Hummingbird at Barbed Wire

Snapped on an early morning walk outside of our guesthouse.

When that which is fragile flies too close to that which can shred.

It made me think of the children in Haiti.

This next picture is of Ednel.  He and his brother are new to the orphanage that HGIM supports  His younger brother, Ezekiel, was admitted to the hospital, fighting sickle-cell anemia that had progressed to a dangerous place.  The rest of the children were at school, but Ednel couldn't go because his uniform hadn't been made yet. He looked very alone that day.

This picture of Ednel reminded me of the  hummingbird.

While Ednel waited at the orphanage, his compadres were at school with the uniforms Pastor Justin had sewn...keep in mind this is school for the "middle class"--many poorer children can't afford the uniforms, so many don't go. Other neighborhoods have no school.

The children greeting Junior (the translator).

Looking good with juice box and purse!

A little shy...

Our children with the school's first grade teacher

The kindergarten classroom

Our kids sitting in the kindergarteners' chairs

The teacher's desk

The classroom for the older children (3rd/4th--I think)

Classic pose of child squirming in chair:)

I couldn't help but ponder the thousands of dollars per child we spend in the U.S. and still we "need" more money for education. Well, while the children were in class, and Ednel was alone, his brother, Ezekiel was at the Baptist Mission Hospital--middle-class care administered by Haitians...

A baby was born the night I stayed with Ezekiel--the sounds haunt me...

The hospital provides a bed.  A nurse will administer shots and take temperatures--everything else is on the person staying with the patient--bedding, water, the giving of medicine, food--EVERYTHING.  On the plus side, it's natural for mothers to sleep with their children. One night's stay?  About $7.50.  Lab tests?  Vary--ours were $23.00  Medicine?  It varied--not too expensive.  But if you don't have money, you don't get anything, and not many in the area can afford medical care.

The night I stayed was noisy and drama-filled as other patients came into the ward.  Somehow, Ezekiel slept through most of it.

The operating room--I had to take a peek:).

Yikes! Not exactly state of the art...

A crib...

The hospital toilet--which was hooked to nothing!

I am good medicine!

If you have your health and soul then you are rich...

Not sure how I feel about those words in that environment.

But I guess that's enough for one post.

Still to come is the story of the orphanage, the countryside, the town, the new teacher (Erin), and how the children feel about what they are given and your prayers.  

And an update on Ezekiel. When we left, his older brother had been located and had taken over the care of his brother.  Ezekiel was scheduled to have a blood transfusion today (which scared the you-know-what out of me given the state of the hospital).

Please pray for him.  

And for his brother, Ednel.

And for all the children. They are resilient, but they're also fragile...like the hummingbird. 

 All in Goodwill,
~Lisa