June 9th-visit to Children of the Promise

Children of the Promise is an orphanage that was started by a couple who live in Wilmar, MN. I had visited there last year. It is out in a rural area essentially south of Cap Haitien. They have very nice facilities both for staff and for the children including class rooms, large kitchen, and a nice play area with swing set. They take in babies and children up to about 5 years old. Some of the children are orphans, but a good number have parents who for any number of reasons can not take care of them. Some of the children are eventually reunited with their families, others are put up for adoption. Each child has a Haitian "mommy" who cares for them. And then, volunteers come to assist and to work with special needs children. Before the earthquake they had approximately 50 children in their care. During the chaos that followed the earthquake, 40 of the children who were in the process of being adopted were allowed to leave and go to their adoptive families. Including one child who's parents rented a helicopter in Dominican Republic and flew in to get their child. (FYI: the well drillers were staying here during this time and assisted in guiding the helicopter down!) They are now back up to around 30 children. The very nice young couple who are directors, have received permission to take their adopted children out of the country (2 1/2, 2, 1 years old, and surprise, a baby to be born in October!)

I visited the facility again this trip because they had had a diesel spill and we are going to try to get a water sample analyzed in a lab in the states. Doug has worked out the lab, but the into and outof the country is still being worked on! We should have it together by July so Doug can go and check it out to be sure their well water is not contaminated.

If anyone is interested in volunteering to help here for a week or two or even longer, let me know and I will get you the information. It is very reasonable to stay there and the children are so wonderful! They also facilitate adoptions as well and it sounds like from what I have read that the Haitian government is allowing adoptions to proceed of children whose parent's either can sign the paperwork or can be verified as deceased.

If the Lord speaks to your heart, listen.....