I am setting at camp almost though my last week for the summer.  I am eagerly awaiting my return home to Haiti.  I am also hoping I haven’t lost all of my conditioning to the temperatures in Haiti.  It’s 77 degrees right now and I am cold so I think I will be OK when I get back!

It’s been a busy summer here in Michigan.  I was here from June 22nd to August 24th. 

During that time, I have spent over 900 hours volunteering at kid’s camps as the medical staff.  It’s been a good summer caring for the kids whether they needed an ambulance or just a band-aid for a little boo boo.  Whether in Michigan or Haiti, kids just want to know someone cares about them. 

Sometimes it's more about the caring than the band-aid.  I always say I should count the band-aids I use over the summer but never do.  But with a doubt, it's several hundred by the number of boxes I go though.  That's several hundred opportunities to let the kids know someone cares about them.

My mind has never been far from Haiti while I have been here.  Whether worried about one of my kids or answering messages from Haiti about medical issues on Facebook.  Seeing updates from the medical and malnutrition clinic have been both good and difficult. 

I am ready to return to Haiti and continue helping our kids!

One of those kids that has weighed heavy on my heart is Davernile.  If you remember her story from (The Lost Have Been Found ~ May 29th 2017).  She was brought to the clinic by her mother then didn’t return to be admitted to an inpatient malnutrition center for a couple weeks.  Once we finally got her in, she left a few days later with her.  A couple weeks after that she returned to our clinic and she was unresponsive.

After some IV fluid she woke up and we started to feed her with a syringe.  Her mother assured us she would bring her back the next day but again she didn’t show up.  After several weeks, we assumed she was dead.  I felt guilty that she may have used the IV I left in place for the malnutrition center the next day to help kill her.  I was so happy the other day I got a picture from the clinic of our little Davernile.  I couldn't believe she was still alive!

Her mom had abandoned her and she was being cared for by an Aunt that brought her back to the clinic.  She was still very sick and underweight and covered in scabies.  Arrangements were made again to get her to a different inpatient malnutrition center for disabled children.  Her Aunt brought her back and she was taken to be admitted.  She signed off rights to her as she can barely care for her own children.  She will be placed in an orphanage once she graduates from the malnutrition center.

She was reported to be doing very well and eating well in a place where she was loved and cared for.  But, I received a message that she has taken a turn for the worse and has been admitted to the hospital.  She has an infection and is getting septic.  After being shuffled from hospital to hospital we are hoping she is in a place to get good care.  Please pray for Davernile and the people caring for her.  She has had a very difficult life already in her short 21 months of life.

I just received word of an American friend that is sick and in the process of getting a Medivac from Haiti to the U.S.A.  This only increases my guilt of being gone so long and my desire to return home.  It also confirms my need for medical insurance as well as medivac insurance — sooner rather than later.  I will be returning to Haiti on August 24th.  Please pray that this will be a smooth transition as I prepare to go to Haiti for the rest of the year. Also that I can get all the supplies I have obtained down to Haiti with me both on the plane as well as shipping some of them.

Thank-You!  It is truly a blessing to be able to serve the children of Haiti as well as here in Michigan on your behalf.  If you are not currently a part of caring for and loving on these precious children now is the time to join the team.  Together we are saving lives and making a difference in this broken world.

Until No Child Dies,

Kelby