Although it seems like my family has our own baby orphanage – it’s not nearly as big as the one the mission has! It has been my dream to house 50 babies there on the compound. When I went to nursing school – I majored in pediatrics. I was 9 years old the first time a little child died in my arms. It completely changed my life.
I’ve had over 17 children die in my presence (most in my home). That was just from the 2 years I ran the pediatric clinic at the mission. I will never forget my first day as a “real nurse” in Haiti. One mother who came to me – her child in 3rd-degree malnutrition – too weak to eat and completely swollen. Her breaths were shallow and I knew she wouldn’t live through the night. It was just too late. The mother asked me – What could she do? I told her – – – just hold her and sing to her. Soon she’d be with Jesus……. We buried her that next morning.
The stories are all different but the results are all the same. I’ve seen WAY too many caskets – all less than 2 feet long. Most deaths could have been prevented with a little medicine and a few bottles of formula. Right now we have around 20 children. We have room for more – but not the funds to complete the buildings. I’d also love to have a Baby Care Program that could be an extension of the baby orphanage offering formula/meds to help more children when we run out of room. If you look on the mission website – or on Vickie’s Website (both listed on the side of this post) you can find out how to help change the lives of precious little babies throughout the hills of the northwest.
Here is also a link directly to the Baby Orphanage Needs List: Baby Orphanage Needs