One Year Ago

A year ago a massive earthquake hit the country of Haiti. Haiti had become very special to me before the earthquake ever happened. I fell in love with the people and the children at the Hope for Haiti Children's Center better known as Danita's children.

I remember the Lord telling me to go and love on the children that lost their mom's and dads. So that's what I did. I left for Haiti in February. I wasn't sure what to expect so many things were going through my head. People were discouraging me from going not because they didn't want me to go but because they didn't understand that the Lord had told me to do so.

It was one of the most rewarding and challenging months of my life. I saw miracles. I saw children who were in body casts and had lost limbs. Children who had lost their spirit, who were sad and were all of a sudden in an unfamiliar place turn into children who were running and playing. Soon you could hear their laughter. You could see them feel more secure. There were children who couldn't sleep by themselves for nightmares came to them each night, learn to sleep on their own. I saw a big sister (maybe 6 yrs old), take care of her little brother (2 or 3). We watched her take care of all their clothes. She would dress him, comfort him and put him to bed with her each night. Matter a fact, he wouldn't sleep without her at first. But then he started to feel the comfort of love and started sleeping by himself. There are two children that touched me more than the others. There is a little boy there named Derdiny. He was a quite boy but there was something about him that was just special to me. He was older, maybe 11 or so (could be older). Anyway, he put on a tough front, but anytime I was around, he was right there and I made sure to hug him. I would give him a shirt out of the back room and he would light up. There are kids that you just click with and he was one of those for me. The other child that touched me was a girl named Katiana. When I first met Katiana, she was in a wheelchair and she seemed ok. Although she had lost her family in the earthquake and her arm, she was another one that put on a front while she was around people. There were times when she would go through having her dressing changed on her arms and she would just cry out. At night she would have to have someone to sleep with her to help her feel safe. She really never had a good nights sleep becuase she would wake up often scared. She also had nightmares. We took turns in the church sleeping with the kids and it was my turn. That night I was sleeping with Katiana. Around midnight, we all heard a noise and felt a tremor. It only lasted a few seconds but it felt like an eternity. The children all started panicking and running out of the church where we were sleeping. Katiana was in a wheelchair still and couldn't walk on her leg but she was getting out of the church. She came across me and started out of the bed. Finally someone came and helped me get her in her chair and we got all the children out of the church. We sat out and I remember the fear on their faces. It's one of those things I'll never forget. I remember looking up to Heaven and asking God for peace for these children. They all started singing songs about God and Jesus. I was blown away.
We sat outside for over an hour with the children until finally we all went back into the church. They didn't want to go but they finally went back. I could hardly sleep the rest of the night. I had Katiana on one side of me and little Fedner on the other side. I just held them tight and I'll never forget the grip that Katiana had on my arm. I was able to see Katiana this past Summer and I'm so glad to report that she is doing much better. After we had left in March she started walking on her leg that had been broken. What an amazing young lady. Of course there are many others.

The special needs children...wow! There is sweet little Jean who when we got there was having siezures but thanks to doctors and the missionaries at Danita's Jean rec'd the meds he needed so he wouldn't have so many. Then there was little Fitson who could light up a room with His smile and the joy that just spilled off of him. Oh and Denise. Precious little Diva Denise. haha Denise has Hydrocephlus. When we got there she had just had a shunt put in her head to help drain the fluid off her brain. While we were there we saw her start to cry, smile, coooo and not to mention she was the best dressed baby! Now Denise has started to pull up her head on her own. These children are truely miracles of God!

I'm going to end this sharing about the missionaries that are at the Hope for Haiti Children's Center. First I'll start with the awesome friends that I met while I was there. People that were so dedicated to the love of the children that it was such an honor to work along side them. Kayla Jenkins who cared for Denise night and day, Sarah Moriarity, she is a physical therapist who worked with the special needs children and the children with amputated limbs and broken bones. Leah Morford who has such a sweet heart and loved little Julien with her whole being, Nancy who was such a humble spirit and nurse and took care of wounds, Mami Cake who organized things so we could help the children more and made me laugh:D, and there were many more. Mami Annie and family who hosted us and took us in like family. And I got to see friends that I had made on previous trips Mami Linzi, who is going to be one amazing nurse and wife to Bertico!, Mami Lynda who became more special to me than she will ever know, Karris, Brenda there are no words to describe these two women.

There are two more women of God that I will ever be eternally blessed to know. Mami Heather and Mami Brittany. Heather is the most amazing woman. She loves the children so much. God has given her a special gift for the special needs children. Her love for them I believe is partially responsible for the progress they are making. I know that it's ALL God but God put that love in her. I am so grateful for Mami Heather.

Then there is Mami Brittany. I met Brittany right after she came to Haiti. I immediately fell in love with her. I loved her free spirit, her willing heart and the love that just ooozed from her. The first time I met her I knew she was special. She went to PAP with Danita to rescue the children. I could go on and on about Brittany. She has seen so much, she has experienced so much but most of all I've seen her grow into an amazing woman of God. What an honor to call her friend.

There are so many amazing Haitian women caring and loving for the children at Danita's. They are precious people and have a spirit like non I've ever seen.

I'll end this with I love these people, I love there country and I will continue to pray for God's deliverance for their country. I'll never forget this experience and all God has shown me through them.