About three weeks ago a baby was left outside the gate of our orphanage. The security guard found her sitting all alone, with no caregiver in sight. I picked up the little girl, who appeared to be about one, and put a diaper on her. I couldn't believe a parent would just leave such a beautiful child all by herself! And this child was dressed in nice clothes, her hair was braided, she was smiling, and looked healthy. So it seemed as if this baby was being well cared for.
After waiting an hour for mom to come back for this child, Casi, a Haitian staff at the orphange, and I went to the courthouse in a nearby town to get abandonment papers for this baby. But before we left, we needed to give this child a name. We gave her the name HOPE. How fitting! In such a 'hopeless' situation, I knew that God was going to bring so much 'hope' to this precious child!
Casi explained to the judge how Hope had been abandoned at Tytoo orphanage. The judges response was that this child is lucky that she is not dead! Needless to say, we got abandonment papers for Hope, and she is now in the custody of Tytoo. :)
Two days after Hope was in our care, her mom came. Mom did not want to take her child home, but came to tell us her name, and that she had family. The baby's real name is Karina(we call her Karina Hope) and she is 8 months old. Mom said she has 3 other children at home and doesn't have money to take care of Karina. We told mom that she can come visit Karina at the orphanage. We didn't encourage her to take Karina back, in fear that she would just abandon her somewhere else.
Karina is seriously one the happiest babies I have ever known! Her smile and laughter bring joy to everyone around her.
Karina Hope
So why and how could a mother abandon such a beautiful girl?! This I DON'T understand. But as Karina fell asleep in my arms the first night she was here, God told me that he has not abandoned Karina. He will ALWAYS be with her; He has not forgotten her(Isaiah 44:21). This gives me HOPE. I have hope because God knows Karina by name(Isaiah 43:1). I have hope because God has plans to give Karina HOPE and a future ( Jerimiah 29:11). I have hope because Karina is God's child, and she has the best dad ever! (1 John 3:1)
I would like to tell you that Karina's situation is a rare case in Haiti. But in fact, it is more common for a mother to want her child to be raised in an orphanage, where she knows her child will be fed, have clothes, and an opportunity to go to school, than for the mom to care for her child at home with maybe one meal day, a dirt floor to sleep on, and no money for an education.
This week 4 mom's came to our gate, wanting us to take their children. These are difficult decisions for us to make...especially if the child appears to be malnourished and sick. So I ask you to pray first for parents to would want to and be able to care for their children in our community. Second, I ask you to pray for the directors and I to have wisdom on what do to when mom's want to give us their children. And as for me, you can pray for strength when days are hot and exhausting, for God's presence to surround me when I need a friend, and for the love of Jesus to overflow through me constantly.
My prayer for Karina and children in similar situations as her is Romans 15:13, "I pray that God, the source of HOPE, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident HOPE through the power of the Holy Spirit."
With Love,
Taunya
