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!