Giving a little respect to those who dont recieve it....

With the joys of LIFE we too have to experience the sadness of death....

I don't know that I could have ever prepared myself for the things I witnessed today but as hard as it was I have to cling to my FATHER and find rest in HIM... Today, September 15th, my sweet Belinda went HOME to walk on streets of gold to be with her FATHER!!!! As hard as it is for me to write this I really do cling to knowing that she is REJOICING right now. With all the emotions that are running through my head, I feel it necessary to share the struggle that even death creates here in Haiti....


As much as I wish it was different, people with special needs are deemed worthless here in Haiti, they are shown no respect and outcasted greatly in society. My hope is that through this I can share with you a huge struggle that I face daily in the line of work I do... I ask you to pray for these sweet people who are shown this injustice as well as the country as a whole that maybe one day, we can put our differences behind us and learn to see people through the eyes of Christ!!!!!

When I went into the girls room to check on B this morning I was informed that she had gone to the Baptist Mission hospital... Obviously I quickly started asking questions but to my surprise no one could tell me what was going on, being the impatient person I am I decided I would go get the answers I wanted. I walked up to the hospital but when I got there I couldn't find them... Where were they? The directors told me she was up here, did they go somewhere else? Is she in the back somewhere? A thousand questions ran through my head so I decided to get a dear friend (who speaks creole since I dont) to ask the hospital staff if they had seen her. After we looked in EVERY single room for them he informed me that he was friends with one of the women who was with B... After he called her he informed me that they were on their way to the fifth hospital....

What do you mean the FIFTH hospital? Why is she not being seen, she is really sick? Why? I need answers!!! All these things were running through my head, but I knew why. I was mad, I was hurt, I was every emotion you could have. This sweet little girl is struggling to hold on and no one will see her because she is handicap....
As horrible as this is, its the TRUTH. So I walked back to the house and decided to shower while I waited for answers. When I went back over to get an update, I heard the news... My sweet little B just couldn't hold on anymore.

The next hour of my LIFE was possible the hardest experience I have ever witnessed...
As I stood there in shock, overwhelmed by the pain of losing someone so sweet the staff prepared her for her burial. We sang song, celebrated her precious LIFE and prayed over her. It was an extremely bittersweet time but one filled with the respect and dignity, exactly what she deserved!!!! Because she was a child with disabilities we had to take her to the cemetery somewhat secretly. She was buried between two plots at the cemetery not to far from the house.... It was a very hard time but I was so glad I could be there to respect her passing they way she deserved.
I know this will not be the only death experience that I walk through here in Haiti or in America but my hope is that when the FATHER calls his children home I am able to give them the proper respect their passing deserves, maybe one day others in this country will come to do the same but until then I will do my best to help change that....

"learn to do right. Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." Isaiah 1:17

Katie <3

LORD IM AMAZED MY YOU...

As I set in my room writing this I get a little lost in the familiar sound of the song and dance of the children and staff just outside my door... Every Friday we gather together to WORSHIP!!! In pure humility it is a BEAUTIFUL time of praise, adoration and submission. One of the sweetest things I've ever witnessed... People coming before the Lord dancing, shouting, singing in whatever capacity they can! Working with special needs children has it difficulties and I think often times we limit what we think these kids can do unintentionally. I say that because I have come to experience a different kind of Worship here on Fridays. The JOY that flows through the atmosphere is contagious! You can't help but acknowledge the awe of God!!! "You dance over me while I am unaware You sing all around but I never hear a sound Lord I'm amazed by you, Lord I'm amazed by you Lord I'm amazed by you, how you love me" I am so thankful for that LOVE, oh how underserving of for it but how amazing that he graces us with it!!! The past three months here have stretched me in ways I wasn't expecting. In my opinion I think special needs children hold a special place in Gods heart. What the world deems as broken I think are sometimes the best vessels to show us how broken we should long to be. These children don't hold back, they don't tell you what you want to here. They don't hide there feelings and act like they have it all together. There not defined by their limitations but by their ability to preserver when the odds are usually against them. I had no idea that 12 years ago when I met a 2 year old little boy with cerebral palsy that God would explode in me a passion for these children of HIS'. I had no idea I would end up falling in love with a country and move here in the hopes of showing people that this group of people deserve and need that same love we all seek. God has huge plans ahead, plans that I often wonder if he chose the right one to carry out. This call is something I never expected I would do but oh is it confirmation that it's exactly what God wants! I am honored to serve him. I am so blessed to be able to take in each and everyone of these children God places before me. My hope is that through this ministry lives will be changed and people will come to know HIM and in return earn to see these children as CHRIST does. PERFECT! BEAUTIFUL! What are you walking toward? What is your LIFE saying?