Host Family Needed in Chicago Area!

We are looking for a host family in the Chicago area for a beautiful little Haitian girl! Her name is Ruthlande and she is just over 1 yr old. This little girl has spina bifida and hydrocephaly needs surgery quickly. She will be coming to the US as soon as we can get her paperwork cleared. We have been trying to get Ruthlande here for some time, but the situation became an emergency over the weekend when she fell and the sac on her back broke open and began leaking spinal fluid. Here is a bit of the email from the nurse who is currently helping care for her in Haiti:

Ruthlande and her mother came to COTP at about 3pm yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. Her mom told us that Ruthlande was playing around on the floor at home and she either fell over or something hit the myelomeningocele (I'll call it "sac" b/c that's shorter and easier to spell!) and it burst open. I"ll give you a quick history on her and then tell you what we're doing for her.

History: Ruthlande has hydrocephalus and spina bifida. Her myelomeningocele is in her lumbar area (very lower back) and about the size of a baseball or a fist. She is 13 months old and weighs 9kg. She can move her legs but doesn't appear to have much feeling in them. She has club feet but not severe - I've seen worse!

Presenting Symptoms: Sac completely collapsed in on itself, Lost roughly 1 liter of spinal fluid and blood. Tear in the sac the size of a quarter. Fontanel sunken. Vital Signs stable and afebrile. Sleeping and lethargic but responsive to pain.

The hospital that will be caring for Ruthlande is about a half hour north of downtown Chicago. I do not yet have the names of the medical team or facility. We need a host family that will be able to give this little girl a good bit of time and attention as her needs are significant.

Hosting a Haitian child is sometimes challenging, but it is always so incredibly rewarding. It is an opportunity to show God's love to the littlest of his children. It is an opportunity to reach out and touch the world, to make it a better place for even just one child. These little ones need a family here that will love and care for them as their parents would during this difficult time. We would happily bring a parent with each child if we could; unfortunately, it is not possible with the current state of immigration policies here in the US. So, if you think your family would be able to open your hearts and your home to little Ruthlande, please contact us immediately for more information.

Also, please keep this situation in your prayers as she is quite vulnerable right now. Her mother is so loving and dedicated and has not left her daughter's side through all of this. Little Ruthlande has managed to live with an unrepaired myelomeningocele in Haiti for this long due to her mother's excellent care. It will be incredibly difficult for her to let this little one go, but she is determined to do whatever it takes for Ruthlande to have a chance at life.