Up early and into the city of Barbancourt today. Packed day! We visited the building that Children’s International Lifeline constructed with funding provided by Orphan’s Promise and Life Church Westchester, Ohio. We met the orphaned children and the pastor and did some filming. The building is awesome! With the help of Orphan’s Promise and Life Church in Westchester, Ohio, CIL was able to complete the building of the “orphanage” for only $5,000 in less than 3 weeks! Amazing that such a relatively small sum of money can house and provide protection for 24 children in Haiti. And remember…$2500 was raised in just 3 weeks by a small group of determined Life Church members and matched by Orphan’s Promise. There is definitely more work to be done here. Most of the kids are sleeping on the floor for lack of beds. We gifted the children here with new dresses, underwear and shirts, toothbrushes and hair bands and candy.
One boy from outside of the orphanage came running to our truck when we arrived. His stomach was distended and he had an umbilical hernia, something that is common here because the malnutrition causes their bones, muscles and organs to become weakened. At about 12 years old, he was dirty, of course, with tattered clothes. I rummaged through my backpack and found a pack of peanut butter crackers and offered it to him. I am always amazed how the children smile at you with their beautiful white teeth even when you know they are anguishing inside. He stood outside of the stick and string fence and watched as we interacted and blessed the children inside of the orphanage. I asked him to wait for us so I could talk with him before we left but he was nowhere to be found, and as we climbed into the truck, I felt so sad that I was unable to give him something. Just as we were leaving, however, he came running towards us. Thank you Jesus! We gave him an armful of supplies and as he crossed through the field, I noticed him grab the hand of his younger sister, maybe about 4 years old and meet up with his younger brother, probably about 8. Together, they made their way to his waiting mother standing next to her dilapidated, stone and mud hut.
That’s the thing about Haiti. 78% of the population live on less than $2.00 per day and over 70% are unemployed. As for children, almost half of the population is 15 years old and younger and of that, 50% die before they reach the age of 15. In fact, 80 out of every 1000 children die before they see their first birthday. This is due to extreme malnutrition, lack of medical care and clean water. Haiti is one of the poorest nations in the world! Like this 12 year old boy, these statistics are true for all children of Haiti, not just those considered orphans.
From there, we visited some of the schools that CIL is feeding. It was such a humbling experience to witness the waves of children line up patiently to receive a bowl of beans with spaghetti and some tomato-y type sauce. Even as they stood waiting for spoons and bowls to be washed in between eatings, they were quiet and respectful. Once the school children were fed, the populous children, those at risk living in the nearby village, were served. What a drastic contrast! The school children looked healthy, bright-eyed, friendly and joyful with clean uniforms. The populous children were dirty, shoe-less, tattered and apprehensive. Many had orangish hair, sores, yellowing eyes and distended bellies. It was living proof that these programs are successfully saving the lives and spirits of these beautiful children!
