I would like to introduce you to one of the most precious little girls in the world. “I love her” does not sufficiently cover how excited I get when I see her. I literally could jump, scream, spin around in circles, and laugh all at once when I see her tiny body. And when we go a step beyond that and I get to HOLD her…. My heart just beat out of my chest! I can’t quite explain why, but I truly do look forward to seeing this gorgeous girl with a crazy amount of anticipation. Just by looking at her you might understand why…..
This is Udashka. This is Udashka when I first came to Haiti about a month ago. She turns six months old in May, but weighs less than a newborn baby. She came to Children of the Promise with her sweet mother, concerned about her very tiny baby. She was not able to breastfeed, but loved her daughter with all her heart. She was wondering if we could help her find a haven of health for Udashka. Thankfully COTP has an incredible program called the Formula Program, where mothers with stories like this can find a piece of hope. We admitted Udashka into the program, which meant she would come back every two weeks to get a check-up and formula to supplement her feedings. I am not kidding when I tell you how much I look forward to seeing Udashka--- this girl totally has what it takes to steal my heart! Picking her up reminds me of picking up a newborn kitten (in the sense that you don’t even think they weigh anything at all….).
Well Udashka recently came in for her check-up and more formula—Just a month later she already was filling out beautifully! What she still had was the same look in her eyes that I can’t even believe exists in a baby… it makes me think she’s already trying to figure out life and the world at only a few months old!
Lives like this are inescapably beautiful. Priceless. A piece of Heaven here on earth. Why? The goodness and innocence of a life not yet marred by days gone by. The wonder of the legacy she will leave. The lives she will touch, and the subsequent rippling effect of changed attitudes and circumstances. All because God saw her worth and provided for her when she was skin and bones….
I’d also like to introduce you to a gorgeous girl who found herself with fevers, swollen cheeks, and a father who loved her so much. I walked up to a father and little girl sitting outside the baby house—he was holding her closely and his eyes pleaded for help. She was sitting on his lap with a cloth tied around her cheeks and head like a headband. It was a tattered cloth, and I know they did not have much, but she still came wearing the best dress she had. Haitians do this. When they come to see us, the little girls put on dresses that look like the ones I used to wear to Easter services. They may only have that ONE dress, but it is adorable how they save it for special occasions like this. This father made a smile sneak across my face because he reminded me of my own dad. My own dad would hold me when I felt sick, and he would fight to figure out what I needed to get better. My parents would not ever want to see me suffer, and neither did this concerned dad carefully holding his daughter that day. I just wanted to commend him on his love for his baby girl….
Now if you remember last week I told a story about a boy who needed an IV… well yesterday, they made the long trek to come see me again to follow up. As soon as I saw the mom, I just had to give her a huge hug. This woman is a good person. And her children are amazing as well. They came in to get a second dose of medicine for scabies and more soap and simple remedies for their skin. The boy who once looked like he was about to lose his life to dehydration now smiled, glowing with health. I couldn’t believe the healing of the skin of the children who once had pretty severe infected sores on their entire bodies. I also couldn’t believe how great it was to see them again! I shared their story with a volunteer who was here…
We spent some time talking with them. They clung to the love that filled that room. When it came time to return to work and for them to leave, quiet tears started streaming down the girls’ faces. I am not sure how to process these types of things. I guess I learned something that day… I cannot help every family. But with one or two families, maybe I can go deep in showing them that I care. This family reminded me of the lyric of a song… “Everyone deserves compassion, the kindness of a Savior”. I learned that it isn’t just watching a medical condition change. It is more so the experience of knowing they are valued.
Finally, I’d like to introduce you to a final thought I have learned this week. I would not consider myself very gifted. I’m serious. I am nowhere near Amy’s natural ability in nursing or language skills in community in Creole with Haitians. I truly have been finding myself being humbled every day when I realize my shortcomings. They never cease to find me out. Dwelling on only that thought, it can discourage me. But my job here is not just being a nurse….
So what is it then? Well…. my job is talking. Something I’ve found I can do what feels like endlessly. I spent a great deal of time recently just listening and sharing. Encouraging and being encouraged. Loving and being loved. Hugging and rubbing backs. With college kids here serving on spring break… with moms and dads and families volunteering together… with church groups… with little Haitian kids and grandparents. Before I came to Haiti, I thought my job would be essentially purely medical. But God has opened up thousands of doors of simply working with people, which I LOVE!!! I mean, I LOOOOOVE people. I love talking to people and getting to know who they are. I get to orient people to COTP! I get to introduce lives to other lives! I get to smile, laugh, and feel so connected with them all. I get to ask questions. I get to interact with people on all sorts of levels. This makes me feel incredibly joyous!
For example, this past week I got to take a few hours off to go to the Citadel, which is a huge treat! This adventure involved my favorite thing: HIKING! It is a fortress built for a king, and it is a steep hiking up a rocky road to get there. The sights are unbelievable.
As it just so happened, I was invited to go with a group of college students who were volunteering building a house on their spring break. I was excited to be around their energy and passion, and they were just so filled with appreciation to be in Haiti! I spent the morning and early afternoon bonding with them—talking about hard times and experiences that make up life, but underlying it all- the crazy joy of following God. That’s when it occurred to me… my job in Haiti is essentially just working with people. Everyone and anyone. Connecting with lives… having conversations that lead to big thoughts… learning myself about marriage, love, and integrity. Hearing statements like “I’m just CRAZY about her honestly” in response to a question about how a man still stares at his wife with goo-goo eyes after years and years. People… I’ve decided that’s my true job! J
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