Jean Bernard

At the hospital in Port au Prince with some of the May team...

Jean Bernard in June of 2010

OK... for those of you who have been asking (and rightfully so) "WHO IS THIS CHILD and how are you two connected?" here is the answer.  Jean Bernard (JB) is an adorable little 12 year old boy that I met my with my FIRST team in Haiti in June 2010.  Some of the group was on a prayer walk and they found him living ALONE on the street.  They brought him to our base, loved him, clothed him and prayed over him.  He was so skinny but soon began to thrive and just light up when we "blan's" were around.  The next team to that location had a woman who just fell in love with him and his story and offered to sponsor him to go to school and to live with one of the pastor's I know well (consider him my pastor when I am in Haiti). He has many health issues- most of which are congenital but with no family to ask about history we do not know much about what (if anything) has ever been done to help him.

Fast forward a year or so and this past December I had my doctor take a look at him because he had developed an inguinal hernia.  At that time he suggested that little JB get surgery to correct the problem.  It was swollen and they said if it twisted at all he would die.  Through some friends here in Haiti he was actually scheduled to go to the US Navy ship for surgery by American doctors but (This IS Haiti- no urgency and no real advocates for the orphans) he did not make his appointment- which my friend worked VERY hard to get for him!  Many people want to get on those ships for surgeries and other things.  He has also not made other appointments simply because no one is willing to go with him most of the time.

SO..... this last team was in Haiti and their first real day of ministry the pastor (where he had been living- he now lives with an Aunt that they found) brings him to the team because he knows the group is medical and asks us to look at him.  I can not tell you how much it has grown in the last five months.  It was obvious even to my untrained eye that he needed surgery ASAP.... So we took him to the general hospital to be looked at.  Praise God we got seen that evening and referred to an amazing surgeon that I really trust.  He has even referred me farther to another surgeon that we will meet with today if all goes well.

Right now I am scheduled to leave tomorrow to come home but I feel this is not what I should do.  The surgeon I know said that even if JB gets the surgery this week (they do them Sat. and Tues) he will be in the hospital for a few days.  He needs someone to stay with him, get him food, pay for his medicine (they do not give it- you have to go out and buy it at nearby pharmacies), administer the medication, take him to the bathroom, bathe him, etc.. I will be doing some of this but will also need someone who speaks Creole to come too.  (we have someone willing for $25 US per day)

Pray for all the decisions that need to be made and for clarity for me.  Pray for logistics as I find housing for the days I will not be at the hospital (but need to stay close).  Pray that changing my plane ticket is not too much.  Pray for finances to come in to support this decision.  I am currently thinking of staying another 7 to 10 days.  Pray mostly for Jean Bernard as he is in a lot of discomfort.  I will try to keep people updated here as we go along through this process.  Don't know about internet availability.  Time will tell.  Mesi!!

(PS- if you would like to give toward these expenses please donate from our website and note that it is for Jean Bernard- there are directions there for online donation and/or mailing it in to us. www.heartsunitedwithhaiti.org   All donations are tax deductible and any excess money we raise will go directly into the ministry to assist children like JB who are in need here in Haiti and we will make it very clear what that is)