Playtime

Arts & Crafts are always a hit with the kids.  The North Carolina group brought all the makings for some creative activity on the part of the children.

Fun stuff

Our friends from North Carolina (and one from Florida) led some fun activities this afternoon.  This is a real colorful parachute and there were several exercises involved.  Somebody's gonna sleep well tonight.

Roberto- Update

Roberto is doing much better as you can see.  He'll have scarring but we don't have to worry about an infection or worse.  His mother kissed my hand in gratitude when I walked by today.  I smiled but the kiss was meant for Linda and for you.

Mothers

 Nathalie reports the following--

These two mothers traveled three hours on foot to get a tap-tap in Ducis to come to town and see a doctor because they are both sick and in pain.  One mother has 3 kids, the other has 4 kids (she left 3 at home with a neighbor).  They arrived too late to see a doctor on Thursday.  They all slept on the hospital grounds and begged for money for food for the kids.  On Friday the hospital staff told them they could see a doctor on Monday.  Without money or food (or a way home), they were going to abandon their children and attempt to walk many hours to get home.  A worker at the hospital called me to see if we could help.  I called Social Services.  Our temporary solution is to have the mothers and their kids stay with us until Monday so they can see a doctor. 

They have only the clothes on their backs and no shoes.  The mother with the three children is widowed.

Sisters

Esthere Phania BienAime (eight years old) and Wisterlie BienAime (not sure how old as she has no birth certificate) are the youngest daughters of 35 year old Laurette Valentin who is homeless, jobless and near hopeless. The small family was living in an abandoned car, then a small shack by the side of the road and finally in a small broken down shanty house. Neighbors were helping them with food and essentials such as the pretty, white dresses the girls wore this morning which were made by a local tailor using some sheets. A neighbor begged us to take in these little girls so that they could eat regularly and attend school. The mother, a widow, was interviewed this morning by our Child Care Director, Bernonie Rochelin, and the Executive Committee will make a decision based on her recommendation. Chances are you're looking at the two newest Espwa children.

It is our hope to develop an Outreach Program that could help families like this stay together but we don't have the resources now to finance housing, job training for the mother, scholarships for the girls in an outside school while keeping food on the table until mom gets a job (if ever). By the way, the girls' family name "BienAime" means "beloved".

Suzette Pierreville

Suzette is 26 years old.  She has a 3 year old daughter, Erlande, and a handicapped mother living with her.  Mother was accused of being a sorceress a few years ago and was blamed for the death of a child. Filled with grief and fear a crowd beat her up so that she is now unable to care for herself.  Suzette also cares for her 44 year old brother, Christilhomme, who is completely blind.  Suzette tries to feed, clothe and otherwise provide for her small family by competing for the infrequent, occasional laundry work.  Borrowing a clean t-shirt from neighbors, Suzette walked two hours to come see us in hopes of getting help.  We were only able to give her some food that won't last the week.

S2H team

A Shelter2Home (S2H) team heads home after a long day building a home in the area.  Two small homes are being built locally to assist families who are victims of the massive earthquake of 12 JAN 2010.