Claudine

Claudine

Claudine is the resident “tom-boy” at the Center–rough and tumble but has a beautiful spirit! She is sensitive and shy, but loves to laugh.

Claudine has been at the Center since 2009 and has been a blessed addition to the CCH family. Prior to living at the Center, Claudine lived with her mother and step-father. While most young children Claudine’s age should be playing on playgrounds and attending school, Claudine was given no access to education and was forced to work in the fields from sunup to sundown. The days she missed working in the fields, she also missed out on the opportunity to eat. Meanwhile, she endured physical abuse from her step-father. Like many parents who are poverty stricken, Claudine’s mother allowed her to slip into a restavek situation simply to find food.

By God’s grace, He allowed Eddy and Claudine to cross paths when Eddy showed up at the location where Claudine “worked.” Claudine informed Eddy that she was looking for a place to go, to get away from her owners. Eddy knew of the perfect place and brought her to the Center. Claudine, no longer has to worry about food, working ceaselessly, her owners, to enduring physical abuse. She has access to education, meals, and lots of love!

Please continue to pray for Claudine as she pursues her education at the Center as well as her heart for God.

 

Jackson

I know we just posted about Clonard, not long ago. But we’ve had a new addition to the Center and I just couldn’t wait to share about him. His story, though sad, has a happy ending.

Just a few days ago, Jackson was brought to the Center by Human Services. He arrived in the afternoon with just the clothes on his body, a pair of shoes, and a little baseball cap.

He also came with a lot of scars and wounds–his face, under his eyes, his neck, his legs, his arms, his stomach, and especially his back were covered in scratch marks and scars. Some still fresh and in the process of healing. His left arm hurt and was swollen, he wasn’t able to throw a ball with it.

The saddest part about his battle wounds are that they were inflicted by his mother; one of the few people he should have been able to depend on for security, safety, and love.

The most beautiful and amazing thing was that the second he got to the Center he had over a hundred new brothers and sisters, who embraced him and became protective of him. Several of the girls cried when they heard his story and saw his scars.

He’s got some signs of being malnourished–but that should be remedied soon. When he got to the Center, after being weighed and checked by the doctor, he was taken to Joshua House, fed and bathed (which he did not like!).

The next day, we visited him and played ball…something he likes to do and puts a smile on his face. All of the boys at the Joshua stood around him as he threw the ball (and cheered for him) several times he broke out into a smile and once he gave me a big, belly laugh. At one point, he started wandering off towards his dorm and I followed, to be sure he knew where he was going. He walked into his dorm, his house mom sitting at the table. He stood at the door and she said, “Jackson, sweetie, come to mamma!” He instantly entered and sat on her lap–someone he could trust and knew would love him.

Please pray for Jackson; both his physical and emotional healing.

“Whether it be in our body
Or the hurt within our soul,
He will touch the point of need
And will truly make us whole

His healing is there for you
Just receive it from the Lord,
Believe upon the living word
That you can be restored.” M.S.Lowndes

Clonard

 

Clonard Blanc

If you’ve ever visited us in Haiti, no doubt you’ve met Clonard. She’s one of those impressionable girls that you never seem to forget….oh, wait…that would all of the girls.

Though she is small in size she makes up for her stature in a rough-and-tumble personality with a dash of sweetness. Although you wouldn’t expect that from someone who has seen the travesties and cruelty that she has. Clonard has seen, experienced, and been through much more than any nine year old should have to face.  The details of her story are not very clear, but like several other girls at the CCH, Clonard had been in a restavek situation. If you recall our last post about Willienne, children who are restavek situations are victims of domestic slavery. When she first came to the Center she had scars, sores, and marks from beatings she had endured from her owners. Thankfully, the police and Human Services removed her from the situation into a safer environment for her own health and safety. Despite all of her hardship, she carries an infectious laugh and a beaming smile.

Zachery remembers her arrival at the Center:  There had been a discussion at stopping at 50 girls and at the time the Center was already busting at the seams with 53 girls—three over the maximum capacity. Human Services contacted Eddy about a girl that they needed to find a safe place for and Eddy met with them at the Center. Zachery remembers Clonard arriving with the HS staff and showing Eddy her scars, marks, and bruises. Eddy smiled, looked at her and said, “Come with me, I’ll show you to your room.” From that day forward, Clonard never had to fear another malicious beating or abuse.

Clonard likes to jump on the trampoline, laugh, color pictures, sing in church, attend Bible Study, and hold the babies from the James 1:27 Village.

Update

We’ve had quite a few people ask us for an update, especially concerning Baby DeRoos, and I realize that we haven’t been as diligent in writing frequent updates as I had hoped….so here is my attempt (plus some other fun pictures!)

We will be returning to the States the 27th of April, first to Maryland for two weeks and then to Alta, Iowa for the remainder of our stay. We don’t currently have a return date-but our hope is to be back in Haiti by the early fall. Since Baby DeRoos is due in the beginning of July, that will give us several months to prepare for our return.

24 weeks.

We would love to connect with you or your church while we are home, so please contact us!

Winner for the most girls on his lap at one time. Best seat in the house.

This is Ruth. She has the best sense of humor I’ve ever seen for a preschooler, she’s tough, and she’s got the best laugh.

Last week we visited the Center of Help with a team.

Willienne

We’re starting something new around here so that our readers and supporters can meet some of the people and children that we work with on a daily basis. We hope that through our website you’ll be able to connect or reconnect with some of the girls, boys, babies, and staff. Enjoy!

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Willienne Deralin

If you’ve ever visited the Consolation Center, you’ve no doubt met Willienne. Her bubbly, outgoing nature makes her one of the more outgoing girls. If she’s happy, you’ll know it. If she’s angry, you’ll know it. Needless to say, she’s very transparent with her emotions. She recently turned 17 and would be considered one of the older girls at the Center. Willienne is known for her superior athletic ability and her love for singing worship.

Many of the girls we work with have been through horrific situations, which can either cause them to withdraw emotionally or be more transparent. As mentioned above, Willienne is the latter. Also, like several of the children we work with, Willienne lost her mother at a very young age. Following her mothers death, she was sent to live with her father in a very destitute and rough part of Port-au-Prince. At the time of the 2010 earthquake, Willienne was separated from her father. She was eleven years old. The earthquake made many orphans that year and forced many children onto the streets for sheer survival but also made them prey to many dark and impressionable experiences. Many children, including Willienne, fell into a restavek situation (a domestic slave) .  Restavek’s are children who are promised care and education, but in turn are often mistreated and forced into completing menial domestic tasks for no pay. Eventually, she was kicked out of the home because the man of household did not like her. Again, she was back on the streets. Several months later, a friend of Eddy ‘s (the director of the CCH) found Willienne and brought her to the Center.

Willienne has a relationship with the Lord and we pray that she continues to grow in her love and delight in Him.

*Photo Credit Audrey Sultenfuss