For those of you with soft hearts I know this story will break yours, but I need to share it... I know it breaks mine and it is with tears in my eyes I share it with you. I do not share for sensationalism but I share out of LOVE and out of desperation for the children at Son of God Orphanage in Haiti where we have taken teams and I have personally visited many times. Many of you know that my daughter Emily first "sent" me there with a message for her special girl Sarafina who I am now in love with too. The last time I saw Sarafina was July when I went to visit her with my team (around July 23rd). At that time I got to tell her I love her, Emily loves her and we will NEVER forget her no matter where we are- even when we are apart and can not see one another. I said this partly because I knew things were "going to get crazy" at Son of God and partly because I just wanted (as every time I leave) to reassure her that she is NEVER far from our minds...
There has been so much going on at Son of God since a group of people I consider good friends (I was only minimally involved in this at this point) got the Haitian government and other organizations investigating and involved to try to bring help to these precious children- children living in filth, being abused (both sexually and physically), not being fed, not being clothed with things we took as donations, etc... I could tell you of months of investigation and exposing the corruption of this facility. I could tell you of the many organizations who are working together to get these kids out yet they remain in the same (if not worse) conditions. I could tell you of the arrest of the man who runs the organization and how it "went down" and how we all thought and prayed that THIS would be the end and the children would finally be moved and safe. I can tell you of how his wife and children continue to run the orphanage, to eat well, to have "luxuries" the children in their "care" do not have. I can tell you how the meetings with officials in Haiti have exposed even more corruption than any of us could imagine.
What I can NOT tell you is that the children are safe. That they are fed. That they are healthy. That they know we are fighting for them (and not wondering WHY the Americans come to see them but nothing changes- except to get worse). That they will be "OK". That they will not die of starvation (as we fear at least one already has).
Will you PLEASE join me in prayer for these children? Monday night (October 24th) we will be having a time of prayer. I am not yet sure where this will occur (depends on response) but I am asking that you prayerfully consider fasting until then from something that (when you think of it or want to eat it or whatever you choose) will remind you to PRAY for them! TOGETHER there is power through prayer.. God has not forgotten the children of Son of God. PLEASE join us in this fast/prayer time. PLEASE look at the photos of "our" girl Sarafina and remember her as you pray. The first one was taken in the beginning of July 2011, the second on Aug 17, 2011 by a friend of ours. There's no knowing how much thinner she is now- TWO MONTHS later!
Thank you- God bless!! "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress." James 1:27
Blessings- Crystal Funk (founder/president of Hearts United with Haiti)
PS- Please comment or e-mail me if you plan to come on Monday the 24th to pray with us. Then we will get a number together so we can plan a location that will "fit" us all. thanks
PLEASE feel free to share this information with whomever you desire. And finally, if you would like to sign a petition to get CNN to do a story/get involved in the investigation, please follow this link from a friend of mine. (copy and paste this link)
http://www.change.org/petitions/the-freedom-project-expose-human-trafficking-at-son-of-god-orphanage-in-haiti
Sarafina -July 2011
Sarafina- 8/17/11
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