Newsletter from HIS Home Orphanage in Haiti

CC still is waiting to come home to us. We haven't heard from him in a long time. When they call on Sunday we are usually busy or having computer problems with the computer that has our skype set-up on it. So it's nice hearing from the directors with these newsletters they send. As you can see they need lots of prayer and financial support right now. Pray please!

Newsletter for October, 2009

Blessings from HIS Home! We have had an extremely busy past couple of
months with over 70 visitors coming to Haiti! Our first team came from
California to work on several projects. They built new bathrooms for our
school and installed a computer lab with stations for 6 students at a
time to be learning computer skills. Bible school was conducted for a
week, and annual medical exams of all children were completed by their
Physician Assistant. Team members helped with organizing supplies in our
storage room, and were a great blessing by loving the children! A
special member of the team was Michelle, adopted from HIS Home and
returning to bless our children! The week concluded with an all day pool
party and picnic for everyone! The next week our group from New York
came to provide a second week of VBS! Our kids learned SO much about
God, as well as life lessons!!! One member of the team was a
professional welder, and with the assistance of other team members
taught 3 of our older boys how to weld. They constructed new doors for
the back of our truck, making it much safer and cooler for transporting
our children and teams, as well as secure for hauling our supplies.
Other team members taught boys how to do woodworking, and their project
was to build shelving units, which they presented to the girls! What a
great ministry for our boys to have men come and share Jesus with them,
while helping them learn needed skills for their futures! The girls did
not feel left out, as they got lots of attention from the ladies in
doing their nails, hair, etc. Thanks to both teams for coming to share
Jesus and helping our children to grow spiritually! !!

Adoptive parents arrived the following week, and 16 of our children
spent the week in the hotel with their families, building relationships
and having lots of fun in the pool. Families went to the beach, visited
the mountains, and went shopping with their children. Many wonderful
memories were created! Parents also were able to accomplish some work on
their adoptions, signing court papers which are needed in the adoptive
process. The next quarterly adoptive family visit will be November
16-23. Families interested in participating can get further information
by contacting HIS Home. Congratulations to the Davis family in
completing their adoption of Jonathan, and to Nathanial`s new mom
who left with him for France!

With our upcoming annual licensing inspection, we have been updating the
children's files with their medical exams, TB tests, and have just
completed dental exams for 69 of the children. Although not a
requirement, we know how important regular checkups are. Several
children had extractions, and several will be getting fillings soon. We
thank God for a local Christian dentist who helps keep our children
healthy!

We are in need of sponsors for the children for Christmas gifts. It is
now too late to mail packages to arrive and clear customs before
Christmas, but financial donations can be made for Christmas gifts to be
purchased locally for those children who will not otherwise receive
gifts. Donations can be sent to the Ohio address above, with checks made
out to HIS Home For Children and a note specifying Christmas gifts.

The latest arrivals at HIS Home include some very special children.
Louvens, age 2, arrived with a big smile and lots of energy! Apparently
no one has ever told him that club feet and malformed legs are a
disability! Using his arms, he scoots around exploring everything! His
mother was living on the street with him, and was unable to find anyone
willing to let her bring a disabled child into their home. What joy he
has brought with him in his radiant smile! His club feet have already
been casted to begin correction so that he will one day be able to walk.
Very beautiful, shy, and quiet, Achline (almost 2) came because her
mother had 5 children and was unable to seek employment to provide for
her children because of caring for her youngest. Achline quickly decided
she likes the toy area on our balcony, and settled in easily. Our next
little bundle came wrapped in a very small blue blanket, concealing a
baby boy with many special needs. At 2 weeks old, Baby Sender weighed in
at 5 lbs. Born with hydrocephalus, open spina bifida, paralysis from the
waist down, and club feet, this baby seemed to have nothing going for
him. Running a fever from infection, we wondered if he would survive
even with the antibiotics which were started right away. Taking him to 4
hospitals to find medical help, we were finally able to have him
evaluated by two neurosurgeons who agreed that surgery was not needed
immediately. Although one doctor advised us to let the baby die, we
looked into his alert eyes and we knew that it is not our right to deny
life to this child. Someone already tried… Sender's mother
attempted to abort him, but the drugs failed to end his life. Although
it would be easy to condemn this mother, which of us is without sin?
Seeing his disabilities, she could have discarded the deformed baby in
the trash, but instead she brought him to us for help. Jesus instructed
us to care for the least of these, and Sender fits that description.
Please join us in praying for God's perfect will in the life of this
baby. He has already received his first miracle, as he is no longer
paralyzed. He is moving his legs, and he has tiny casts on his legs to
correct his club feet. Over the next two months, doctors will decide
when he is ready for surgery for the hydrocephalus and spina bifida.
Just when we thought that we couldn't possibly accept another baby,
along came 1 month old Baby Nathan. This scrawny 5 lb. baby arrived in
the arms of his father who carried him 12 miles across the mountains to
reach someone to show him the way to HIS Home. Nathan's mother died
of eclamsia immediately after giving birth. His grandmother cared for
him, but without enough milk, he soon was hospitalized for dehydration
and oxygen. Baby Nathan was brought to us after hospitalization, was
stabilized at HIS Home, and has since been returned to his family.

With many children brought to us for adoption, I am reminded of another
Father who placed his Son for adoption. In his book Adoption For Life,
Russell D. Moore elaborates on Joseph's experience as God told him
that he was to be the earthly father of a baby which wouldn't share
his DNA. As I look into Sender's eyes, I do not know who God will
call to become this baby's earthly father and mother, but I know
that God has a plan for this tiny baby's life and the others who
come as well. More recently, 3 year old Marc Ely and nine month old
Wensley have joined us. While we were registering Wensley at IBESR, the
social service office, a poorly dressed mother arrived in their office
to abandon her tiny baby boy who has clubbed feet. I called Hal to let
him know that there was a two for one special that day, and Davidson
came home with us. We are also caring for a young lady who is expecting
a baby boy soon. This mentally slow girl became pregnant following a
rape, and with a complicated pregnancy, was brought in from the
countryside to deliver her baby. She will return to her family after the
baby is born, and we will place the infant for adoption. Many new
arrivals and another on the way… are we ever going to say no to
anyone? We do send away several children for everyone who gets to stay.
We are receiving requests at our gate several times a day by families
wanting to leave children. It is extremely hard to send families away,
but we are limiting placement to those with extremely urgent needs. As
the economy continues to spiral downward, donations have not been enough
to cover our budget to care for the children. We are struggling to keep
our doors open, and have had to use all of our resources to keep food
available for the children. We are seriously considering some major cuts
in our program, but want to avoid those cuts if at all possible. We know
that God is our provider, and He knows our needs. Our most serious need
is for 3 ½ year old Sendy. This child had a shunt placed in her brain
last year for her hydrocephalus. The shunt became infected and had to be
removed this week. She has had complications which will result in one or
two more surgeries. We have no money left to pay for her medical care
and need financial help for her immediately. We also need funds to pay
for the rent on the boys home. Money was raised for this purpose, but
had to be used to buy food because donations were down. Now we are at a
critical point and must either pay the $8500. or close the boy's
home which also houses our children's school. We know that God has
used HIS Home to bless the children of Haiti, and He has not changed our
calling. However, we need funds to continue. Please pray to see how God
might direct you to help. The lives of 125 of God's children hang in
the balance. Thank you in advance for whatever you are able to do to
help!

Blessings! Hal and Chris