Hunger
Matthew 25:35-36
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty
and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me
in, 36 I needed
clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was
in prison and you came to visit me.’
After a day of traveling and trying to get some
rest in the heat and restlessness that is Haiti; we woke up to the most
magnificent cup of coffee on the planet. Today’s agenda had changed many times
since arriving here at Haiti with the final plan of visiting the Home for Sick
and Dying Babies and Papillion Enterprises/ Apparent Project. Despite its’
name; the Home is a hospital and place of hope for desperate parents. The nuns
that work and live at the Home are truly working miracles on the very sick
babies – the most common illnesses being: mumps, tuberculosis, AIDS, cholera,
etc. Thanks to these nuns, most of the babies get to go home.
We were prepared to expect a very long line of
parents holding sick babies upon our arrival – nothing could really prepare for
that sight. Parents sit by the gate waiting for their chance to have their sick
child admitted. There are only so many beds and nurses available, but the Home
does everything they can to make sure that they see as many children as
possible. The Home does not ask for donations – they firmly believe that God
will provide everything they need. Now that’s what I call faith! The craziest
thing is that they really have been provided for. No coincidence there.
Our team split up into the two rooms - my group
going into the older babies room. As we walked in babies surrounded us with
their arms in the sky just hoping to be picked up. The first baby I picked up
brought me to tears within seconds. Trying to compose myself, all of the bug
spray and sunscreen ran into by eyes making the situation worse, and my eyes
redder. The baby just stared at me like I was crazy. Needless to say I tried to
shape up real quick after that. We spent the afternoon loving on the babies,
changing diapers, bedding and eventually feeding them (what an experience that
was). Hunger effects people in different ways. For the babies it was physical –
for us it was spiritual; hungry to do more, to help in any way that we could. When
you pick up a baby that looks to be a couple months old, but in reality is
really 2, your chest does a funny thing - it tightens, and aches, and truly
hurts.
Silently getting back into our Tap Tap, we tried
to transition into the afternoon spent at Papillion Enterprises/ Apparent
Project.
The Apparent Project was started by one woman
with a heart to help. She came to Haiti to adopt a child, but when she arrived,
she discovered that the child was not an orphan – the parents were unable to
care for the child financially. She
decided to start something to help the parents who were forced into this
decision of giving up their child. She hired Haitians to create amazing
art/jewelry/crafts, and provided free childcare for every employee who worked
there. Not only is there childcare, but there is preschool as well. Needless to
say, our team put a dent in the gift shop t0day, knowing that the money creates
opportunities, which creates jobs, which creates stable families, which creates
more opportunities. Hundreds of lives changed by this project, which has now
turned into an Enterprise and thriving company.
This trip is fueled by hunger. An unfortunate
hunger within the people here; but an ever-burning hunger by organizations like
Healing Haiti who are determined to do everything they can. Can’t wait to see
where the rest of this week takes us!
Brianna
