ORPHAN UPDATE - Christopher

We are so grateful to all of you who have reached out to us to see how you can help the children of Rivers of Hope orphanage following the earthquake. Your support in prayers, email and donations has been astounding. It is amazing to see how a tragedy can really bring people together and bring out our own compassionate spirits. The silken red thread of destiny is indeed visible again.

At this time, we are particularly concerned about Christopher, the adorable two-year-old with sickle-cell disease. Previously, when Christopher would suffer a sickle-cell attack, the orphanage staff would take him to the hospital for emergency treatments. For obvious reasons, this isn't an option right now.

In late December / early January, we were working out the details with Tulane Hospital to bring Christopher to meet with sickle-cell specialists in New Orleans. The specialists have graciously agreed to access Christopher and prepare a more sustainable and preventative treatment plan, addressing his ongoing medical needs. In the midst of the planning process, the earthquake hit. If Christopher's treatment plan in his native country was difficult to accomplish prior to the earthquake, it is much more complex now, causing The Red Thread Promise to accelerate our plans to bring him to the United States.

In order to bring him to New Orleans, Rachoul, Rivers of Hope director, is working tirelessly to get Christopher a visa so we can expedite his trip. Thankfully she managed to secure his passport on January 29, 2010. Stateside, our mountain of paperwork is moving along as quickly as possible. One of the many things we have to do is prove to the Haitian government that we have been in contact with and worked with Christopher prior to the quake.

Please check in for more details in the coming weeks. In the meantime, if you want to make a real difference in the life of one needy Haitian orphan, please consider donating to help cover Christopher's expenses. Tulane has put together an incredibly generous package for his treatment, but we still need your help to cover travel and other expenses.