This information is taken directly from Licia's blog. It's very hard to see these children SO malnourished and without hope when they are brought into the center, but the AFTER pictures of the children who survive will definitely make you smile. :)
This is Tinor. He is 10 years old and weighed 43 pounds in April (shown in the bottom 2 pictures), when he was admitted into the RC. His lowest weigh was 40 pounds. The first picture is him when he was going home this week at 49 pounds.
This is his before and after pictures.
Written by Licia~
Our family has been working in rural Haiti since 1994. We are currently ministering in an area two and a half hours northeast of the capital in the village of Cazale. There are approximately 10,000 people living here and 70% of the children are malnourished. With 70% being malnourished we have a small percent that are near death and need some extra help to recover. Most parents really love their children and want to keep there families together. We offer a place for the kids to recover and regain their health and then return to their families. We call this facility The Rescue Center. This facility houses 50 to 60 sick and malnourished children. These children are nursed back to health and then return to their families in the local villages. We also take in children that are abandoned in front of our gate.
The Rescue Center has three main areas.
1. Newborn babies up to 12 months, the average stay for this group of children is 2 years. In general all the babies that are in the RC do not have a mother that can take care of them. Usually this is due to the death of the mother, shortly after child birth, or some type of mental illness. The father works in the gardens and fields all day. It would be difficult to take a newborn baby and work in the hot sun. Infant formula is very expensive for the average family to buy. By the time they are two years old; they are walking, eating solid foods and are off of the formula. The dad can then take the child back and their chances of survival are much higher.
2. Children 12 months to 12 years old– the average stay for this group is 4 to 5 months. Many of these children are suffering from severe forms of malnutrition. The most common we see are Kwashiorkor or Marasmus. Most are near death when admitted. These children are given a balanced diet, love and care. The ones that live, return home to their families.
3. Last are adults in some sort of crisis situation. Most are in some type of life crisis. Whether it’s AIDS or some type of terminal illness like cancer. Often they just need a place to die where someone cares. We love them, tell them about Jesus, and help them the best we can.
