seeing what I could do. I heard a man call out to me in English so I turned to see a porch full of kids watching me. The house is just down from mine. I had noticed it but did not notice who lived there. The wall which was now washed away had covered my view.
He explained to me that he had 21 kids living in the house. Orphans that he can brought off the street. He had been taking care of them for a while now. He works and supports the kids with food. Another individual pays the rent but it seems that may not be possible after June because the friend lost his job. He did not ask for money. He asked me if I would have some time to visit the kids. He had heard were living there.
I found a way through the mud and water to the house and there were some of the most excited kids I had seen in a long time. Company! he told me they do not get to go many places except to school. The house was clean and well organized. The boys and girls slept in different rooms. They had mattresses for most of the kids but some were sleeping on the concrete flood. They also had bed nets. The children sat smiling at me around the table which was covered with a lace table cloth and bug covers for the food to keep the flies out. The children wanted to sing for me.
I asked Joseph if the kids had enough to eat because some were so thin and one little girl looked ill. He explained yes the children eat each day. Other people would help him by bringing food in because his pay is not enough. Lately thou the price of food is so high that the donations have been mostly corn. He makes sure they eat in the morning before school and at night. Sometimes the portions are small because the food has to be stretched. The little girl who looked ill was new and he had not had money to take her to a doctor. (I will have my friend Prudence Check her out).
I asked if I could come and read Bible stories to them and do activities with them. The kids were so excited.
One woman cares for the kids full time and another helps when she can. I plan to return and help with some of the laundry. He says there is not much because the kids only have one or two outfits to wear other than school uniforms. I did see there were sheets on the beds as well. Not sure what roll God wants me to play here but I know when I go home I will be looking for some clothes for these kids.
After I left the house I shared with the man that a friend of mine and I wanted to start a English Bible Club for the kids in the neighborhood and we were looking for a place to have it. He told me that we would have to find a big house and someone who would let us do it there like the one across the street. He told me the man was home could we go see him. I was not sure what I would say, but as we approached the owner came out hold a piece of paper in his hand. He called to me. Teacher Jane I saw you walking by. You need to sign my certificate. Here he was one of my students last year in English. God provides. He is now going to help us find a place. His is not possible but there are lots of empty homes there and he knows the owners.
Today once again I went out to visit my neighbors. This time to pray for them and give some rice to some of the ones I know were hit really hard. Guslin and I stopped by the orphanage too and dropped some rice.
One home I stopped by had 4 little kids, one being a new born. I asked if I could pray with her and she asked if I would pray for her husband as well. He is in prison. Then she told me he is in prison for armed robbery of a local missionary who happens to be who Bud works with. I prayed for them all. She is married to a very dangerous man but I wanted her to know Jesus loves her.
It is so hard to have so little to give these people when they are going through such terrible times. I wish I had tarps to cover the holes in their roofs and so much more. One home all their belongs were laying outside in the mud. The rain had brought down part of their roof and everything was muddy and wet. She told me when the sun comes she will try to wash everything but had no Fab. Praise the Lord that I did have and some rice for a hot supper. We are so limited yet we have the love of Jesus to share. These kind of days we can only do what God puts before us to do.
Tomorrow we will not be able to go to the church I help in because the roads are covered with mud and the Pastor said it was better not to try so we will visit another. I will miss the kids but I am glad the other ladies will be there.
It is starting to rain hard again and my sister and brothers are wet and cold. It breaks my heart.
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