Yay for all the fresh citrus fruit for breakfast!! After breakfast we met with Michael to talk about the spirituality of Mother Teresa. During this meeting 2 children came and sat on either side of me. My notes from this class must have looked crazy as the kids scribbled in my book as I jotted notes here and there. The most amazing thing was how the boys shared pens with one another and they didn't hestitate as if sharing was a given. I later found out that these two boys one was my prayer partner at wings - Frank Ely (see photo) and the other was Steve would had been praying for since the fall. That morning we offically met our prayer partners and tooks them to lunch at the Baptist Missionary next door. I had lunch with Frank Ely, who they are unsure if he has a mental disability like many of the other children at Wings because
he was raised by a mother who was left mute after a tramautic experience before his birth. Taking the children to lunch was interesting as us "blanches" (how Haitians refer for foreigners) were going down the street with disabled children who are frowned upon in Haitian society. It was the first time I was stared at because
I was in the minority.
he was raised by a mother who was left mute after a tramautic experience before his birth. Taking the children to lunch was interesting as us "blanches" (how Haitians refer for foreigners) were going down the street with disabled children who are frowned upon in Haitian society. It was the first time I was stared at because
I was in the minority.That day I sat next to Sam (see photo) who shocked me by saying to me "You Good?" Though Sam struggled with cerebal palsy, he had the most beautiful smile. I also held Belinda (see photo), who despite her tiny frame from a lack of nourishment early in life is actually 6.
That afternoon w
e played with the children. A little girl in a wheel chair wheeled herself beside me and said to me "pick me up." While many children did not speak english, she certainly did. Josephine sat in my lap and we chatted and played and I was shocked. I mean I was virtually a stranger and I had never consider myself a kid person and yet 5 minutes into our conversation Josephine promptly told me that she loved me and gave me a hug and kiss. After being raised in a country where children with disabilities like Josephine (see photo, which she too) are told they they are the product of evil, I was astonished by this child's capacity for love. Josephine sang me "Jesus Loves
Me" in perfect English and despite her cerebal palsy I held her and we danced across the courtyard at Wings of Hope and played soccer. I took her down to dinner and sat with her while she ate the pouridge that the children eat at meals. She introduced me to each of the children confined to their beds. There was Esther who looked downcast. I figured out how to say "Smile, Esther you're beautiful" and she lit up with the most beautiful smile. The whole time we went along Josephine corrected by Kreyol -- acting as my translator. She was so smart -- Josephine connait anpil -- "Josephine knows a lot." I also had the pleasure of meeting Vivenne (see photo with Delhomme) who is deaf and until recently a mute. She acts as a mother to the younger children and she helped me put Josephine to bed. I chatted with Josephine and Esther and I realized that while I came to minister to others, I was clearly be ministered to by children.
e played with the children. A little girl in a wheel chair wheeled herself beside me and said to me "pick me up." While many children did not speak english, she certainly did. Josephine sat in my lap and we chatted and played and I was shocked. I mean I was virtually a stranger and I had never consider myself a kid person and yet 5 minutes into our conversation Josephine promptly told me that she loved me and gave me a hug and kiss. After being raised in a country where children with disabilities like Josephine (see photo, which she too) are told they they are the product of evil, I was astonished by this child's capacity for love. Josephine sang me "Jesus Loves
Me" in perfect English and despite her cerebal palsy I held her and we danced across the courtyard at Wings of Hope and played soccer. I took her down to dinner and sat with her while she ate the pouridge that the children eat at meals. She introduced me to each of the children confined to their beds. There was Esther who looked downcast. I figured out how to say "Smile, Esther you're beautiful" and she lit up with the most beautiful smile. The whole time we went along Josephine corrected by Kreyol -- acting as my translator. She was so smart -- Josephine connait anpil -- "Josephine knows a lot." I also had the pleasure of meeting Vivenne (see photo with Delhomme) who is deaf and until recently a mute. She acts as a mother to the younger children and she helped me put Josephine to bed. I chatted with Josephine and Esther and I realized that while I came to minister to others, I was clearly be ministered to by children.After dinner, we heard the testimony of Mya, a leader in the St. Joseph's family. He explained to us how his aunt made him a restavek-- a child slave. He ran away at age 12 and after living on the streets came to live at St. Joseph's. He rebelled and left the family for a while but he came back and asked for forgiveness. He is now the father of a 7-year-old son that he is very proud of and works at Wings of Hope.
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