Daneilson

Daneilson Joseph (pronounced "da- neil- son") is one of the children of Chaveneau... He started coming around almost the first day we were there and we saw him every day for the two weeks.  We would often comment that he seemed older than he physically appeared and his school uniform was that of an older child even though his size was that of one of the preschool/kindergarten children.  He is smart and LOVES to be carried around like a little one- hanging onto your body like a monkey for attention. 

Finally after about a week or so we asked how old he was.  The response?  EIGHT years old.  WOW!!!  One would think he was only 5 at max if judging by his physical stature.  That is when Pastor Duval reminded us of his vision to begin a feeding program this fall and an orphanage in Chaveneau. Many of the children we saw in our two weeks of living in Chaveneau were malnourished.  Many had the red hair and swollen bellies which are signs of starvation.  Many were sooooo skinny it hurt to hold them on your lap.  ALL needed love and attention in addition to food, clothing and medical attention..... all needed hope...  

In Haiti the word orphanage means a place for children to come and live and be taken care of because their family can not afford to.  Most of the children are not orphans in the true sense of the word, but are just the victims of poverty.  Parents can not afford to take care of the children they have so they put them in orphanages to receive food, clothing, education, etc...  Either that or put them out on the street to take care of themselves.  An orphanage in Haiti is kind of like a boarding school- but instead of paying to put them there, children are put there because parents have no means to keep them at home. Sometimes they are sent home to be with their families during the two months when there is no school in session. Sometimes they stay at the orphanage year-round.  

This system is in dire need of rehabilitation.  The answer is not to just build another orphanage in Chaveneau.  It is to work WITH the families and keep them together, but also to provide ways for them to care for their children.  To provide opportunities for them to succeed in a country with an 80% unemployment rate.  To provide education and teach skills so they are no longer dependent upon others to help their family and so they don't feel the only alternative is to "give up" their child so they have a "better life". 

But.... in the meantime, there are starving/malnourished children in Chaveneau (and all over Haiti) who are in need of FOOD, medical attention, clothing, education, etc...  Won't you please consider helping them in some way??  Pray for these little ones and pray for the families who must watch their children starve and suffer just because they were born into a family who has no opportunity to provide for them.  Pray for Daneilson... pray for us as we work here in Haiti.... pray for the five loaves and two fishes we currently have to go a LONG way and to be used by Him to show how He provides for not only our physical needs, but ALL our needs if we only look to Him and trust.   Thank you for your prayers-