Gena Heraty, Director of the Special Needs Programs at NPFS Haiti, gives us an update on some of the children and what she describes as "a big family" at Kay Christine.
Thomas just appeared upstairs, and we are having a discussion about
his love life!! He is forever changing "girlfriends"!! But he always
finds another guy for the girl he is dumping!! So just now I asked him if it’s
true he has left "Zouzou". She is for another he says!! All of us
agree that if Thomas was able to walk we would never be able to keep him home
as he has a real eye for the ladies!!! Today he went horse riding and he loves
that! He is such a wonderful boy - always full of love and life and
always down for a laugh. He has many many friends and kids of all ages, boys and
girls, are always coming to chat with him or to wheel him around. His speech is
clearer now and so it's easier to understand him. He would make a good
journalist because he is always telling me when someone misbehaves. Last week one
of his sitters got married, and he was so so excited to go to the wedding. How
proud he was and how wonderful it was to see he and his Mom and three sisters there.
They love him so much and his mother was proudly showing him off to all her
friends and neighbors. I felt so many emotions during the wedding. So happy for
this family, so happy for Thomas. So happy to see his joy. And I missed so
much his twin brother- "my little prince"! Almost thirteen
years have gone since he died, and yet he is never far from my heart. Somehow I
like to think that he too was celebrating with his family that evening.
Robenslee has a new "karate type" routine! He is so funny! Doing his
routine every day. Don't ask me where it came from - he just started doing it, and we all remarked that it was like a martial arts routine! One day I was sitting outside in front of the house and I was
on the telephone. He was walking around and the next thing he just backed up
and sat on my knee for a few minutes! Then he went off again! So cute! I have
been deliberately giving him more attention these past months because it would
be easy to go a day and just see him as he is so independent! And I remember
how affectionate he was as a child. I have noticed that sometimes he will come
close just for the contact, he will stay a while while I rub his back or head
and then off he goes again! Other times he is too busy!!
Alsone has had a good year! He is so handsome! And so special! There he is in
his chair - unable to do a thing by himself and yet always quick with a smile. Never
impatient. Never grumpy! So gentle in so many ways. You know some people will
look at him and never see beyond his body! Never notice his beautiful bright
eyes, shining with love. Never notice his gentle presence, his kind smile, his
twinkling smile - in the world of today so many people will always be blind to
so many things.
Cepha is watching me from her bed! She is always watching silently, and when
you let her know you notice you will get a big smile or a laugh! During Mass
she sometimes gets jealous if she cannot sit next to me. The tears will come and we move her over to me
and then she is fine! Other times when I am with the smaller ones she will be
watching! So I make sure to give her extra attention! She is a happy girl and
loves a bit of fun! Still loves the chocolate too! Sometimes her hips give her a
lot of pain but more often she is fine. She loves her
school and the special ed classes are going really well.
Yoldi is now one year without seizures!
Wonderful, right?! What happened? Well he told all of us he asked God to cure him
and he did! Medically speaking we have no reason to explain the seizures
stopping because the medicines are the same and even with the medicines he was
having seizures regularly! He no longer wears the helmet! He wanted to stop
taking the meds but we said no for now. Maybe if he goes longer without them we can
try! After him begging us for months to let him return to school (to the
program we have for older kids that includes life skills, and trade school) we relented! So he is a happy student and doing great!
Thanks to all of you for
your wonderful support. I know you have been with us every step
of the way. I will never meet most of you, but know that I consider you all to
be part of our family here in Kay Christine. You will be happy to know that we
continue to work hard to bring services to children with disabilities living
with their parents. Our Special Ed school is going very well, as are our therapy
programs. Not only that but we are trying to help other people in the rural
areas of Haiti so we can reach out to the children that no one ever helps. Our
dream is to to be a part of providing services throughout Haiti – one parish at
a time!! With the help of God and good people like you, we will get there!
