Tuesday: Four Weeks Since the Quake

from Rome City Team - Brian & Sarah Bennetch by Rome City Team

An e-mail with an offer, followed by a phone call. Sketchy directions with a boost from the GPS. We jump in the truck and head to the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. Several kilometers down the dusty road, which is strangely devoid of any population, just when we fear we're on the wrong path - hallelujah, in the middle of "nowhere" stands the mission compound we were searching for - bustling with missionaries and children. We met a team of visiting Christian volunteers there with "Global Aid Network," and true to their name, they connected with us to bless Haitians. They had a roomful of baby food and formula powder to get into the right hands, and they trusted us. So we loaded our truck, with the school-age orphans happily pitching in, and then drive back into the city. We head to the orphanage where we had established a rapport last week with the women in charge. Once again, directions are vague. We prayerfully follow our noses as we weave down streets past huge piles of rubble on each side, and then we spot the gate: "That's it! Thank you, Jesus!" says our driver. Smiles greet us and kisses from the ladies. We ask them about their food supply and they admit that it's quite a stretch to feed the children every day. Most of these children are under four - many under two years old. We explain that this "baby food" can feed any and all of them, for a long time, and encourage the cook to be creative in blending it into the pot of sauce for their one daily meal of rice. Just think of all the nutrients they'll get from that stuff! The powder milk should go first to the babies. Frankly, we don't know if the cook has any clue. But thank God, there's a lady pediatrician who visits three times a week. She has a big heart for this flock of the littlest lambs. She'll give them a lesson on how to nourish them with this strange food. The ladies are so grateful for the food, even though a little befuddled. Apparently the doctor is not the only one whose heart is touched by these most vulnerable ones, a team of French volunteers with "Protection Civile" are making rapid progress building a house for them! It is rising at the foot of the mountain of rubble. After kisses goodbye, we turn around to make our jumpy bumpy way back to the hotel. That little errand took us 6 hours! We are happy the Lord connected the dots and orchestrated this delivery, happy to be His instruments. We are humbled and filled with admiration for all those who give a hand, like those French volunteers, but especially, those heroic women who used every ounce of their strength to rescue all those tiny tots from a collapsing orphanage, four weeks ago today.