I am sure that when you think about orphanages you think about children who are parentless, or abandoned, left to fend for themselves. And then in turn children at orphanages are adopted to families around the globe. In Haiti that is not always the case. At Le Bon Berger (The Good Shepherd) orphanage, a lot of the kids still have parents, and are still in contact with them. Some families in Haiti are unable to provide for all of their children, and it is common practice to send your child to live with other families, or to live in Orphanages in the hopes that they will have a chance to go to school, and thus have a better future. This is one of the reasons why Papa Cassey decided his orphanage would not be an adoptable orphanage.
I am grateful for Papa Cassey’s decision because this means that every time I go to Le Bon Berger I will get to see the same awesome little boys, as I got to see on my previous visits. As it turns out, a chance meeting happened for one couple who came to serve at the Good Shepherd Orphanage, and they fell in love with a little girl named Georgina. Now Georgina was not a child at the orphanage, but a child of one of the older men that grew up at the orphanage. George, Georgina’s father expressed his concerns to the couple about not being able to provide for his little girl, and the couple decided they wanted to adopt.
Considering this was not an option at Le Bon Berger Georgina had to be placed in a different orphanage that would be able to start the adoption process. In December of 2010 I had the privilege to meet Nasson and tour his orphanage, The Way of Jesus and Green River Pentecostal World Outreach Orphanage. We decided to take Georgina early one morning before breakfast. George met us at the O.M.S. and from there it was only a short, rather arduous hike up the side of a steep mountainous hill. Being a climber I am more than used to sketchy hikes through rocky pathways, but this short climb felt as if it might take us to the top of the world! The increase in elevation from the Good Shepherd, which is seaside, to the perhaps 2 or 3 mile drive to the O.M.S. seemed slight, but in reality was incomprehensive. When we finally staggered to the gate of the orphanage, covered in sweat and dust, the building was still being built. But Nasson was more than happy to show us around, and take us to the second story where you could see all the way to the ocean, and even make out the general area that the Good Shepherd Orphanage was. He then told us stories of some of the small children he had taken in. Nasson said in 2007 his wife and him had been considering and praying over the idea of opening an orphanage, and the deciding factor came one day when he was in town running errands. He had heard through word of mouth that a little child had been literally thrown away in a dumpster, and no one would claim him. Nasson quickly sent someone to ask his wife if he could bring the child home. At the same time word had reached his wife, that there was a little boy in a garbage can and she immediately sent someone to retrieve the child. When he learned that his wife had already sent someone to get the child, he knew that starting the orphanage was the right thing to do, and they began to look for other children in need.
Every time I go to Haiti, I now have 3 orphanages to visit, and although I am sure that Georgina doesn’t remember me, and I will never be in integral part of her life, I will never forget her, and the day her father loved her so much, that he had to let her go.
On our week long stay, we had the chance to visit this Orphanage twice, and bring them supplies, like little girls underwear, thanks to several people, like Kathleen, Eric, Haslett Community Church, and other friends of the UK Students. The first time we went, we were able to bring personal goods for Georgina, and also just spend time with the little children. By the time we had reached the orphanage it was dusk, so we spent our visit sitting in the dark holding little kids that clung to us the minute we walked in the gate. This trip was especially poignant for me because I got to hold a little baby. I don't know if it was a boy or girl, the reason it was there, or it's name, but I did find out that it was 6 months old, and weighed approximately that of a new born. It was so small and quiet, I could not believe it to be 6 months old, but it was capable of holding it's head up, and grabbing me with it's tiny little fingers, and I just sat there in the dark holding this baby as the other little children sang 'Jesus Loves Me' and spun around in circles.
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