As Promised...

...some photos of little Ellie Paul. Isn't he adorable? This little peanut had his surgery about two weeks ago to treat his hydrocephaly. Dr. Warf gave it only a 50% chance at success. His host mom Kim reported though that he has done incredibly well! At his check-up yesterday, the doctor was really pleased. Ellie has gained 5 pounds and is cooing at his host mom. This little man had quite a ordeal before coming to the US and it is amazing that he even made it here for surgery! We know his family in Haiti will be thrilled to see these photos of how well he is doing.
Thanks to Kim & Gwen for the great pics!

Merry Christmas to All!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

We hope this message finds you all enjoying friends & family during this holiday season. We wanted to take a few moments to update you on the children we currently have here in the US and give you some big news for our program in 2009.

The picture above is of little Chrisno. Chrisno came to the Roanoke area back in late summer/early fall for surgery to treat his hydrocephaly. The surgery went really well and he has done super during his recovery. His host family has been wonderful and he has made so many gains. His mother won't recognize him when he returns to her next month. We are also thankful to the Gunnell family for organizing an incredible fundraiser for AMH! Those much needed funds will go to help us develop a medical program in Haiti so that we can arrange treatment for more children.

This happy elf below is little Lena. You all will remember that she was so very tiny when she arrived that we had to delay her cleft surgery until she had gained some weight. Since that time, she has grown and changed so much! Her last surgery took place last month and she is ready to return to Haiti and her mother. Next month, Lena will travel with a mission team and be reunited with her family. I can't wait to see those photos! We send many thanks to Sarah (her host mom) and family for taking such wonderful care of Lena during her time here.

Little Pierre has also grown quite a bit since he arrived this past summer. Pierre had a terrible time during his first month here and was hospitalized in intensive care down in South Carolina. It took doctors there over a week to figure out what was wrong and he was diagnosed with Diabetes Insipidus. This is an usual condition where his body struggles to keep his sodium levels stable. There also seem to be some endrocrine system issues that will need to be monitored. We are hopeful that Pierre is with his last host family and will soon have his cleft surgery. Many doctors we approached would not agree to do the surgery due to his other medical conditions. We are very thankful that he will soon be on his way to a happy & healthy life.

The fourth little one here is Ellie Paul who is with our good friend, Kim and her family in PA. Ellie had surgery recently to treat his hydrocephaly and has done remarkably well. I will try and post a photo soon so you can see his sweet face.

Our big announcement for growth in 2009 will be made soon. Vanessa and Tom have been working endlessly to pull everything together....and there are many pieces to this puzzle! I have been so impressed how things have been coming along and the people that God has brought together to make this project possible. We hope to have the project up and running during the first quarter of 2009 and are so thankful for all our partners both here and in Haiti who are working to make it possible for AMH to provide desperately needed care to hundreds and dare we pray thousands of Haitian children.

Best Wishes to you all for a Happy & Healthy New Year!

Host Family Needed for Young Bibi

This little girl is named Bibi and she is coming to the Philadelphia area for surgery on her leg. The Shriner's hospital in Philly has agreed to do the surgery for this sweet 7 year old. This will be her second trip to the US. She was here a few years ago and her former host mom told me that she was a delight to have in her home. As she did on her last trip, Bibi can attend public school while she is here in the US. Her surgery is to lengthen on of her legs and will require therapy. It is expected that Bibi will travel to Ohio to stay with her former host family for part of her stay, but the details are not yet arranged.
If you would like more information or have any questions, please let us know!

Puppies with a Purpose

Puppies with a Purpose!

Purebred Maltese puppies, sweet and tiny and simply adorable. These little ones come with papers, 1st shots, and have been wormed & vet checked. The puppies have been raised in a home and come from Champion Blood lines. Two males are available at $550 each; one female is available at $800. Call Vanessa at (540) 580-4588 for more information!

ALL PROCEEDS GO TO ANGEL MISSIONS HAITI

Updates on little ones...happy & sad

Little Widline is doing great! In fact, she is ready to return to her family in Haiti. They have been asking about her regularly and are wanting her home. Thankfully, she has recovered well from her surgery and has grown a good bit...though she is still a small little one. Vanessa is bring her back this week when she flies to Haiti. The report I got was she was happy and eating every jar of baby food Vanessa had in her house, so that is good! Wonder if she will like rice & beans? We can't thank her host family, the Bowley crew, enough for all the love and care they provided for this sweet baby. We know how much work it is to care for these sick little babies and how hard it is to let them go again when they must return. We truly appreciate all they did for her! We will keep you all updated on her progress after she returns to her family.

Pierre is also doing well, but as you can see, he still hasn't had his cleft surgery. He has had so many troubles with other medical issues, that it hasn't been safe yet. We are hopeful that he can have his surgery soon. Until then, it is great that he is growing and developing so well. Thank you to his host family in Virginia for taking such good care of him!

Lena has topped the 15 lbs mark! Wow, that is incredible considering how small and sickly she was when her Mom handed her to Vanessa last spring. Her host family said she is doing all kinds of great things and is just a joy to have around. She will remain here until she has her next surgery in a few months. Once that is done, she will be able to return to her mom who is anxiously waiting!

Chrisno is a toddler who came just last month to have a shunt put in to reduce the swelling in his head due to hydrocephaly. I don't have any photos of him recently, but he has been doing wonderfully since his surgery. His host family here in Virginia say he is babbling, playing with toys, rolling over and pulling off his socks! That is incredible progress! We are so proud of him.

Lastly, I need to share some very sad news. Little Dieuna who was so sick during her time here in the US and struggled to make a recovery from her surgery for hydrocephaly did return to Haiti. She had done much better in the weeks before her return and the doctor said it was time for her to go home. We made arrangements for her to stay at a hospital in PAP until her family learned to care for her. Sadly, she died within a week of returning. We are not sure as to how she died, but are so upset for her, her family and the wonderful host family here in the US that cared so much for Dieuna. Please pray for all of them.

We all do our best, but sometimes we just don't succeed and that is hard to accept. Vanessa and I are leaning on God for comfort and guidance as we continue to work to help these children. We understand that we could not succeed without the help of so many who give these children incredible opportunites by opening their homes and their hearts. To all of you who support our mission, we are extremely grateful.

Fran

Update and link from Haiti

Please click on this and see what we are in the middle of. These wonderful poor people who had so little to begin with have lost everything and the death tool continues to rise. Over 1000 bodies and counting. Thousands remain missing and those who were swept out to sea will never be counted. No body, No count. There is no Government Help. We thank the Navel ship and helicopters we sighted today. But so much more needs to be done. People are starving everywhere you look. The sickness and illness that follow a tragity like this are just beginging. If everyone who reads this email sends just $10 we will be able to feed so many. Won't you please help us. We all need to show the love of Jesus to these wonderful people. I am here in Haiti, I have spoken to 3 different families who have lost everything. And do you know, they thank me for being here, for trying to help and for caring. I am always so humbled when I am here, the people of Haiti are so loving and kind. Please help us to help them. Love Vanessa
http://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/slideshows/090808_haiti_floods/

561/244-8301

Angels All Around Us

From Vanessa:

On my last trip to Haiti, I met an angel. Her name is Monique Jacques. She is a mother of 5 children she lives in Citie Soleil. Her husband passed away 2 years ago. She has no possibility of a job. She was on her way to see the Nuns to ask for food to feed her children. In the road trash pile she saw a newborn infant. The baby we have now named Grace. She said she stood there and looked. What could she do. She has her 5 children who she can not feed. But she knew she could not leave the baby lying there. She picked her up and took her to our friend Karen, a missionary who lives in Delmas 31. Karen told her that they need to take the baby to the police because there would need to be a report. Karen took Monique and baby Grace to the police station. Sadly, they would not take a report. They accused Karen of purchasing the baby and now not wanting her. Karen and Monique repeatedly told the baby's story to everyone at the police station. No one would listen. Karen called me and asked if I had any ideas. I told her to bring the baby to Angel Clinic and we would seek care for her. Little Grace has club feet and very tight hands. She was also covered in a terrible rash and there appeared to be other possible issues with this beautiful baby. After making some phone calls around to others we know, Dr. Joey said he would come see her that night. He agreed to her to Father. Rick's hospital, Petit Freres Et soeurs (Little brothers little sisters hospital).

People often ask me why do you continue to go to Haiti. Well here is a perfect example. Monique, a mother of 5 who can not feed her own children, spent her entire day trying to find care for a very sick, abandoned baby. This woman who had nothing for herself or her children today stepped out on faith to help a precious child of God. We were able to give her some money that should help feed her family for a week. We also gave her a care package of things we could come up with from the clinic.

I ask that you please keep Monique and her children in your prayers. Please pray for baby Grace and for us to get her all the medical care she needs. If anyone feel led to help us help Monique get her children into school, please contact Vanessa at AngelMissions@hotmail.com

Please pray for all of the mothers in Haiti who have children going to bed hungry tonight.

All my love V

August Team Update

Vanessa sent an update from Haiti today. She and the August Mission team have been incredibly busy! The team arrived last monday, the numerous (but not surprising)complications they all traveled to Jacmel and arrived around 5 pm. The group were there for the week to run a soccer (futbal in Haiti) camp and a small clinic for the children of Jacmel who have no opportunity for these experiences in their daily lives. The children of the Trinity School located at Trinity House we excited to see such a big group! It was a good turn-out as over 75 children attended. Every morning, this hard- working team made the children a breakfast of bread and peanut butter. After having singing time and a bible story, they would break up into two groups. One group handled the soccer camp while the other who did physicals on all of the children. It is VERY HOT in Jacmel this time of year but the team members were real troopers and did not complain. The week went by too fast and soon they were driving through Tropical Storm Fay back to Port-au-Prince. The next two days were spent working at Angel Clinic doing tons of building projects, helping out at two nearby orphanages. On Sunday, they held a open clinic at Angel Clinic and saw 20 new young patients. Early this morning, the team left for home.


Vanessa says she misses them so much already and cannot say enough great things about the Desperation Church in Missouri. They have been coming to Haiti for the past 3 years. They always go out of their way to get all the supplies requested and then some. We were able to bless so many children with brand new soccer uniforms, soccer balls and new shoes. The children were fed 2 meals each day, and with the price of food right now in Haiti that is a huge blessing. Four of the poorest moms in Jacmel were blessed to have their roofs fixed and water-proofed by the carpenters who were with the team. Driving in the rain on Saturday morning, the team was happy to know they had helped them and their children to stay dry though the storm. Please keep the team in prayer as they travel all day today not getting in until late tonight.

We have been delayed in getting visas for 6 children who have approved medical. Unfortunately, this means we will not be able to get the children here this week. Vanessa and her son, Omri, had hoped to escort one little boy to the Philly area and bring another home with them to the Roanoke area. Both of these little guys are needing surgery for hydrocephaly as quickly as possible. Please say some prayers that we can get visa appointment soon as any delay can have devastating effects on this little guys.

Lastly, we are putting out a call...well, actually it is an "on your knees and begging" call to all our supporters. We are in desperate need of fundraising. We have so many children needing help and we just cannot afford to pay all the costs to get them here. Donations of any size are so appreciated. Perhaps you could help by doing a yard sale or car wash. Maybe your youth group at church would do a bake sale or raffle to benefit the children of Angel Missions? With everyone's finances being pinched, it is getting more and more challenging to raise money. Truly we are open to any and all ideas! We are a non-profit 501 (c)3 group and all donations are tax-deductible. Vanessa and I work as volunteers. We have only one paid employee and his is essential to our mission. We would love to hear your ideas!

Fran

Happenings...

Well, I think things are starting to get moving again. We have two children returning to Haiti this week. Nakeyshia is returning after successful heart surgery. I will try and get photos of her soon. Also, Juline (who charmed every single person she has met since arriving only a few short months ago) will be heading home as well. Juline did incredibly well with her surgery for hydrocephaly and we are so happy that her parents will get to see her smiling face within the next week!

A special thanks to my wonderful partner in all of this....VANESSA! While I was sunning myself at Myrtle Beach this last week, she was driving up to PA to retrieve these little ones so that she can take them to Haiti with her. I haven't been to Haiti in a long time as Chedner's medical issues are keeping me hopping, but I do want to get down there again soon. Until I do go, I remain extremely appreciative that Vanessa is handling that load all by herself...

We have two little boys heading this way for surgery for hydrocephaly. Jon and Chrisno will be coming back with Vanessa and her son Omri when they return in a few weeks. There are two other children we hope to have surgery arranged for within the next month as well.

My AMH email is not working. Neither is Vanessa's. So until we get it fixed, please email me at my home email which is soccermom45@msn.com and Vanessa at angelmissions@hotmail.com

Many thanks to all!
Fran

Emergency Respite Family Needed

We are looking for a family in the Philly area that would be willing to serve as a short-term respite family for one of our babies with hydrocephaly. Her host mom may need to leave the country due to a family medical emergency in the coming weeks and we are hoping to line up at least one family that could take Dieuna during her absence. If this is something you are interested in learning more about, please call me at (540) 820-3759 or email me at soccermom45@msn.com

(my AMH email is broken at the moment)

Thanks,
Fran

Host Family Needed in Philly Area!

We are looking for a host family for this sweet little guy. His name is Jean-Withson Charles (Jon). He is just a little over 1 year old and is a real charmer. He smiles and loves attention. We feel he will do very well with the surgery for his hydrocephaly. He has a mother, father and grandparents who love him very much. They all have come to Port-au-Prince to help him get the care he needs. It is hard to tell by the photos that were sent, but Vanessa has met him and says that he really is interactive and very alert. We want to take care of the extra fluid in his head before he comes more compromised and the possibility of a good outcome diminishes.

Jon will have his surgery at DuPont Children's Hospital where most of the other children in our hydrocephaly project have received their care. If you feel you can give this handsome little man love and attention for the next three - five months, please let us know ASAP. If you know of anyone else in the Philly area that would be a good host family, please pass the word. We are applying for his visa in the next few weeks and need to line up a host family before he can travel to the US.

Thanks for the help!

Fran

Brenda's Homecoming

Hi Everyone,

I don't know about at your house, but here at mine, summer is always a bit crazy. Trying to entertain and keep four boys from destroying themselves, each other or the house is almost a full time job. This is all my way of explaining my absence for the last few weeks! While the house is somewhat quiet, I wanted to take a moment and pass along some photos of Brenda's homecoming.

I had mentioned earlier that she traveled well and her mom was thrilled to have her home. She is doing well and I was most impressed with the fancy stroller she is sitting in in all the photos.

Pharah returned home last month as well and we will have two other returning to Haiti this month. Right now, three little ones are scheduled to come in the next month or so for surgery. Two to the Philly area and one here in Virginia. There are still many children waiting for surgery in Haiti and we are looking frantically for docs.

Hope your summer is going well!

Fran

Dieuna is Out of Hosptial at Last

These sweet little girls are standing watch over little Dieuna who is finally out of the hospital. Dieuna came to the states in May and had her surgery for her hydrocephaly,but has really struggled with complications. A brain infection, skin sores on her large head and many feeding issues have kept her at DuPont Hospital for weeks. We are so thankful to her host family for bravely standing by her as she fought her way through the challenges. Her host mom says she is definitely a fighter and the folks at the hospital have been so supportive. Dieuna is still being fed by NG tube, but Robyn (her host mom) is hoping to try some thickened formula by mouth this week. This little one can use as much prayer as we can send her way as she is not having much voluntary movement in her limbs. Her head was very large prior to surgery and though the surgery was successful at creating an outlet for the fluid, we fear that she may have been compromised in some ways having lived with the extra pressure for so long. We will keep you updated on her progress.

An Interesting Website

Here is a link to a website put together by one of our most hard-working supporters, Dr. Ben Frederick. Dr. Frederick has been to Haiti several times with us and is planning on more trips on his own to continue his mission to help the people of Haiti. His website has a good bit of information on his goals, those he works with and a blog. If you have a few minutes, please check it out!

http://sites.google.com/a/fabfamily.org/haiti-medical/Home

Little Megan

What an incredibly beautiful baby! Baby Megan has one leg that is not in its hip socket. It needs fixed as soon as possible as it will hinder her growth and development. Please keep her in your prayers.

In Need of Prayer...

Please be in prayer for Joseph. This little boy has a brain tumor that has already caused him many troubles. It is very difficult to find care for children with brain tumors. Understandably, hospitals are often unwilling to embark on this type of venture due to the many number of unknowns in such cases. Without the advanced scanning equipment needed to diagnose the type of tumor, its location and its rate of progress, we cannot give all the information often needed to get the care donated. That doesn't mean we won't try and that we aren't asking you all to pray for Joseph and his family. If anyone knows a surgeon that might consider this case or be willing to consult with us on what this little man might be needing, please let us know. We will happily share all that we know at this point.

Baby Jorry

This handsome young man is Jorry Rosier. Jorry was born with Down Syndrome. Over 60% of children with Down Syndrome are born with some type of heart defect and Jorry is one of those unfortunate babies. If he was here in the United States, he would have surgery for his Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD). In the US, we no longer deny children born with Down Syndrome the right to have life saving surgeries. That was not the case at one time, not all that long ago. In Haiti there is no one to do this surgery for him though his parents have tried all avenues. Unfortunately we've learned from past experiences, it seems that some doctors here in the US (who would certainly not deny an American child with Down Syndrome the opportunity to have his heart fixed) will actually refuse to do the same surgery for a child with DS from another country like Haiti. I am not sure why that type of logic still exists. and as a mother of a son with Down Syndrome (who needed heart surgery shortly after we adopted him from Venezuela as an infant 13 years ago), I find I am very unsettled and saddened by this situation.

Jorry deserves the opportunity for a long life, just as all children in the world deserve the best we can give them. We are told that all that God creates is good and that God never makes mistakes. I believe that with my whole heart and each time I look at my son, Gabriel, I see his perfection in new and enchanting ways. Gabe reminds me that our measure of perfection is not God's. I've learned that the way the world defines success is most definitely not the same as God has intended for his children. Each day, God's love and joy shines through those mischevious eyes and that glorious smile on my Gabe's face. No child of God should be discriminated against due to a condition like Down Syndrome. I am praying fervently that someone can help find a doctor who would be willing to do the surgery for his little man. His parents are committed and have already gotten a passport for him. Can anyone out there help them?

Chrisno

Little Chrisno's mom, Joanna has been looking for help for her son since his head began to swell when he was one month old. She came to us a number of months ago and we are now thrilled to say that he will be coming to Virginia soon to have a shunt put in to drain the excess fluid in his skull. We are very thankful that the hospital in Roanoke will once again donate the medical care this little man needs. The last baby they helped us with, Mia (http://angelmissionshaiti.blogspot.com/2007/04/achemines-surgery.html ) is doing wonderful back home with her family in Haiti. We are praying for the same great results for this little man. Despite the size of his head, he babbles and tries to interact with those around him. Vanessa says he is quite expressive for such a young guy. We will keep you all updated once he is here!

Juline

Juline's surgery went well and she is now home recovering with her host family. A big thanks to Kim for flying her here from Haiti and getting her through the surgery! We know you deserve some rest this summer!
Her host family says Juline is doing well and their daughters are enjoying playing with her. Please pray that all goes well and she recovers without any complications!

Vanessa

Please keep Vanessa in your prayers this week as she recovers from surgery. I can't tell you the number of hours and the amount of energy, Vanessa puts in to helping the children of Haiti. Now she needs to take a bit of time for herself. Please pray that God would be with her this week and give her the rest she needs.
Thanks,
Fran

Joanise Is Home

Joanise went home this weekend! A big thanks to her host dad who flew her to Port au Prince. Suzie flew her up to Cap Haitian this weekend to an orphanage run by Children of the Promise. Joanise has family in that area but will be staying with the wonderful folks at COTP so that she can continue to recieve medication. We know her mom was thrilled to have her home!
It was a long road for this little one with multiple surgeries. We truly appreciate all those who helped in Joanise's care while she was here. Please keep Joanise in your prayers!

Some updates

Sorry for the delay in posting these updates. I know you all are wondering how some of these kiddos are doing.

Pierre: He is doing really well now that they have figured out the problem with his sodium level. It turns out that this little man has Diabetes Insipidus. He is now on medication and his home with his host family. Pierre is gaining weight well and sleeping through the night. He will hopefully have his surgery soon.

Joanise: Last week, we were told that Joanise's infection had cleared and that the doctor was going to put a second shunt in place. We are hopeful that she will do well with this surgery and that she can return home to Haiti soon. Joanise was also having trouble with her sodium levels and may need to be on medication when she returns home. There is a wonderful mission, Children of the Promise, in Cap Haitian where Joanise's family lives that can help the family with this issue.

Pharah: This little one is doing really well and had a great check up last week. Her head size continues to reduce and the doctor is hopeful that she will be cleared for surgery. Her host mom reports that she her vision is better and that she is trying to talk now. Pharah has also gained weight and is up to 30 lbs! She is rolling over, stacking blocks and pulling off her socks every chance she gets.

Alfrelina: This sweet girl is doing so much better since she arrived here in the US. When Vanessa first was given this baby in Haiti, the doctors there were very concerned. She was so small and malnourished. After staying with Vanessa for a short time, she moved on to her host family and the note I received from Sarah was glowing. She says Lena is doing really well, is up to 9 lbs (one more pound and she can have her surgery!) and is "chatting" at everyone. I love her smile in this photo!

Dieuna: This little girl has been in the hospital since she arrived. She has had such a hard time and had to fight an infection first thing. On Friday, she will have another surgery to try and open the first surgery site so that the fluid can drain. If that doesn't work, she will require a shunt. Please be in prayer for Dieuna and her host family. They have been visiting her in the hospital and are hopeful that she will recover soon so that they can care for her at home.

Being a host family is a big task for any family and requires great time & energy. We are thankful to all the families who are caring for our kiddos and joining us in our mission!

Happy Mother's Day to all

Vanessa and I would like to say Happy Mother's Day to all the incredible moms out there that are working with us to make Angel Missions Haiti a successful mission. We know that there are times when being a mom is tough regardless of what country you live in, but we are thankful that so many moms here in the US have stepped forward to help those struggling moms in Haiti. I can't imagine the courage it must take to hand your baby to a complete stranger trusting only in God's love for them and a prayer that all will turn out well. We have mother's do that each month as we get on an airplane with their children in an effort to save their lives. We also know how hard it is for host moms to kiss the beautiful children they have come to love for the very last time as they send them back to life in Haiti. Once again, it calls for an incredibly strong trust in God that He will care for them always.

Here is a short slideshow for all those wonderful moms we work with each day! You can see the love and strength on their faces and I take heart knowing that they are working beside us to save these children. There is strength in our unity!

Draft of new AMH video

This is a draft of our new fund-raising/awareness video. Let us know what you think! I love feedback and can still make changes before we begin to send it out. While I took most of the pictures on my trips to Haiti, I want to also thank Troy Livesay for allowing us to use some of his photos and a big thanks to a number of other volunteers and host families who have sent pictures to us. Also, a big great big thank you to Mark Harris who agreed to allow us to use his beautiful song, "Find Your Wings".

Happy Birthday, Naphtalie

Little Naphtalie celebrated her birthday yesterday with a great party! Her host mom, Kim sent along these photos and an update on how she is doing. We are happy to hear that her head size is not increasing and the doctor thinks the initial surgery was successful. She doesn't seem to be in pain as she was before though teething is causing some discomfort. Apparently she is getting six teeth at once...ouch! She is now listening and move to music and is interested in toys. Kim told us that before surgery she would actually seem to be overstimulated by toys so this is a definite improvement. We are all hopeful that Naphatalie will continue to do well and will be able to travel home to her family sometime in early summer. A big thanks to Kim and her family for taking such great care of this beautiful girl!

Updates

Hi Everyone,

Please continue to keep Pierre in your prayers. He is still in the hospital in SC and we have not heard yet a diagnosis. We are hoping to get something more definite this week. Vanessa is in contact with his family so they know how sick he currently is.

We have two more children coming for hydrocephaly surgery in May. Little Dieuna and Juline will both be going to the Philly area to have surgery with Dr. Warf. We are still looking for a host family Juline.

Dieuna and her sister


Juline and her parents

Several of the girls are ready to return to their families~ Brenda & Pharah will be returning in a week or so. Hopefully Joanise will be returning soon as well. At this point, we are waiting for hear from the doctor whether or not Naphatalie will need additional sugery. We had heard that she would, but now the doctor is hoping that the surgery is working, just slowly.


As always, thank you everyone for your support!

Prayers for Pierre

Hi Everyone,

I am writing to ask for prayers for a little one we have here that is awaiting surgery. He is quite small and very ill right now. In fact, he had to be admitted to the PICU at MUSC in Charleston, SC. That is a wonderful hospital and we know they are doing all they can for him. He arrived from Haiti barely a week ago and since that time, he would not eat or drink anything for a number of days. His little body just doesn't have any reserves to live off of at this point. We will let you know how he is doing in the days to come.

Here Comes the Sun...

Driving in the beautiful Virginia sunshine today, I looked in my rearview mirror to see my lovely two year old son singing along with the radio. Playing on the station was the Beatles' song Here Comes the Sun and I was struck by how we have truly come into the light these past few weeks. The seven week marathon in Baltimore is slowly becoming a distant memory for all of us and we are enjoying each moment being out & about and being home with the rest of our family. For me, there is no question that God used that time away to teach me a few things about myself, specifically my persistent & irritating desire to be in control of all things...at all times. It also reminded me that I don't truly depend on God until God is all I have to hold on to. Chedner has come through the journey mostly true to his self. He has recovered physically and has not only caught back up developmentally, but is making big gains in his ability to communicate. I'd say the one lingering after effect of the hospital stay is his tendency to break down quickly and have massive temper tantrums when things aren't going as he'd like...then again, I seem to have the same response these days! We want to say a big thanks to all the wonderful doctors, nurses and staff at Johns Hopkins Childrens in Baltimore. You will see many of them in the slideshow. They were fantastic and helped to make a long stay much more bearable and even managed to make it enjoyable at times. They all took good care of both of us and we appreciate their efforts more than we can say. For the next year or so, Chedner has a break from surgery. He will need more in the future, but for now for the time being he can enjoy just being a little boy. And for that, we are eternally grateful...

The Happiest Patient...

Little Widline had her surgery a bit over a week ago and I received a wonderful update and these photos from her host mom. The surgery was a success thanks to the wonderful medical folks you see below. She had a pull-thru surgery done to correct her imperforate anus and did not need a temporary colostomy! They did, however, identify a number of other potential problems during the testing and procedure that will now need to be followed. Kate (host mom) says that she has two appointments arranged for further diagnostics, so we are asking that you all keep Widline, her host family and her Haitian family in your prayers for the next few months. Hopefully, the great medical folks at Columbus Children's Hospital will be able to figure out how best to help Widline so that she can return to her family in the best health possible.

From what Kate said, this little one is just a smiley girl and even after surgery bounced back to her happy self pretty quickly. She is so cute and is gaining weight and growing well. Thanks to all who are supporting her and her host family during this time!

Wonderful Update on Pharah

Here is an update from Pharah's host mom, Malia. She does such a great job describing little Pharah that I decided just to cut and paste rather than try to paraphrase it myself! A huge thank you to Malia and her family for taking such wonderful care of Pharah while she is recovering.

Dear Fran and Vanessa,

Hi! I just wanted to let you know how Pharah is doing.

Wednesday, April 5, 2008

Pharah is doing well, although she recently had a cold which lasted for two days. I was surprised at how quickly she recovered! Her head circumference continues to shrink. People who have not seen her for a couple of weeks can notice the difference.

Pharah continues to develop new skills. She claps her hands. She likes to clap and kick her legs to "If You're Happy and You Know It". She says, "Mama, Dada, gaga, and God or good" regularly and continues to try to imitate what we say. We are working on L words such as Aleluia, since she recently found her tongue. It's cute how she sticks out her tongue and waits for you to do the same! Although, her favorite game is still Peek-a-Boo. Pharah can roll from side to side and back to front and front to back. She is trying to roll across the room to a toy, but hasn't mastered that yet. So, I sing "There were three in the bed and the little one said,'Roll over, Roll over.' So we all roll over and..." Pharah, Scott, and I roll on the floor (Pharah, with my assistance). She laughs when we roll.

Pharah recently attended a birthday party at Romp and Roll. She enjoyed playing with the toys and toddlers in the inflatable play area (See attached picture). She also spent night with Russ and Kelly Lewis. She fell in love with them the moment she meet them. Russ has a beard and glass, which she loved grabbing! The had a Two year old daughter who loved playing with Pharah.

Now that the weather is getting warm, Pharah goes with us to the local community garden on Tuesdays. She enjoyss meeting new people and listening to the birds (There are no flowers, yet to see.). We also go outside in our yard and blow bubbles. Pharah also enjoys playing musical instruments, such as bells and the tambourine. This girl has music in her soul and love in her heart. She is always ready to hold hands and smile!

To God be the glory!
Malia Gordon

Riots in Haiti

We are asking for prayers from all the readers for the situation in Haiti. It is very volatile right now and things in Haiti sometimes do not get reported accurately. Basically, the people are hungry. Food prices have soared and the people simply cannot buy what they need. When you are this hungry, you have little to lose by demonstrating, even if those demonstrations get violent. I am always reminded when I see the pictures of these events, that I truly am blessed not to have to chose to feed my children dirt, oil and salt biscuits for dinner or send them to bed with empty bellies.

Our Haitian friend and fellow Angel Missions worker, Bernard spent a long night last night praying and asking God not to let the men who were trying to break into our new clinic (and his family's home) succeed in their efforts. God provided and they were unable to get inside, but we need to find the funds to better secure that building. The medicine, supplies and furniture can be replaced...Bernard and his family cannot be! I can't imagine how scared he and his wife were for their young son, Berny's safety.

Please take a moment today to ask for God's protection for Bernard, Susie and Berny as they struggle with the instable environment they are living in at the moment. Please also pray for all Haitians, their government and the world powers, that we can find a way to stop hunger. We know there are resources enough in this world to feed every person. So much goes to waste. There are ships in the port in Haiti full of food that has gone bad or just hasn't made it to the people that are most in need. Corruption and greed are not strangers in any corner of the world, it is just so much worse when those at the lean end have literally nothing.

Fran

Emerson's Homecoming

Emerson and Nyessa headed home last Thursday and his parents couldn't have been happier. They are wonderful folks. I met them last fall when we picked up Emerson and they were so loving and concerned for their son. Emerson had one of the worse cleft situations I had ever seen. Even his right eye was involved. In fact, the eye still needs some work, but the rest of his lip and face look wonderful following the surgery. He has grown alot in the last six months and is such a big boy. His family sends their thanks and said they will be praying for all the other children who need medical care.

Emerson is doing well and adjusting to life in back in Haiti. We will continue to investigate whether we can do more for his eye and keep track of his health as he grows.

Nyessa is doing well also and her family is thrilled to have that sweet girl home. She is such a character with lots of charm and sass. We will follow her as well and let you know how she is doing. I wish I had some photos of her homecoming, but our digital camera broke and we haven't been able to replace it yet. If anyone has an old digital that they would like to donate, we'd love to have it!

Again, we thank CMM for their assistance in finding both Emerson and Nyessa their much needed surgery.