Day 3: Rewarding

Yesterday morning Fan Fan sat by me at church and translated quite a bit of the service for me. How powerful the passion of worship to our Mighty King!  We spent our morning at the Home for the Sick and Dying Children.  I was a bit nervous for this day, after being prepared for some difficult things to see and knowing my heart for little ones.  When we first walked downstairs, the first thing I noticed was all of these beautiful sets of chocolate brown eyes staring up at me through the white metal slats of their cribs.  Pleading with their eyes for someone to hold them and give them some love and attention.  Then I registered the constant sound of crying babies.  The first baby I held was crying because he had a wet diaper, so I changed it and then rocked him a bit.  Within minutes he fell asleep, but every time I went to lay him down he woke up and started crying.  He did not want to be put down, and I can't blame him.  I spent some good quality time with him, but felt my heart being tugged to share the love.  After spending some time downstairs with the sickest babies, I mosied upstairs where there were some healthier babies.  Then I laid my eyes on Edeline.  Big brown eyes, pencil thin limbs, and a puckered up pouty mouth begging for me to hold her.  When she reached out her little hand to me, I melted.  I got a chance to feed her at lunch time, change her into her new outfit and hold her close.  She molded perfectly in my arms and I loved every minute of it.  When the bell rang it meant it was time to go, so I peeled her off of me and set her gently in her crib.  She laid on her back and cried out to me, "Mama, Mama!" with her little outstretched arms reaching for me.  At this point I lost control of my emotions.  I was totally broken and wrestled with the fact that I had to leave this sweet baby girl.  I picked her back up and swallowed her up in my arms one last minute.  After I was told we needed to get going, I left my sweet, sweet Edeline.  Tears poured down my face as we walked out and I had a good, cleansing sob fest.

We went to Gertrude's orphanage where many special needs kids live.  When we arrived, my attention was drawn to a little boy in a wheel chair folded over with tears streaming down his face.  The tears were dripping onto the tile floor and were beginning to puddle up.  I sat down and I rubbed his back.  He could sense my presence and lifted up to a sitting position.  When Jeff started playing his guitar he lit up a little, but when we started singing, joy poured through his eyes and shone bright through his beautiful smile.  I even had him raising his arms with the music, it was so rewarding.  After we sang some songs we were able to help feed the children and I was able to feed my buddy.  He really enjoyed it and flashed me that smile in between bites.  After lunch the team dispersed to different areas to play with the kids.  There were four children in wheelchairs near by who weren't brought outside so I sat down and pulled all the chairs close to me in a circle around me and connected with each of them while Jeff continued to play guitar.

My word for the day was rewarding.  Even though the Home for the Sick and Dying was difficult, it was so rewarding to be able to give the love and attention Edeline needed and also to receive the love from her.  It was also rewarding to know that we were helping the sisters out who work so hard caring for these children who don't have enough arms to hold all the babies and change all the diapers in super timely fashion.  It was rewarding to see my team members set aside any insecurities about caring for sick babies and do what Christ would have done with no hesitation.  It was especially rewarding to spend time with my friend at the orphanage.  I can't wait to show you the picture of the smile I got out of him :)

It was an emotional day, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.  God is good and so evident here in Haiti.

Ke Bondye Beni'ou
Alicia