From a rubbish dump...
I will never forget the time when Reninca and I were living in Haiti and received a random visit from a local Government worker one afternoon. He was accompanied by a small, malnourished girl with special needs who'd tragically been found abandoned on a near by rubbish dump. She urgently needed somewhere to stay, and so much like an emergency foster care placement, she joined our respite centre.
Six years on and she's still with one of our long term Maison de Benediction foster families and part of our mid-week residential respite scheme at the centre. This week, thanks to a host of amazing partners (most notably the Walkabout Foundation who donated 150 amazing wheelchairs and came to Haiti to help fit them, and Konbit Sante who helped with the logistics getting them here), she received her first wheelchair...a life changing, transformational moment that we will never forget. She was just one of 50 children with disabilities this week who received this life changing gift in Haiti, and there's still another 100 chairs to give out.
Another partner, Footprints of the Son, also benefited from 10 chairs and sent this encouraging and moving thank you letter to us...
Thank you, thank you, thank you! What a blessing of a day! Today’s experience was so amazing for all of us. The parents talked about it the whole way home. It is always great to see them enjoy each other and their kids. They didn’t feel judged once. They felt welcomed and they saw their kids were valued by all of you and the center’s staff. We really appreciate you thinking of us! A lot of these chairs are true “game changers” for the kiddos.
I also loved Footprints Facebook post, saying how the children's parents 'looked on and celebrated as their children got to see the world from a new perspective!'
To know 50 children have received this new perspective, have had this life changing experience is amazing. And yet, as I write this blog, I'm acutely aware there are so many children across Haiti who are yet to receive this new perspective. This good news story also comes at a critical time for this projects future, when the hospital and HHA painstakingly pour over difficult financial budgets for the year ahead. Many of you will have received emails or letters about this. If not, please take the time to visit our Urgent Hospital Appeal. You only need to watch this short video to know how critical our disability work is:
INSPIRED TO HELP? We still have places available for an amazing 10km run through the landmarks of London on 15th July! Why not sign up today and help bring hope to life for hundreds more. Please contact Tim for more information: tim@hopehealthaction.org
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