I think we may have met an angel today. Her name is Dianna and she one of the youngest students at St. Vincent’s. Her smile lit up the room and today, it was The Red Thread’s room.
Fr. Sadoni, Tom and Kathy unpacking the chair
Arrangements were made about 2 weeks ago for a wheelchair to go from Arkansas to Florida and then to Port-au-Prince on Agape Flights so that we would have this gift to give on our first day at St. Vincent’s. When we arrived there, Father Sadoni greeted us with words that we have been waiting for: “Do you want to see your wheelchair?” Who would have thought that a simple cardboard box and it’s precious contents could bring such joy?
Tom and Dr. Eric
In less than 3 minutes the box was open, the wheelchair unwrapped and ready to go. It is a child-sized bright red and black chair. As soon as he saw it, Fr. Sadoni said “I know the perfect child for this chair”.
We marched up the stairs to the 2nd floor, carrying the wheelchair between 2 men, where the youngest children were in class. In one of the 3 kindergarten rooms, we met Dianna who was wheeled out on an old, hospital-style chair that was clearly too large for her. When a St. Vincent’s employee gently lifted her from her old chair and placed her in the new chair, the smile that spread across her face was breathtaking.
It did not take her long to realize that she could move the chair herself with her one good hand. As Tom asked her questions in French, she smiled broadly in response and then began to laugh!
What a blessing to us to be able to provide this precious child with a chair that is the perfect fit for her!
Tomorrow we will upload the video we took of Dianna. But for right now, it is time to go to bed. We have a long day ahead of us at St. Vincent’s and need to get some rest.
Bonswa again!
Our angel, Dianna, in her new red wheelchair
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3 comments:
Her smile says it all!
The look of freedom and independance...God bless everyone who had a part in making her smile so bright!
Diana Vincent captured our hearts when we first met her in November 2008 on our first trip to St Vincents. At that time she was sick with pneumonia and could not lift her head off the pillow. Each time we go back we are happy to see her growing and healthy under the excellent care of Madame Merita and the other St Vincents staff. Your wheelchair gift to her is one of the most precious things I have seen in a long time. Thank you so much for making that possible!
Susan Nelson
West Tennessee Haiti Partnership
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