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We like happy endings as much as everyone else. Maybe that’s why it’s taken so long to get an update out. We would have just loved to fill it with happy and upbeat stories. But, life has been tough and tougher lately.
You likely have heard how security issues continue to plague Haiti. News of people being kidnapped, shot or robbed seems to happen with more and more regularity. While it affects every area of life, one of the consequences of this insecurity has hit us at the HOH hard. The gangs have blocked the distribution of fuel throughout the country. Banks have had to reduce the hours they are open and more distressing is that hospitals have had to reduce their services or close altogether.
Last weekend, when we needed to find an open hospital for one of our young men who was in medical distress, we couldn’t. Rodlin, who we called Toto, had been part of our family since he was 4 years old. He was an adult now, who had finished university with a degree in business. He remained at the HOH to work in our office and help us with our finances. Earlier this year he started to have some health problems and the doctors in our partnering hospital sent him to PAP to have tests done.
He had been in PAP for several weeks, waiting for a chance to get the tests done, but between the insecurity and lack of fuel, he just couldn’t get it done. Then, in the middle of the night on Friday, he had a medical crisis. He was staying with our university boys in PAP and they heroically tried to help him and get him to a hospital. They were turned away from 4 hospitals and by the time the got to the 5th, he had passed away. Shock, horror, guilt, deep sadness; we have all felt some of each over the past few days.
It didn’t help that on that same day we had just buried another little girl who had been a part of our family over this past year. Valencia had spent 6 months with us earlier in 2021 and had returned to her home, healthy. But, once home, she started to get sick again. By the time they brought her back to us, it was too late and she died the same day she returned.
Having to change our habits due to insecurity, or limit our purchases due to out of control inflation are things we have learned to deal with on a daily basis. But these deaths, added to the others in our family we had already lost this past year, have been really hard.
It is in these moments, we are brought back to our foundation of trust in our Father who provides for us even in the difficult times. Together with the kids this week, we are reflecting on His provision of peace. The peace that Jesus left us is not the world’s peace that leaves you when the bad stuff happens. Jesus’ peace stays with you, in the good and the bad. Jesus’ peace calls us to not be troubled or afraid.
We are so grateful to the many of you who have held us up in prayers over the past few days. We are grateful to the support many have sent us over the past number of weeks to help us with the increased cost of living. We are grateful to our Heavenly Father who supplies what we need, when we need it. And we are so grateful that we don’t have to face our trials with the peace of this world, we are blessed to have Jesus’ peace as we grieve the loss of those we loved.