Haiti 2014, Day 5: Let the Children Come to Me

After a day of rest and Sabbath, we woke ready for a great day of work. Breakfast was quick and everyone received their assignments from our Bossman Darryl. Tom’s team included Shannon, Lindsey, Tina, Summer, and Odlin.  My team included Matt, Kelly, Emma, and Olivia. Art was sent back to the Depot while Darryl moved from work site to work site once again.

“My team, started the day out by looking for the key to get into the tool and supply room. Once I walked up to the top of the hill to Alish’s house to get it, we finally got into the room. We started out by tearing out the old sink and countertop in the dining room. Once it was all torn out, the wall was covered in black mold, cockroaches crawled out of the drain, and there was a huge spider (like a full size hand size) under the countertop. Herby cleaned up the mold with bleach water, and Shannon, Lindsey, and Tina finished scraping off the goo that was covering the wall so that it can be painted. Once everything was cleaned up, we all started making the forms for the concrete legs and tabletop. Everyone worked together to cut the wood forms, rebar, and nail the forms together to make the table. Once everything was put together, we tied the rebar together and set in the forms and cut out the sink opening. Tomorrow we will mix the concrete, pour the concrete into the forms, and set the tile. We should be finished with the sink tomorrow.” ~ Tom

“Today Team Paint was able to accomplish quite a bit! We started the day by putting a second coat on what we painted on Saturday. Our team had some extra help from our new friend Sonson.  For a young boy he has some great art skills! He helped PM finish some detail work on the bottom of the wall. While we were waiting on some of the paint to dry we helped. Tina was pulled over from the Kitchen Team to put together some equipment for the kids physical therapy needs. After lunch and our trip to the market, we came back to finish some painting and setting up the equipment.  PM started to draw some murals for us to paint tomorrow. We were hoping Sonson could help us some more, but he has come down with the virus effecting many at the orphanage. L We’ll be adding him with others to our prayers tonight.  We finished the day up with some touch ups, cleaning up, and putting everything away.  It was a GREAT day of work and we’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Plus we got a thumbs up from Sister Flora for our work so far!” ~ Matt

“Soul of Haiti had bought therapy equipment and sensory wall mount toys for the disabled children. The equipment has been sitting in boxes waiting for this room to be painted, repaired and overall cleaned up. The staff have so much to do with the daily care and exercise for these lovable children, there really is not time for anything else. At the end of today’s workday, we were able to put equipment together and setup the therapy areas. There is still so many details to get done but it was thrilling to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We were also able to show our work to Sister Flora. I wanted it to be as perfect as possible, as she has given her life to giving these kids the best chance possible. I did not understand what she said but she seemed very pleased.  She did add more to our vast list of things to work on. It was a good day.

Also, began a relationship with the nurse/therapist that provides care. We need him to have ownership of these changes so that he will learn to use the equipment and see the benefits. He told us, ‘thank you, thank you’ and ‘good, good, good’.  This was interesting that he knew some English, since every time I tried to talk with him he seemed to have no idea of what I was saying.

In addition, my sweet daughter has grown in her faith and her confidence. Amazing experience for us but to a young lady, this has unending benefits in shaping the woman she will become”.-Tina

“When arriving we were tasked with organizing and cleaning a storage/tool closet. Once the door was opened there was no room to get through the door.  The room is full of medical supplies, tools, clothes, and assorted other things. Now the like items are together in areas. The room is still full but things can be found. All the medical supplies that are not needed here are supposed to go to the hospital in Port A Prince next week.                                            
~ Darryl (on behalf of Art…because Art doesn't type... just ask him... he'll tell you.)

As we continue to work here, there are certain kids that have tugged at my heart. God does that, I suppose. But Jericho… oh Jericho… how he breaks my heart. Little Jericho looks to be about 3 or 4, but is actually about 7. He sits in a wheelchair interacting with no one. His hands are wrapped in sleeves and tied off. His eyes are no more. There are empty caverns, surrounded in puss, where they once were.  His mouth is deformed and often foaming.  His knees are no bigger than a plum and his legs like small kindling. The first time I saw him, I stopped breathing. Literally. I didn’t want to act shocked but my heart stopped beating. My soul fell to the depths of hell as I wondered, “What has happened to this child?” Could it be a disease that has done this? Or did someone do this to him? Anything I could have guessed would not touch the truth I was given.

Jericho gouged his own eyes out… and his mouth off… and no one knows why. He was found at a hospital on the mainland in April. He had been there for two years along with four other young boys, all blind for one reason or another. No medical histories, no visitors, no explanations. So now they are here.  Sister Flora talks about the possibility of getting him surgery and new eye transplants. But I don’t see how until/unless they find out why he did what he did to begin with… He still gauges at himself. That’s why his hands are covered. He still attempts to gauge even with his hands covered.

What happened to this young boy that would bring him to this behavior? Is there some kind of schizophrenia? Voices telling him to hurt himself? Trying to get out? Fearful of self? Or did this poor child see something so horrific, so mortifying, that he never wants to see again?

Likely, we will never know the answer to these questions. But we know this: Jericho needs love. Love can truly heal all wounds, and this precious child of God needs healing. Today I was painting on one of the murals in the Physical Therapy Room and Jericho was wailing in the next room. I mean, wailing… His pain and fear and cries of deep anguish came from somewhere so far within him, it didn’t even seem human.  I tried to keep painting and knew that someone would stop him. But they didn’t. And he continued to wail. I just couldn’t take it anymore, so I went to him… and laid my hand on his head… and circled it with a mother’s touch… ever so gently over his black, wiry patches of hair, praying the Presence of Christ with each circle… and with my left hand, I began to rock his wheel chair back and forth… right hand on head, left hand on chair, round and round, back and forth… And his wailing slowed to whimpering. And the foam that was bubbling out of his mouth slowed.

But I was afraid if I stopped, he would begin again… and I knew I just couldn’t take it… my heart just could not take it. So I kept touching and rocking…

What is it about life that can leave such a small child in such despair? Is life so cruel here on earth that children have to go through these types of horrific experiences? And what can we do to make a difference? A hand on the head, encircling with care… and a slight rocking of a chair? Can that really take the pain away? If even for a moment?...

Yes it can. Yes… it really can. My wish is that I could take it away for a lifetime.

Christ, Our Redeemer,
please be with the broken and the battered,
the gouged and the disturbed,
the abandoned and the lonely.
Show us how to ease the pain,
if only for a moment.
And teach us love that is strong enough 

to tear down the walls of Jericho.

This is bigger than us.
Hear our prayer.
Hear our prayer.
Amen.