Difficult conversations

Clarence and Clara in the room they share with 3 other kids.

Meet two of the youngest Good Rest children, Clarence and Clara. We have heard different stories of how they got to Good Rest. The first story we heard is that their mom came to Good Rest and delivered them on site after the earthquake then abandoned them. The next story we heard is that they were already about 6 months old and the mom dropped them here after the earthquake to live with their older sister. One girl here says that she has recently seen the mom and she lives in the local village but never visits. They have no birth certificates, their files have no records. They especially worry us because they are listless, they do not play with the other small children and in two and a half weeks I have never seen either of them smile.

Today Carl and I packed up our three kids and were at Good Rest by 7am. We waited to see what kind of breakfast the kids would get. They got none. Clarence cannot walk well. Carl carried him the whole long walk from the orphanage to the main road where we can catch a Tap-Tap. We took Clara and Clarence to a nearby clinic run by American missionaries. Getting 5 small kids into the back of a Tap-Tap is not easy! We bought some bread from the street. Clara and Clarence ate 3 large rolls each, they probably wouldn't have stopped eating.

The Haitian doctor that we met was not very encouraging. They are both malnourished. Clarence had been tested a month ago and two types of parasites were found in him. His treatment was not followed up on. They also are both anemic and gassy, their stomachs are bloated. Clara's hair is turning orange from lack of nutrition.

Carl and I played with them, fed them, and gave them soda. We got vitamins from the clinic and more bread from the street. When we returned to Good Rest we gave all the little kids a piece of bread and vitamins. They need so much more. Please pray that we will know how to have difficult conversations with people like the cook on site and some of the older kids. Please pray that we can help find more food so that the little kids at Good Rest get their needs met. Please pray that we can help all of the little ones who are spending their days hungry, who are going to sleep hungry. Thank you.