I saw a headline today that said something like, "With Baby Doc Back in Haiti, Aristde Calls 'Next'".
What is it about our beloved Haiti that makes evil dictators swarm like sharks detecting blood in the water?
I'm positive that Duvalier has realized that there is a lot of money going to Haiti right now and that one only need be in charge to get it rerouted to your own Swiss bank account.
Why don't some people catch on to the things you should learn as a child like 1) don't bite people, 2) take care of everyone smaller than you, 3) it's nice to be important but it's more important to be nice.
Showing posts with label Haiti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Haiti. Show all posts
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
In a Moment
Dear Nathan,
A year ago today, you woke up in your orphanage, like you had done for as long as you could remember.
A year ago today, you waited for food. I wonder if you had rice twice that day or if it was just once. You didn't always get more than a bowl of rice and beans.
I wonder if that was a day where you got two bowls full.
That day you would have been sitting in that tiny carport with the dozens and dozens of other children there. There was so little to do - not many toys, no place to run, no place to play. I've often wondered if all the days blended together. When it's always warm and you only have one season (to speak of) I imagine that sometimes life seems like one big day.
And yet that day was not just another day.
At 4:53 PM the earth moved and the buildings fell and the people started screaming. In a moment, your orphanage collapsed. We heard later that the aunties who were in the building just start throwing the children in the building out through the door. Somehow they knew it was coming down and that inside was the least safe place to be at that moment. God bless them, because all of the children in your orphanage survived the building collapse.
I wonder so often how terrified you were, Little Man.
We were told that the aunties just took the children they could grab and ran for safety. I don't know where you went or what condition you were in while you were away. I've often wondered if you were fed in the ensuing days.
Because it was days until you were where you should be again. It was actually 10 days later that you were brought to be with the rest of the children from your orphanage. By that time, your Papa was there and was able to smother you with love and make sure you were fed. And in a moment you were part of a family again and would never, ever leave them again.
Some of the older children from your orphanage have finally started to talk about what they've endured and the heartache that caused them to be orphaned in the first place. We'll never know what you went through and in some ways it might be easier for you because of that.
For the rest of us, we can't forget Haiti. We mustn't forget her and her people and the mess that they're still in every day of their lives.
Haiti doesn't get someone to swoop her up in their arms and smother her with love and make sure her people eat.
We mustn't forget.
I love you.
Mama
A year ago today, you woke up in your orphanage, like you had done for as long as you could remember.
A year ago today, you waited for food. I wonder if you had rice twice that day or if it was just once. You didn't always get more than a bowl of rice and beans.
I wonder if that was a day where you got two bowls full.
That day you would have been sitting in that tiny carport with the dozens and dozens of other children there. There was so little to do - not many toys, no place to run, no place to play. I've often wondered if all the days blended together. When it's always warm and you only have one season (to speak of) I imagine that sometimes life seems like one big day.
And yet that day was not just another day.
At 4:53 PM the earth moved and the buildings fell and the people started screaming. In a moment, your orphanage collapsed. We heard later that the aunties who were in the building just start throwing the children in the building out through the door. Somehow they knew it was coming down and that inside was the least safe place to be at that moment. God bless them, because all of the children in your orphanage survived the building collapse.
I wonder so often how terrified you were, Little Man.
We were told that the aunties just took the children they could grab and ran for safety. I don't know where you went or what condition you were in while you were away. I've often wondered if you were fed in the ensuing days.
Because it was days until you were where you should be again. It was actually 10 days later that you were brought to be with the rest of the children from your orphanage. By that time, your Papa was there and was able to smother you with love and make sure you were fed. And in a moment you were part of a family again and would never, ever leave them again.
Some of the older children from your orphanage have finally started to talk about what they've endured and the heartache that caused them to be orphaned in the first place. We'll never know what you went through and in some ways it might be easier for you because of that.
For the rest of us, we can't forget Haiti. We mustn't forget her and her people and the mess that they're still in every day of their lives.
Haiti doesn't get someone to swoop her up in their arms and smother her with love and make sure her people eat.
We mustn't forget.
I love you.
Mama
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Happy Christmas... War Is Over Now
Merry First Christmas to Nathan and the ~1,100 other Haitian children that came home after the earthquake this January!
We know now, from one of the older children, that the kids (at least at our orphanage) were told that "Santa doesn't like Haitians". That's how they explained why there was never a Christmas to the older children. These children never left the orphanage themselves but they are SMART kids and I'm sure picked up from the conversations of the adults that it was Christmas outside that concrete wall that blocked them from the rest of the world. I'm sure they asked what this "Christmas" was and what it meant for them. And, just as adults here in America use the story of Santa to add mystery and magic to the season, the adults in Haiti use the story of Santa to explain why there is no magic and mystery for them or their children. These kids were essentially told that because of who they were, things could never be wonderful or magical for them.
I know, I know - it's a horrible thing to say to a child, but at the same time, I don't know how one explains to a child why everything in their life was difficult. I'm also sure that many, many times they feel that God, Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the government, and their own parents hate them. I don't know how else you reconcile the extreme "have nots" in daily life when you're dealing with THAT level of poverty.
Since our first trip to Haiti nearly 3 years ago I've wondered many times exactly how it is that I was born in America and have anything, can be anything, can buy anything, can dream and do anything I want while my brothers and sisters in Haiti and elsewhere in the world have to fight for every crust of bread.
Can you really have dreams for tomorrow when every day seem the same as the one before?
So for these children I say, as the song does, "Happy Christmas.... war is over now".
God bless America, families, and water you don't have to boil.
We know now, from one of the older children, that the kids (at least at our orphanage) were told that "Santa doesn't like Haitians". That's how they explained why there was never a Christmas to the older children. These children never left the orphanage themselves but they are SMART kids and I'm sure picked up from the conversations of the adults that it was Christmas outside that concrete wall that blocked them from the rest of the world. I'm sure they asked what this "Christmas" was and what it meant for them. And, just as adults here in America use the story of Santa to add mystery and magic to the season, the adults in Haiti use the story of Santa to explain why there is no magic and mystery for them or their children. These kids were essentially told that because of who they were, things could never be wonderful or magical for them.
I know, I know - it's a horrible thing to say to a child, but at the same time, I don't know how one explains to a child why everything in their life was difficult. I'm also sure that many, many times they feel that God, Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the government, and their own parents hate them. I don't know how else you reconcile the extreme "have nots" in daily life when you're dealing with THAT level of poverty.
Since our first trip to Haiti nearly 3 years ago I've wondered many times exactly how it is that I was born in America and have anything, can be anything, can buy anything, can dream and do anything I want while my brothers and sisters in Haiti and elsewhere in the world have to fight for every crust of bread.
Can you really have dreams for tomorrow when every day seem the same as the one before?
So for these children I say, as the song does, "Happy Christmas.... war is over now".
God bless America, families, and water you don't have to boil.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Because Anything that Will Keep This From Happening Is Worth It...
I promise, I'm not a media whore.
We interviewed tonight with the Deseret News (thanks, Elizabeth!) for an article running on Friday.
We've also had reporters and cameramen from Fox 13 and KSL come by an interview us in the last week for pieces they're doing on Haiti or international adoption that will air in May or June.
I promise, we're not actively seeking this out. We try to keep low key about the events. I mean, I didn't even do a blog post a couple weeks ago when some people from that Oprah lady's show called us. We obviously, didn't do her show - yet but it may be a possibility. (They were trying to gather some information for a piece they were considering doing on Haitian adoptions so they talked to us and to Chareyl. We'll see.)
I know some of the other families that have recently brought children home are hesitant to do interviews and I totally get that. If Nathan was older or could talk, we'd feel differently as well.
I'm sure the neighbors (who don't know us that well but have seen cars emblazoned with the logos of the local stations in our driveway) are starting to wonder if we're running a meth house or something. It's generally not a good thing when the news are always around, right?
I feel like we have an obligation to keep Haiti on the minds of the people around us. We do have the nonprofit that we have to keep on people's minds, so we bring that up (even if they want to talk about international adoption, they end up hearing about Hope) :)
Even if it freaks out the neighbors - even if people get sick of hearing from the Rosenlofs - I feel like we have an obligation to keep Haiti and her people on the minds of those around us.
Because anything - ANYTHING - that could possibly keep this from happening:
is worth it to us!!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Hand-Me-Overs
Nathan received a package in the mail this week.
It was from Changlais, a little boy from his orphanage that now lives in North Carolina. Turns out that Changlais's parents bought some shoes for him before he came home. When he got home, the shoes were too small.
They've obviously purchased shoes that fit him now, but Changlais kept trying to put the small pair on.
I think when you haven't had anything to call your own, ever in your life, it's hard to part with things that are yours, even if they never fit.
Changlais' Mama finally convinced him that the shoes were just too small and would never fit. Changlais said that he wanted to give them to John Peter then (remember, that's Nathan's Hatiain name). Melissa said she asked him if he loved John Peter and he said, "Oui!" (or "Wi" as they spell it in Kreyol)
Thank you, Changlais, for sharing what you have and setting a good example.
We wanted to share some pictures of Nathan in your shoes. Your Papa was right and they are big on him, but he LOVED them and we'll hang on to them.
It's not every day you get gifts from old friends.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Hope from Haiti
By Heidi Toth
Pictures by Patrick Smith
Published in the Daily Herald, March 7th, 2010
When Brent Rosenlof comes home at night, Nathan's face lights up. The toddler greets Papa with a hug and a "bijou," then gets thrown up and down and around until his giggling is the loudest noise in the house.
Brent Rosenlof shows affection for their newly adopted Haitian son, Nathan, at their home in Lehi
"Watch his head," Lori Rosenlof tells her husband. "I say that all the time. Watch his head. Watch his head."
Brent did watch Nathan's head. In fact, watching Nathan is fast becoming an Olympic sport at the Rosenlofs' Lehi house, as the couple who have been trying to adopt for nine years finally brought home this Haitian toddler. Getting him here required mountains moving and a pilot refusing to move until his plane was filled with children.
Shortly after the Jan. 12 earthquake, Brent and Lori, along with their friends Tia Simpson and David and Candice Aitken, had not known if their adoptive children were alive and where they were. The good news that all of their children were found safely launched Team Hope, an effort to get 68 children waiting to be adopted out of Haiti and to their families. Lori and Brent paused their normal lives so Brent could go to Haiti and Lori could collect, copy and send hundreds of forms to the U.S. and Haitian governments so dozens of children could leave the country, then take a red-eye flight with other parents from Salt Lake City to Miami.
Tia has gone from bachelorette to mother of 2-year-old Collin, whose French name was Olivier, and Lori and Brent are celebrating Nathan's homecoming while still working and praying for 3-year-old Jessica, whose birth father came to the Haitian orphanage in December and took her away. The Aitkens, who adopted three children, declined to be interviewed for this article.
It has been, for all parties, quite a transition.
"The guys at work are giving me a hard time that I won't think the car seat's so cool in a little while," Lori said.
Surprise! You're a mom
"You fit pretty good right there," Tia tells Collin as he settles into her lap.
Tia Simpson shares affection with Collin, her newly adopted 22-month-old son from Haiti, at her Lehi home, Wednesday, Feb.17, 2010. Simpson is one of small number of families in Utah County that have recently adopted children from Haiti following the tragic earthquake
He's managed to fit pretty good into every aspect of her life, which, even a year ago, she would never have expected. Tia is 33 and single; she works full time, and she never imagined having a Haitian toddler in her life.
In fact, she had her guard up in June when she went to Haiti with Brent and Lori to meet their children and see the country. Little Collin came to the hotel with the orphanage director, and he was not feeling well. The director asked Tia to watch him for a little while. Collin nestled into her arms, laid his head on her chest and fell asleep.
Tia reckons she was set up; Lori said her friend had checked Collin out online before going and willingly walked into any trap she may have laid.
TIA'S BLOG: "I got to spend the next four days playing Ollie's 'mom.' It's an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life. I had no idea I could fall in love so completely, so quickly. I miss his big brown eyes. They seemed to look right through me. ... I miss you Ollie."
A few weeks later she decided to adopt him. She second-guessed herself, especially since the LDS Church, of which she is an active member, focuses heavily on two-parent households. She visited with a local stake president about her concerns.
He told her it was a great idea, since life with one parent was far better than life with no parents. Still uncertain, she spent time in prayer and at an LDS temple and debated, sure a mother and a father would see just how adorable Collin was and want to adopt him.
That debate lasted a couple of weeks, and she started the paperwork in July. The process normally takes years, but was sped up because of the earthquake.
She was surprisingly grateful to not be married; the paperwork is more complicated when two people have to undergo medical and psychological evaluations, and the Haitian government requires that a couple be married 10 years before adopting.
A monthly parent update banished all doubts. In October, Tia found herself with a picture of a swollen, shaven, miserable little boy; Collin had an allergic reaction to some medicine just before the update. He was fine now, the director assured Tia.
"I'll tell you if he's OK," Collin's mother wanted to say, impatient that she couldn't see him for another two weeks. "He needs his mom, and I'm not there."
There followed two months of frustration with the Haitian government and the long-distance celebration of Collin's official 2-year birthday -- also Christmas Day -- then a terrifying two weeks after the earthquake. First, Tia heard that Collin was safe. Then she heard the orphanage staff weren't sure where he was. Then, he was found again, at an LDS chapel in Petionville, but they were running out of food and water.
TIA'S BLOG: "I don't know if Collin is OK."
Lori's assignment on the ground included getting money and supplies to Haiti. She coordinated through their charity, Hope for the Little Angels of Haiti, to send money through a Utah doctor going to Haiti, as well as raising money for gasoline and being the point of contact for the adoption agency and dozens of equally anxious parents. She alternated between frenetically running around trying to get all the necessary paperwork, which seemed to change by the hour, updating families on what was happening and worrying about her children. Jessica had left the orphanage and could be anywhere. They were too young to understand what was happening, and the aftershocks just kept coming, and they were scared.
As the days went by, she took comfort in knowing her husband was with Nathan and was looking for Jessica. Jessica's mother had taken the girl to the orphanage years before because she knew her daughter could have a better life with someone else. Miss Jess, as Lori calls her, is part of their family. When she asks for Dad, she's thinking of Brent.
LORI'S BLOG: "I wonder, in all this mess, if Jessica's father will find us again. If he'll bring her back and if we'll be able to have her in our family the way it has always felt like we should. ... I wonder where my Nathan is. ... I wish I was there to hold you, Little Man."
Brent got to Haiti about 10 days after the earthquake. They knew when he went down that
Nathan was safe, but not much else. Besides driving throughout Port-au-Prince looking for Jessica, he also went in search of Nathan. His son, however, unexpectedly came to him in the back of a pickup truck full of other orphans.
"I get around the back side of the truck and ... " Brent's eyes got big and his jaw dropped, imitating the surprise he felt when he unexpectedly came face to face with his son. "'Hey, that's Nathan!' And once that happened, he kind of got all the attention."
Brent and Nathan stayed close until about a day after Lori showed up in Miami. Then she went back to being the favorite parent.
"I'm a second-class citizen," Brent complained after playing with Nathan almost nonstop for several minutes, plus changing his diaper and changing him into pajamas, then immediately getting dropped in favor of Lori.
Lori Rosenlof shares a moment with her newly adopted Haitian son, Nathan, at their home in Leh
"Daddies are for playing, and mamas are for snuggling," the favorite parent said, holding her son close and kissing his head while he willingly settled into her lap.
Life as an only child -- almost
Collin is all boy. He likes loud toys with moving parts, kicking a soccer ball and jumping on the bed. He resisted cleaning up, even though part of his playing involved pouring toys out and then putting them back. Once he did start cleaning, he was easily distracted by the toys he was supposed to be putting away.
Tia Simpson teaches her son Collin English words at her Lehi home
He was still warming up to the dog. Tucker followed Tia around, sometimes surprising Collin, who did not like that. He would pet Tucker once, then look around for approval before petting him again, just once and quickly. He did not like Tucker to get too close, which Tucker only did when he tried to get close to Tia.
Lori Rosenlof wishes Nathan liked the dogs a little less than he does. He chases Divot, a Jack Russell terrier and Bobby Jones, a whippet, around the house regularly. They share food and toys. That part is OK.
"Oh, that's so gross," Lori said, cringing as Divot licked Nathan's wide-open mouth.
Lori Rosenlof newly adopted Haitian son, Nathan, shares a kiss with the family dog, Divot, at their home in Lehi, Thursday, Feb.18, 2010. Dogs are known to run rampant in Haiti, but Nathan frequently shares his affection with the family dogs
Nathan pouts on the shoulder of his mother, Lori Rosenlof, after she told him he is no longer allowed to kiss the family dogs
Nathan has a little too much female influence in his life to make his father happy; Brent is concerned that since so many of Nathan's cousins are female, family reunions are going to include nail polish and Barbies.
He does have a yellow Tonka truck that he loves pushing around the floor; the problem is in the cargo. He latched onto a necklace of Lori's and alternates between wearing it, much to Brent's chagrin, and towing it around in his truck.
"We've gotta get something more manly," Papa said, shaking his head.
He does like playing ball with Mama, Papa, Grandma and Grandpa, and judging by the laughter, his favorite game is getting tossed around and playfully manhandled by his father. He is a bit of a mama's boy, but that doesn't mean he and his dad haven't had their moments. Brent remembers a trip to Haiti when Nathan was about five months old. They spent an afternoon sitting on the bed watching a Seattle Seahawks game. Nathan sat between Brent's legs, leaning back, arms slung over Brent's legs.
A status update from Brent's Facebook page: "How cool is it that I just got to watch the superbowl with my SON!"
There's camping, Boy Scouts, playing football and going to see the Harlem Globetrotters. Brent has plans for father-son outings and sharing his passions with the toddler who's been in his life for two years and in his home for a few weeks.
Not that Lori isn't looking forward to a few perks.
"Just being a family," she said. "Nothing against my dear spouse, but it just gets kind of boring, just the two of us."
The picture-perfect family dinners Lori imagined have yet to materialize; they have to feed Nathan first because he feels like he has to eat food that's in front of him. He can clean his plate twice before he's done, and he won't say no to a package of fruit snacks before going to bed. He is good at sharing the fruit snacks with Mama and Papa, though.
At dinner, though, they leave him alone and he eats.
"I think that's a little bit much right there, baby," Lori said, watching Nathan shove a huge spoonful of food into his mouth.
Nathan Rosenlof finishes his dinner with a long drink in Lehi, Thursday, Feb.18, 2010.
Nathan is going accustom to eating American food since being adopted from Haiti.
His favorite food is meat, which so far agrees with him. Lori said his color has gotten better and his hair has grown much more quickly since he's been home getting regular meals. Nathan also is changing. His parents see more of his personality now that they're with him constantly and he's used to their home and the family. He's a funny child who can, his mother said ruefully, throw a temper tantrum in two languages.
"He started making faces at me to try to make me laugh, and then he started laughing at how funny he was, and he's never done that before in the two and a half years we've known him," Lori said.
Haitian or American, some parts of being 2 just don't change. Collin played happily and quietly for hours until Tia brought him inside so he could eat and take a nap. He then sat down, leaned against the wall and wailed while Tia took off his coat and heated up spaghetti for lunch. The crying continued unabated until his mother reappeared in his line of vision. His arms reached entreatingly toward her, silent tears still running down his face.
Tia Simpson feeds her newly adopted 22-month-old son, Collin, from at her Lehi home, Wednesday, Feb.17, 2010.
Collin is learning how to take care of himself since being adopted from Haiti.
"Are you all done now?" she asked, collecting him in her arms. The two cuddled for a moment, she said, "I'm sorry, Mommy," and prompted him to repeat it. All was forgiven.
Until naptime, that is, when the tears come back at full volume. Collin didn't try to climb out of his bed, but he didn't succumb to sleep without a fight. At first Tia sat across the room where he can see her, but then she moved over to the bed. Tucker was asleep in the corner of the room.
The sobs slowly quieted into whimpering, and Collin's breathing became slower as Tia kneeled next to his bed, holding his hand, looking down at him.
"It's OK. Mommy's right here," she whispered.
Becoming mom and dad
It's been quite the journey for Tia. Her shopping now revolves around Collin's needs, her house is filled with toys, and her schedule rests entirely on his. Gone is the lead foot. In the place of her simpler life is a toddler who giggles frequently and loves to play.
"I love it when he smiles and when he reaches for me and I know that he's looking for Mom," she said.
Tia Simpson watches every move of her new son Collin at her Lehi home, Wednesday, Feb.17, 2010.
Simpson is single and never had any children of her own, so all her time is now spent feeding, and caring for her newly adopted son
She still, though, describes herself as terrified. She's worried that she lets him cry for too long or should be feeding him more fruits and vegetables. She's afraid that she won't be able to teach him what he needs to know, or that he'll have a hard time growing up as the only black child on the street. Simply put, she believes taking Collin out of Haiti will give him the chance to make something of his life. Tia wants him to use his life to help other people, his people.
"Haiti needs a lot of rebuilding, and I'd like for him to be a part of it, for us to be a part of it," she said.
TIA'S BLOG: "I used to secretly giggle when people would say that they love to watch their children sleep. Now I completely get it. Laundry can wait, and the bathrooms? Well, I wasn't really cleaning those before ... :)"
Meanwhile, she is taking notes, keeping journals, blogging and saving newspaper clippings so one day, when Collin is old enough, she can tell him about his journey.
"I just think I'll tell him that he was part of a miracle -- several miracles," Tia said.
Lori and Brent had been looking forward to having children in their house for years. The Rosenlofs have known Nathan and Jessica for more than two years and have made half a dozen visits in that time. Before Nathan arrived, his room was decorated, and toys filled the bins in the play room. He is named after Brent's best friend. He's called them Mama and Papa for months.
That doesn't change how those words sound in their own home as Mama and Papa change diapers, make dinner, play peek-a-boo and actually get to be full-time parents.
"It probably actually means something now," Lori's father, Art Olson, said.
LORI'S BLOG: "When they make a movie about this, Brent will be played by Angelina Jolie who will adopt all the children herself. Lori will be played by Will Smith, complete with the catchphrase he uses in every movie: 'Aw HELL no!'"
Jessica is a daddy's girl. They have video of Brent and Jessica playing and singing together, and her picture is the wallpaper on his cell phone. They do not know yet if Jessica will ever make it to Utah; right now they're praying that her father is taking care of her, that she knows they love her and that her life is good. They have to have faith that this will work out right, Lori said.
"I don't think the story's over yet," Brent said. "I hope the story's not over yet."
It is what it is
Tia's house is filled with sayings about family, faith and life. Her kitchen has a sign that reads, "A happy home is but an early heaven." The entertainment center has plaques that say, "It will be OK in the end. If it's not OK, it's not the end," and "Family, our most precious gift from God."
The living room walls proclaim, "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away," and "Blessed is the life that enjoys the journey."
Two Haitian masks decorate the living room, as do family pictures, including one of Tia and Tucker, a few of Tia's parents and siblings and many, many pictures of a smiling Collin, some with his proud mother, some playing in Haiti, one with his birth mother, who two years ago left him at the orphanage.
One picture is new.
Tia's mother gave it to her when she found out Collin and the rest of the children had gotten humanitarian parole. The artwork, titled "Worth of a Soul" by Liz Lemon Swindle, is of Jesus Christ holding a little black boy. As the bracelet that Tia wears on her right wrist says, "It is what it is."
The adoptive journey is far from over; technically the parents are their children's sponsors, and they have no idea how to get the needed paperwork to legally adopt him. And there's Jessica.
Still.
"Brent's waited a lot of time to throw around his own kid instead of somebody else's," Lori said.
"The best non-soap opera-y part of my life?" Lori wrote on her blog on Feb. 5, about a week after Nathan came home. "That every day now, when I wake up ... I'm still a mom. And he's still snuggled in right beside me in bed. And if I roll too far away, even in his sleep he'll reach out his hand to make sure he can find me.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
IMPORTANT: Haiti Call to Action
Wonder how you can help?? This is how!
We got the below info from JCICS today. Please move on this immediately for our kids and those still waiting in Haiti!
January 19, 2010 3:15 p.m. est
UPDATE: Haiti
It as come that time that we request are dear friends and family help us ensure the safety of children in Haiti. Please read the message below and contact your Senators and Representative.
To find your senators go to, www.senate.gov
To find your representative go to, www.house.gov
Suggested Talking Points
Hello, my name is…
I am in the process of adopting a child from Haiti…
OR
My…
OR
I am concerned about the orphan children of Hati...
I know that many Members of Congress continue to support efforts on behalf of Haiti’s orphaned children. I extend my thanks to the Congressman/Senator.
I am calling because…
* We need your help to get our adoptive child out of Haiti safely.
* Water, food and medicine are running out.
* Gangs have looted some of the orphanages and even travel is not safe for the children.
* The Department of Homeland security has granted humanitarian parole, but it is only the first step.
* The devastation from the earthquake is vast and our child’s safety - and even life - is at risk.
Joint Council on International Children’s Services, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, and a team of congressional offices and relief organizations are working to coordinate a staging and housing center to provide:
* Physical safety
* Medicine
* Food
* Water
* A Staging Center for USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) to process humanitarian parole
The groups working to launch the staging and housing center already have most of what the children need.
But they do not have
* Water
* Security to protect the children and supplies from gangs
* Transportation to bring the children into this safe haven
We are asking that (name of Member of Congress) personally call:
* Secretary of State Clinton, and
* Dr. Shah, Administrator Designate at USAID
And specifically request that they authorize security forces be sent to the offered staging center and assist in the extraction and transport of these children from their orphanages to the staging center. All other pieces of a successful operation of this staging center are currently in place, but all hinge on this authorization of security and transport.
If this security does not reach the site within 24 hours, children being adopted and many other children will continue to suffer and may in fact not live long enough to be united with my family and the other 300 U.S. families.
We got the below info from JCICS today. Please move on this immediately for our kids and those still waiting in Haiti!
January 19, 2010 3:15 p.m. est
UPDATE: Haiti
It as come that time that we request are dear friends and family help us ensure the safety of children in Haiti. Please read the message below and contact your Senators and Representative.
To find your senators go to, www.senate.gov
To find your representative go to, www.house.gov
Suggested Talking Points
Hello, my name is…
I am in the process of adopting a child from Haiti…
OR
My
OR
I am concerned about the orphan children of Hati...
I know that many Members of Congress continue to support efforts on behalf of Haiti’s orphaned children. I extend my thanks to the Congressman/Senator.
I am calling because…
* We need your help to get our adoptive child out of Haiti safely.
* Water, food and medicine are running out.
* Gangs have looted some of the orphanages and even travel is not safe for the children.
* The Department of Homeland security has granted humanitarian parole, but it is only the first step.
* The devastation from the earthquake is vast and our child’s safety - and even life - is at risk.
Joint Council on International Children’s Services, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, and a team of congressional offices and relief organizations are working to coordinate a staging and housing center to provide:
* Physical safety
* Medicine
* Food
* Water
* A Staging Center for USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) to process humanitarian parole
The groups working to launch the staging and housing center already have most of what the children need.
But they do not have
* Water
* Security to protect the children and supplies from gangs
* Transportation to bring the children into this safe haven
We are asking that (name of Member of Congress) personally call:
* Secretary of State Clinton, and
* Dr. Shah, Administrator Designate at USAID
And specifically request that they authorize security forces be sent to the offered staging center and assist in the extraction and transport of these children from their orphanages to the staging center. All other pieces of a successful operation of this staging center are currently in place, but all hinge on this authorization of security and transport.
If this security does not reach the site within 24 hours, children being adopted and many other children will continue to suffer and may in fact not live long enough to be united with my family and the other 300 U.S. families.
Today We Heard Those 3 Little Words: "Got Humanitarian Parole"
The last email we received from our adoption coordinator looked a little like this:
Our thanks to the people of JCICS, the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security who have worked out the details to make this possible.
What this means:
It means that they're working with adoption agencies to get as much proof as possible of which parents were matched with which children in Haiti. (This means you really need to go register your adoption if you haven't - see jcics.com/haiti.htm for details or message me and I can forward more information to you.)
It means that if we can prove that our adoptions meet the criteria (which are very reasonable considering all the circumstances) we will be able to bring our children home. They won't have automatic US citizenship like they would have if we'd finished the process the "normal" way, but they'll be home. We'll work out all the rest of the paperwork on their citizenship and to formalize their adoptions later.
NOW - we just need to find them.
We did receive word that several of the children that were unaccounted for have been found. Connections are so spotty and communication so rare that it's hard to get much information.
For now, please keep praying for Collin, Vania, Abi, Joey, Jordan, Nathan and Jessica to be found. Pray for them to be brought to the Petionville LDS Chapel (which has become a makeshift safe haven). Pray that the doctor we sent the funds down with will make it to them soon. He has run into all sorts of problems trying to get there. The last word we got was that they were going to fly into the Dominican Republic and DRIVE to PAP. That's a LONG trip without a catastrophic earthquake. Pray that their way is sped and they are able to get to the people who need their skills and who need the funds we've sent with him.
Pray they're able to find Jessica - that her birth father is able to find Harry in this disaster. We had received word that he wanted to bring her back - that they were working that out with him before this hit. Please pray for angels to guide that process.
Pray, continually, for the men and women from so many countries, who are risking their own lives to be there on the ground lifting those who cannot lift themselves. Pray they can find those who are still living. Pray the supplies reach the people who need them most. Pray that those giving aid - in all the many ways they are serving - are sustained and given the strength they need to keep working.
Pray the world does not forget next week when "compassion fatigue" sets in. Pray that our sister, Haiti, stays on our minds.
WE HAVE HUMANITARIAN PAROLE, IT IS OFFICIAL!!
We are bringing the kids home!!
Our thanks to the people of JCICS, the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security who have worked out the details to make this possible.
What this means:
It means that they're working with adoption agencies to get as much proof as possible of which parents were matched with which children in Haiti. (This means you really need to go register your adoption if you haven't - see jcics.com/haiti.htm for details or message me and I can forward more information to you.)
It means that if we can prove that our adoptions meet the criteria (which are very reasonable considering all the circumstances) we will be able to bring our children home. They won't have automatic US citizenship like they would have if we'd finished the process the "normal" way, but they'll be home. We'll work out all the rest of the paperwork on their citizenship and to formalize their adoptions later.
NOW - we just need to find them.
We did receive word that several of the children that were unaccounted for have been found. Connections are so spotty and communication so rare that it's hard to get much information.
For now, please keep praying for Collin, Vania, Abi, Joey, Jordan, Nathan and Jessica to be found. Pray for them to be brought to the Petionville LDS Chapel (which has become a makeshift safe haven). Pray that the doctor we sent the funds down with will make it to them soon. He has run into all sorts of problems trying to get there. The last word we got was that they were going to fly into the Dominican Republic and DRIVE to PAP. That's a LONG trip without a catastrophic earthquake. Pray that their way is sped and they are able to get to the people who need their skills and who need the funds we've sent with him.
Pray they're able to find Jessica - that her birth father is able to find Harry in this disaster. We had received word that he wanted to bring her back - that they were working that out with him before this hit. Please pray for angels to guide that process.
Pray, continually, for the men and women from so many countries, who are risking their own lives to be there on the ground lifting those who cannot lift themselves. Pray they can find those who are still living. Pray the supplies reach the people who need them most. Pray that those giving aid - in all the many ways they are serving - are sustained and given the strength they need to keep working.
Pray the world does not forget next week when "compassion fatigue" sets in. Pray that our sister, Haiti, stays on our minds.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Because Running Around Like a Decapitated Fowl Never Helps Anything...
As communications are improving because the cell networks are coming back online, we are receiving more information about our friends in Haiti.
This morning, we received this word
Dear Hope Families,
I just received word from Harry early this morning on the children. Again the messages are incomplete and very short. But apparently all the children are not together. Harry has not been able to reach Abel so we don’t know if some of the children are with him, but he gave me a list of the children that are not with Nadia. Again, I am assuming the rest of the children ARE with her. He is going to try and reach Nadia today and get all the children with her and take them to the church where he can care for them. He will also try and locate the rest of the children. I know this will be hard to read if your child is on the list below, but please know that we don’t have all the information yet. However hard I want to give the information as I receive it.
As I understand it, these are the children not with Nadia:
Zambrie
Nathan
Abigaille
D'Joe
Jordan Betuel
Jean Tony
Vania
Oliver
Jessica
We need to pray hard to find these children, everyone get your friends and family to pray.
I will continue to be vigilant in getting information.
My heart is with all of you!
Chareyl
(Wasatch Adoptions)
All the children on that list are children of our American friends and family. We know them all and two of them are ours (Nathan and Jessica) and one of them is Tia's (Oliver/Collin).
What do we do when the trickles of information do not confirm what we'd been hoping for?
We pray.
This is the prime example of when we need to "Lean not unto our own understanding" but we need to "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and in all thy ways acknowledge him and He shall direct they paths".
Now is the time to avoid those mental "snowballs" where one thought leads to another thought and soon you are beside yourself with worry and grief. Now is the time to trust.
As we've prayed, many times we have felt the comfort of the Spirit telling us that our babies are going to be OK. And I mean ALL our babies at our orphanage.
In the "gospel according to Lori" (meaning, don't quote me on this), I can see how this latest information could make both the early statements we heard about the children and their location - statements that completely contradicted each other - true.
First we heard that nearly all the children had been moved to the new orphanage by the airport. Then we heard that the children where with Nadia in Carrefour. Unless you've ever tried to move a bunch of children, I don't think you can appreciate how far those 15 miles are from each other.
Perhaps the first message will turn out to be correct and we'll find that many of the children were at the new facility. Just as we've found that Nadia is alive and in Carrefour, but she's not with the children waiting to be adopted by our American families.
We have to trust. We can't be on the ground right now. They've told us that unless we speak Kreyol or are trained in medical or urban rescue we would be in the way. There is no where to sleep but the ground and nowhere to get food prepared anyway.
We trust in Harry. He is an angel among men. He is doing superhuman things to keep the many, many people going at the Petionville Chapel. We trust in Abel - that he'll make it to back to wherever our babies are and that Harry and Abel and Nadia will find a way to get us correct information.
We trust in God. And that, with prayers we really mean, is all we can do.
This morning, we received this word
Dear Hope Families,
I just received word from Harry early this morning on the children. Again the messages are incomplete and very short. But apparently all the children are not together. Harry has not been able to reach Abel so we don’t know if some of the children are with him, but he gave me a list of the children that are not with Nadia. Again, I am assuming the rest of the children ARE with her. He is going to try and reach Nadia today and get all the children with her and take them to the church where he can care for them. He will also try and locate the rest of the children. I know this will be hard to read if your child is on the list below, but please know that we don’t have all the information yet. However hard I want to give the information as I receive it.
As I understand it, these are the children not with Nadia:
Zambrie
Nathan
Abigaille
D'Joe
Jordan Betuel
Jean Tony
Vania
Oliver
Jessica
We need to pray hard to find these children, everyone get your friends and family to pray.
I will continue to be vigilant in getting information.
My heart is with all of you!
Chareyl
(Wasatch Adoptions)
All the children on that list are children of our American friends and family. We know them all and two of them are ours (Nathan and Jessica) and one of them is Tia's (Oliver/Collin).
What do we do when the trickles of information do not confirm what we'd been hoping for?
We pray.
This is the prime example of when we need to "Lean not unto our own understanding" but we need to "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and in all thy ways acknowledge him and He shall direct they paths".
Now is the time to avoid those mental "snowballs" where one thought leads to another thought and soon you are beside yourself with worry and grief. Now is the time to trust.
As we've prayed, many times we have felt the comfort of the Spirit telling us that our babies are going to be OK. And I mean ALL our babies at our orphanage.
In the "gospel according to Lori" (meaning, don't quote me on this), I can see how this latest information could make both the early statements we heard about the children and their location - statements that completely contradicted each other - true.
First we heard that nearly all the children had been moved to the new orphanage by the airport. Then we heard that the children where with Nadia in Carrefour. Unless you've ever tried to move a bunch of children, I don't think you can appreciate how far those 15 miles are from each other.
Perhaps the first message will turn out to be correct and we'll find that many of the children were at the new facility. Just as we've found that Nadia is alive and in Carrefour, but she's not with the children waiting to be adopted by our American families.
We have to trust. We can't be on the ground right now. They've told us that unless we speak Kreyol or are trained in medical or urban rescue we would be in the way. There is no where to sleep but the ground and nowhere to get food prepared anyway.
We trust in Harry. He is an angel among men. He is doing superhuman things to keep the many, many people going at the Petionville Chapel. We trust in Abel - that he'll make it to back to wherever our babies are and that Harry and Abel and Nadia will find a way to get us correct information.
We trust in God. And that, with prayers we really mean, is all we can do.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
What can I do to help?
This is a very common question we hear spoken and I am sure it is thought much more frequently than expressed.
We have a few ideas!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
If Halloween Were Tomorrow, I'd Want to Be Anderson Cooper...
Or Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
They "get" that the secret is not just in the telling... it's in the doing as well.
So do the members of the LA Fire Department who have fearlessly and tirelessly been working in the rubble to free people. And that rescue team from Iceland... I love them.
The soliders. The urban rescue workers. They "get" it.
So do the doctors and nurses who have flown to Haiti on a moment's notice and are working around the clock in unbelievable conditions.
We seriously need prayers. The kind you mean. Not the kind you tell to someone's face when you hear that something difficult has happened to them and you say, "We'll keep you in our thoughts and prayers."
We need knee-bending, heart-changing prayers.
Please, pray for whatever miracles it's going to take to get the ports and the single-strip airport operating to full capacity. Pray for safety for all the relief workers. Pray for strength and angels to lift up those who are trapped. Pray that the dogs will be able to find what they need to find to lead people where they need to be led to save lives. People's lives.
Pray that someone will find the kids from our O and get them supplies and the funds we've sent down before terrible things happen to these babies because they're exposed in this 91 degree weather without water. Pray that God leads people to Avrie and Jessica and Wyclef. Pray that roads can be cleared and food and water and medical supplies delivered to those who need them.
THESE are the people the Lord meant when He talked about doing "Unto the least of these..." It doesn't get any more "least" than orphans in devastated Haiti. It doesn't get any easier to help than to Pray.
And mean it.
They "get" that the secret is not just in the telling... it's in the doing as well.
So do the members of the LA Fire Department who have fearlessly and tirelessly been working in the rubble to free people. And that rescue team from Iceland... I love them.
The soliders. The urban rescue workers. They "get" it.
So do the doctors and nurses who have flown to Haiti on a moment's notice and are working around the clock in unbelievable conditions.
We seriously need prayers. The kind you mean. Not the kind you tell to someone's face when you hear that something difficult has happened to them and you say, "We'll keep you in our thoughts and prayers."
We need knee-bending, heart-changing prayers.
Please, pray for whatever miracles it's going to take to get the ports and the single-strip airport operating to full capacity. Pray for safety for all the relief workers. Pray for strength and angels to lift up those who are trapped. Pray that the dogs will be able to find what they need to find to lead people where they need to be led to save lives. People's lives.
Pray that someone will find the kids from our O and get them supplies and the funds we've sent down before terrible things happen to these babies because they're exposed in this 91 degree weather without water. Pray that God leads people to Avrie and Jessica and Wyclef. Pray that roads can be cleared and food and water and medical supplies delivered to those who need them.
THESE are the people the Lord meant when He talked about doing "Unto the least of these..." It doesn't get any more "least" than orphans in devastated Haiti. It doesn't get any easier to help than to Pray.
And mean it.
Thank You to Loralee for Posting about Us and the O
http://loraleeslooneytunes.com/2010/01/16/putting-a-face-on-the-tragedy-in-haiti-please-help-any-way-you-can/
Copied from Loralee's blog. Loralee is mostly famous. As her brother, and my dear friend, Rhett said, "She's even been invited to the White House to oogle Michelle Obama's fabulous arms."
This is her post, calling for all her blog readers to find a way to help the situation in Haiti.
Putting a face on the tragedy in Haiti. Please help ANY way you can.
January 16, 2010
Imagine if your children were a half a world away without you.
That would be horrible, wouldn’t it?
Now imagine if you learned that a devastating earthquake hit the country and the epicenter was right next to the orphanage where your much loved and wanted babies lived. What if you didn’t know if they were hurt or even alive? What if you knew that if they made it through the earth quake they would have no food. No shelter. No water. No clothing, blankets, medical supplies?
There is NOTHING worse then the desperate feeling you get as a parent on behalf of your children that are in need and if your hands are tied and you are unable to physically get to your babies to protect and shield them the feeling is devastating. Nobody knows that feeling right now more then our family friends, Lori and Brent Rosenlof.
They have been trying to adopt two precious little ones from Haiti.
Meet Jessica and Nathan:
Lori and Brent have been trying to get Nathan and Jessica home with them for a long time. They may not have the papers yet but these two are every inch their children in every way that matters. Adopting from Haiti is a very long and complicated process full of red tape and a lot of frustration and heart ache. With the recent tragedy there it is now full of more red tape and more heartbreak then any human should have to experience.
Things are CRITICAL in that country…especially for Lori and Brett’s little children and the orphanage they live in.
I am helping them try to spread the word in hopes that people looking for a more specific cause to donate to Haiti will PLEASE consider helping the orphanage my friends are adopting from. Their situation is CRITICAL.
Information has been difficult to get but this is what they know so far in an email that I received from Lori. I will quote her so that it comes straight from the horse’s mouth:
“We have heard mixed reports about where our children are and their status (I really mean “safety” but that word tears at my heart too much). We believe that they are literally living the street in Carrefour (earthquake epicenter) with Nadia (orphanage director) right now. They have no supplies at the moment. People can’t live long without water, particularly in 91 degree temps (in the shade).
We have found someone flying to Haiti tomorrow (please literally pray the FAA lets their flight leave – it’s already been delayed a day) and they are taking cash from the HLAH nonprofit to give to the people on the ground there and they are going to help us get money to Nadia. We have heard that there are supplies available “for a price” and that the costs are astronomical.
We believe the orphanage itself was leveled.
Our daughter, Jessica, we know was not at the orphanage and we’re praying that they can find her and 2 other children that were also known to be at other locations when the quake hit. Our son, Nathan should be wherever the other children are.
100% of ALL funds go directly to the children. The people that run the non profit organization all volunteer so there aren’t any administrative costs. We are sending money now (and obviously in the coming weeks) for supplies, but then we’re going to have to rebuild.”
I normally do not rally for donations, I know that there are scummy people scamming those online, but this is different. I can vouch for these people absolutely and I am just sick, sick, SICK with worry for these little children. I am worried for EVERYONE in Haiti but it is even harder when you have knowledge of a specific individual’s pain.
The plight of these little ones keeps me up at night and I worry for them so.
SO…I am asking you to help in any way you can. Donate, comment, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE spread the word on your blogs, Twitter, Facebook, ANYTHING.
PLEASE.
Here is all the information that you need. The orphanage is called HOPE FOR LITTLE ANGELS OF HAITI. They have a Facebook page and a cause page as well. There is a Facebook Causes Button on our FB Cause page. And most importantly, there is a Paypal DONATE button on the Rosenlof’s blog for supplies for the orphanage.
And if you can do nothing else, please go over and leave a comment of support on their blog and say a prayer for the safety of their children.
You are amazing and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for ANYTHING you can do.
Copied from Loralee's blog. Loralee is mostly famous. As her brother, and my dear friend, Rhett said, "She's even been invited to the White House to oogle Michelle Obama's fabulous arms."
This is her post, calling for all her blog readers to find a way to help the situation in Haiti.
Putting a face on the tragedy in Haiti. Please help ANY way you can.
January 16, 2010
Imagine if your children were a half a world away without you.
That would be horrible, wouldn’t it?
Now imagine if you learned that a devastating earthquake hit the country and the epicenter was right next to the orphanage where your much loved and wanted babies lived. What if you didn’t know if they were hurt or even alive? What if you knew that if they made it through the earth quake they would have no food. No shelter. No water. No clothing, blankets, medical supplies?
There is NOTHING worse then the desperate feeling you get as a parent on behalf of your children that are in need and if your hands are tied and you are unable to physically get to your babies to protect and shield them the feeling is devastating. Nobody knows that feeling right now more then our family friends, Lori and Brent Rosenlof.
They have been trying to adopt two precious little ones from Haiti.
Meet Jessica and Nathan:
Lori and Brent have been trying to get Nathan and Jessica home with them for a long time. They may not have the papers yet but these two are every inch their children in every way that matters. Adopting from Haiti is a very long and complicated process full of red tape and a lot of frustration and heart ache. With the recent tragedy there it is now full of more red tape and more heartbreak then any human should have to experience.
Things are CRITICAL in that country…especially for Lori and Brett’s little children and the orphanage they live in.
I am helping them try to spread the word in hopes that people looking for a more specific cause to donate to Haiti will PLEASE consider helping the orphanage my friends are adopting from. Their situation is CRITICAL.
Information has been difficult to get but this is what they know so far in an email that I received from Lori. I will quote her so that it comes straight from the horse’s mouth:
“We have heard mixed reports about where our children are and their status (I really mean “safety” but that word tears at my heart too much). We believe that they are literally living the street in Carrefour (earthquake epicenter) with Nadia (orphanage director) right now. They have no supplies at the moment. People can’t live long without water, particularly in 91 degree temps (in the shade).
We have found someone flying to Haiti tomorrow (please literally pray the FAA lets their flight leave – it’s already been delayed a day) and they are taking cash from the HLAH nonprofit to give to the people on the ground there and they are going to help us get money to Nadia. We have heard that there are supplies available “for a price” and that the costs are astronomical.
We believe the orphanage itself was leveled.
Our daughter, Jessica, we know was not at the orphanage and we’re praying that they can find her and 2 other children that were also known to be at other locations when the quake hit. Our son, Nathan should be wherever the other children are.
100% of ALL funds go directly to the children. The people that run the non profit organization all volunteer so there aren’t any administrative costs. We are sending money now (and obviously in the coming weeks) for supplies, but then we’re going to have to rebuild.”
I normally do not rally for donations, I know that there are scummy people scamming those online, but this is different. I can vouch for these people absolutely and I am just sick, sick, SICK with worry for these little children. I am worried for EVERYONE in Haiti but it is even harder when you have knowledge of a specific individual’s pain.
The plight of these little ones keeps me up at night and I worry for them so.
SO…I am asking you to help in any way you can. Donate, comment, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE spread the word on your blogs, Twitter, Facebook, ANYTHING.
PLEASE.
Here is all the information that you need. The orphanage is called HOPE FOR LITTLE ANGELS OF HAITI. They have a Facebook page and a cause page as well. There is a Facebook Causes Button on our FB Cause page. And most importantly, there is a Paypal DONATE button on the Rosenlof’s blog for supplies for the orphanage.
And if you can do nothing else, please go over and leave a comment of support on their blog and say a prayer for the safety of their children.
You are amazing and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for ANYTHING you can do.
Update on Getting Funds to Haiti from HLAH and Wasatch Adoptions
Dear Hope Families,
I wanted to share some good news with you today, I believe we need it right now to boost our spirits. First let me say that things are going well with negotiations with US and Haitian governments to bring your children home. Everyone involved wants the outcome to be good and is looking out for the best interest of the children.
As you know we have confirmation that Harry is in an LDS church in PetionVille, all the children living in the orphanage (a branch of the Foyer de Sion orphanage) with him were evacuated safely. The mounting concerns now are that PetionVille is in the mountains and it has been difficult to get aid to them. Harry said that there is food to purchase and even gas for his truck, but he has no money. And because PetionVille is in the mountains it has been difficult for rescue teams to get to them. Harry says that if he could get some gas in his car he could try to find Nadia and the foster kids. He would also be able to buy food and supplies, there is some available to purchase (although the prices are astronomical) but the banks are shut down and there is no way to get money.
I am happy to tell you that we have found a way to get money to Harry! We have a friend (via Shannon Cox, haitianroots.com) who will be traveling to Haiti tomorrow with a special medical team put together by the LDS church. Dr. Jeremy Booth has agreed to take the money to Harry. He is an ER doctor, speaks fluent Creole and loves the Haitian people. They have been trying to fly out for several days but because of flight restrictions but hope to fly out tomorrow.
The Hope for the Little Angels Team is out getting a substantial amount of cash right now to send with Dr. Booth. I know this money will be critical in helping to find and feed our children. I want to tell each of you thank you, it is because of so many of you and your contributions that the Hope organization has funds to send down.
I will keep you posted, please pray that Dr. Booth is able to reach Harry with the funds!!
Your friend,
Chareyl
(Wasatch Adoptions)
I wanted to share some good news with you today, I believe we need it right now to boost our spirits. First let me say that things are going well with negotiations with US and Haitian governments to bring your children home. Everyone involved wants the outcome to be good and is looking out for the best interest of the children.
As you know we have confirmation that Harry is in an LDS church in PetionVille, all the children living in the orphanage (a branch of the Foyer de Sion orphanage) with him were evacuated safely. The mounting concerns now are that PetionVille is in the mountains and it has been difficult to get aid to them. Harry said that there is food to purchase and even gas for his truck, but he has no money. And because PetionVille is in the mountains it has been difficult for rescue teams to get to them. Harry says that if he could get some gas in his car he could try to find Nadia and the foster kids. He would also be able to buy food and supplies, there is some available to purchase (although the prices are astronomical) but the banks are shut down and there is no way to get money.
I am happy to tell you that we have found a way to get money to Harry! We have a friend (via Shannon Cox, haitianroots.com) who will be traveling to Haiti tomorrow with a special medical team put together by the LDS church. Dr. Jeremy Booth has agreed to take the money to Harry. He is an ER doctor, speaks fluent Creole and loves the Haitian people. They have been trying to fly out for several days but because of flight restrictions but hope to fly out tomorrow.
The Hope for the Little Angels Team is out getting a substantial amount of cash right now to send with Dr. Booth. I know this money will be critical in helping to find and feed our children. I want to tell each of you thank you, it is because of so many of you and your contributions that the Hope organization has funds to send down.
I will keep you posted, please pray that Dr. Booth is able to reach Harry with the funds!!
Your friend,
Chareyl
(Wasatch Adoptions)
Friday, January 15, 2010
A Prayer for the Children
(by Ina J. Hughes
We pray for the children......
…who put chocolate fingers everywhere,
…who like to be tickled,
…who stomp in puddles and ruin their new pants,
…who sneak Popsicles before supper,
…who erase holes in math workbooks,
…who can never find their shoes.
And we pray for those…
…who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire,
…who’ve never squeaked across the floor in new sneakers,
…who never had crayons to count,
…who are born in places we wouldn’t be caught dead,
…who never go to the circus,
…who live in an X-rated world.
We pray for children…
…who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions,
…who sleep with the dog and bury goldfish,
…who give hugs in a hurry and forget their lunch money,
…who cover themselves with Band-Aids and sing off-key,
…who squeeze toothpaste all over the sink,
…who slurp their soup.
And we pray for those…
…who never get dessert,
…who watch their parents watch them die,
…who have no safe blanket to drag behind,
…who can’t find any bread to steal,
…who don’t have any rooms to clean up,
…whose pictures aren’t on anybody’s dresser,
…whose monsters are real.
We pray for children…
…who spend all their allowance before Tuesday,
…who throw tantrums in the grocery store and pick at their food,
…who like ghost stories,
…who shove dirty clothes under the bed,
…who never rinse out the tub,
…who get visits from the tooth fairy,
…who don't like to be kissed in front of the school,
…who squirm in church or temple or mosque and scream in the phone,
…whose tears we sometimes laugh at and whose smiles can make us cry.
And we pray for those…
…whose nightmares come in the daytime,
…who will eat anything,
…who aren't spoiled by anybody,
…who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,
…who live and move, but have no being.
We pray for children…
… who want to be carried,
and for those who must.
…For those we never give up on,
and for those who never get a chance.
…For those we smother with our love,
and for those who will grab the hand of anybody kind enough to offer it.
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