In a country where life is already difficult, he was born with epilepsy and a severe mental handicap - which made his life one of the hardest of them all. He was abandoned by his family at a young age, and although we took him in for years we found his needs were becoming too much for us to handle and his behavioral problems began to put other children at risk. A home for disabled children took him in for several years more but he was returned to us when he aged out - and when his needs became even too great for them.
These past few months he's been here, we've been looking for another organization, an adult community for those with disabilities, but the reality is they are virtually nonexistent in Haiti - and the one place we have found had such limited space and resources that taking in another resident was out of the question.
We cared for him knowing we were not equipped. But there was so little equipment, in Les Cayes, in all of Haiti, that it was us or nowhere. That's the reality.
The reality too is that Ralph was a sweet soul with a tremendous set of challenges the depth of which I can't imagine. The reality is that we at Espwa are cycling through a range of emotions trying understand to why and how this happened.
But our faith is our consolation. We can now believe Ralph is in the arms of God, with the peace and comfort and quality of life he deserved in this world.
These past few months he's been here, we've been looking for another organization, an adult community for those with disabilities, but the reality is they are virtually nonexistent in Haiti - and the one place we have found had such limited space and resources that taking in another resident was out of the question.
We cared for him knowing we were not equipped. But there was so little equipment, in Les Cayes, in all of Haiti, that it was us or nowhere. That's the reality.
The reality too is that Ralph was a sweet soul with a tremendous set of challenges the depth of which I can't imagine. The reality is that we at Espwa are cycling through a range of emotions trying understand to why and how this happened.
But our faith is our consolation. We can now believe Ralph is in the arms of God, with the peace and comfort and quality of life he deserved in this world.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
Having worked with developmentally disabled children and adults for over 20 years, I understand your shock, grief and the overwhelming frustration that that comes with the death of a youngster like Ralph. I am very sorry for your loss. The US, sadly, is only some 50 years into 'decent' care for those with disabilities, so I can only imagine what it may be like in Haiti. I've also wondered where the children with disabilities were, as I've not noticed or heard of any in the past 4 years of reading this blog. Perhaps now is the time?
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