Philly Folks...Here's your chance to help an Angel!

(Me with host daughter, Anna Noah; Jan 2006)

We have settled on a surgery schedule for our many children with hydrocephaly. Thanks to the generosity of two hospitals and an incredible surgeon, we hope to have over 20 children (under the age of 2 years) receive care in the next 12 months. With both hospitals being in the Philadelphia area, we will need quite a few host families from that area. The children will be in the US for 3 - 4 months and then will return to their anxious families in Haiti. Host families provide all daily care for the babies and take care of these little ones as though they were their own. I won't mislead you all... it is alot of work at times. These little ones are sick, but the good news is they are here to get the care they need to get better! They are the fortunate few. The hospital and doctors provide all care free of charge and the host family needs to provide all the love and care while the baby is struggling through trauma of surgery. Your blessing comes when this sweet baby finally looks at you and knows that you are the one she can trust to care for her while she is here. When you see her smile and reach for you, you know she feels safe and loved. That is what we hope for her during her stay here in the US.

What an incredible opportunity to show God's love to a small angel and an anxious mother so far from her child. Throughout the child's stay, we ask the host family to provide us with updates and photos so that we can share them with the family in Haiti. You will be able to send some photos or momentos back with the child to her family in Haiti. We know from past experience, that the families are unable to find the words to express the gratitude they feel for the family who took such wonderful care of their baby.

Okay, I didn't mean to sound all sappy. But truly, it is an incredibly rewarding experience. I didn't say easy...I said rewarding. We look at our host families as missionaries. Not everyone can go overseas or to disaster zones. Not everyone is able to run over to help at a soup kitchen or a food bank. It is important to find a way to serve God that matches your talents and your interests. This is another opportunity that may be right for some families. One perk I always found when we host is that it is a mission for my entire family. We talk about it and discuss the pros and cons each time before deciding. Even my little guys see this as a way they are helping someone who has less than they have. We talk alot about our family being "blessed to be a blessing." While they miss their friends when they return to Haiti, each little one has left us with memories that remind us of why God asks us to reach out and help others.

Anyway, if you are interested, please let me know. I'm responsible for coordinating host families and I have the application in a digital format so I can just email it to you!