HAITI :: Not just one, but TWO!

Stephanie and Wes

Drumroll please... 

Guess which adorable toddler is FULLY FUNDED for BOTH of her club foot surgeries with Dr. Bheki (West TN Haiti Partnership)? 

Oh yes, that would be sweet little Wes! 

Thankfully, Wes and mother Nadine are now in a more 'permanent' home after moving around from place to place. We are praying for this same, stable environment to continue during and following both of her surgeries, to help maintain the pair's physical comfort and emotional support during this time of change.

From Stephanie, on the ground in Haiti (CPR-3): 

Wes is defined by joy every time I see her lately. She has reverted to the happy self she was when I first met her over 6 months ago. Wes loves saying 'dadada', occasionally 'mama', and a 'bah' sound when she comes over to kiss you. Her emotions are finely in tune with her mother's; her joy is an indicator that Nadine is also doing well. We are all encouraged by the investment of time, talent and prayers being poured into and over them!  

I'm always on the edge of my seat as I observe her unbalanced walk. Each step is a near fall as she does her best to move around. I just love her perseverance and know that this strong personality will endure these surgeries and rehabilitation! 

We are prayerfully looking forward to surgery number one and watching God's plan emerge for her.

Donations are still being accepted in Wes's honor. Although she is fully funded, there are SO many children just like her that are still in need of surgery. Your continued support, in Wes's name is deeply appreciated by those who will receive treatment due to your generosity.

Donations can be made by credit card (via our PayPal link - you do NOT have to have a PayPal account! Click the "continue" link beside the credit card icons) OR by sending a check to:

The Red Thread Promise
249 N Belfield Ave
Havertown, PA 19083

Please specify WES in the subject line. If there is no subject line, send an email to kathy@redthreadpromise.org and denote your gift. THANK YOU!

Read more about Wes: 

Dreaming BIG for LITTLE Wes

So close to walking; Wes's last obstacle

HAITI :: Maybe it's not about them...

Proud teacher with her students

So often we go on a mission experience to help... to show compassion... to do something good for someone else... to show love. We come with expectations of how we will serve and the impact we'll make. 

We've got it all figured out in advance. We may not know every detail of how every moment will play out, but we have our checklist of what we have to do for "them" and if we can check those things off our list, we can label the trip a success.

But what if the trip isn't about "them"? 
What if it isn't about the good we'll do for others? 

What if the trip is about "us"? 

What if the circumstances that unfold provide the team bountiful opportunities for personal and spiritual growth? What if the importance of the experience isn't in the "doing" but rather what is being done to us? 

What if the relevance of the trip lies in the details that don't make the headlines (i.e. how many children served, how many teeth pulled), but those that strengthen the fabric of our souls? What if those minute events change our perspective and expand our hearts, far beyond the scope of this single trip? 

Could it be that our presence in Haiti had a deeper relevance than simultaneously operating a medical and dental clinic for children with disabilities in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere? By all means, those things are important, even critical. To alleviate a person's physical pain so they can live more comfortably and in a better state of health is both compassionate and loving.

But what about the other less glamorous moments? The times when we weren't doing anything on our assigned lists. 

When Phillip played with a child with a cleft palate sporting
a bigger brighter smile than all of us combined...

When John patiently had his hair braided...

When Auguste, a blind child, "brailled" Sonya's face...

When a boy with no hands learned to draw with his feet...

When Claire taught a child to play...

When Jaden had the chance to comfort a crying blind child...

When we fed crackers softened in infant formula to a 6 yr old
who will never hold up her own head...

When we performed the corniest rendition of 10 Little Monkeys
Jumping On The Bed for St. Vincent's students...

When a boy spontaneously started break dancing...

When the bell choir played Oh Suzanna for Dr Susan

When a teacher danced with a group of elementary students
to the sound of Claire's singing and guitar

Maybe it's these moments that we are meant to have and reflect on when we re-enter our busy lives outside of Haiti. Maybe it's the strong faith and joy that we see in so many underprivileged and underserved children that keeps us coming back for more. 

Maybe, just maybe, they are here to heal US, not the other way around.

HAITI :: So close to walking; Wes's last obstacle to receive her first life-changing surgery

Nadine and little Wes

It’s hot this Tuesday afternoon in Port-au-Prince when our driver, Jonas, picks Jaden and me up for the drive to Bercy, some sixteen miles to the northwest. But then again, it’s always hot in Haiti.  

Bercy is Wes’ home. This is our first meeting with the sweet-faced eighteen-month-old we’ve only seen in photos. It’s important for The Red Thread that this meeting goes well, not just with Wes, but also with her teenage mom. While our immediate goal is to get Wes clubfoot surgeries on both of her little feet, our ongoing goal is to establish a long-term relationship with this little girl and her mother.  

Wes will need care and follow-up after her surgeries for the best possible outcome. This is The Red Thread’s way. We make every effort to meet and build a relationship with parents or caregivers of the children we help so we can better understand the child’s needs and meet them as a team. Each little one is precious to us, just like our own children, and we seek the best possible care for them.  

In return, all we ask for is the parent or caregiver’s consent to treatment, open communication throughout the process, and the family’s active participation in the child’s care.  

As we turn onto National Route 1, we are amazed at how quickly the urban concrete cityscape of Port-au-Prince slips away, revealing open spaces and banana, palm, and beautiful flowering trees. Goats, rams, and the occasional cow or donkey dot the landscape around us. We drive through Canaan, an area that formerly housed a mountainside of tents housing displace people following the earthquake.

Passing through several small villages we get our first glimpses of the Haitian coast and the stunning blue waters beyond, places that would surely lure tourists if it were not for the surrounding poverty. Addresses are not always easy to find in Haiti, but after carefully searching, we find the driveway for CPR-3, turn down the dirt road and into the compound.  Here, we’re warmly greeted by Amanda, one of the CPR-3 team coordinators, holding her infant daughter.

After a brief tour of the facility, Amanda and I get to the heart of the matter while we wait for Wes and her mother, Nadine, to arrive: what are our two organizations—The Red Thread Promise and CPR-3—going to do for little Wes? What will our intervention on her behalf look like? How will this partnership work to afford this child full use of her feet? How will the expenses—$4,000 for both feet to be repaired—be covered? 

Soon Nadine arrives with little Wes in her arms. This little one is just as adorable in person as she is in the photos we’ve seen! Sweet eyes, chubby cheeks, and a tiny tongue that likes to peek out from between her lips makes Wes extra huggable! Nadine, on the other hand, is apprehensive and reserved, donning the typical emotionally-barren face so common among Haitians when dealing with strangers. 

Nadine, Wes, Sonya, Amanda and baby Adilyn

So we do what we do best - we begin to build a relationship with Nadine. As I ask questions and get to know Nadine, Jonas and Amanda gently put the young mother at ease. Before long, Nadine begins to share bits and pieces of her personal life: Wes’s near drowning, her current living situation (bouncing from family member to family member), Wes’s absent father, and Nadine’s own concerns about her daughter’s development. We listen and, in turn, share our hearts for the betterment of this young family.

I stress how much we care about both MOTHER and her child - our intervention is to help this young family as a unit, not just Wes, so they can both thrive in their own country. If Wes’s feet are corrected, it will lift a burden off both Nadine (as caregiver) and Wes as a community member. I explain that our goal is to help Wes develop into an independent child, capable of eventually living on her own. If we are able to correct her feet so she can walk normally, her future will be vastly improved, allowing her mobility that she may not otherwise have. I tell Nadine that we want her active involvement in her daughter’s care; that she will not be a bystander, but rather a partner in all appointments, surgeries, follow ups and physical therapy. And I encourage her to stay close to CPR-3 as they are her main support system on the ground.

Nadine and Wes leading Sonya, Jaden and Jonas to her aunt's home in Bercy

Nadine listens attentively, answering all of my questions, and even agrees to take us to the home where she is living, with her aunt and many cousins. When we approach the small cinderblock home, her family brings out the few mismatched chairs they have so we can be comfortable. We settle into this warm display of hospitality, playing with the children and talking.

Cousins

We are so grateful for our meeting with Nadine and for the opportunity to be a part of Wes’s care. We are also thankful for the opportunity to partner with CPR-3 in meeting this young family’s medical and spiritual needs.

Wes’s 1st surgery is scheduled for January 2015. Her last obstacle is to raise $2,000 for her first club foot repair. Dr. Bheki Khumalo (West TN Haiti Partnership) has graciously committed to performing the surgery FREE OF CHARGE! However, The Red Thread Promise must cover fees for her pre-op tests, anesthesia, the rental of a sterile surgical suite, the nursing and surgical staff, and Wes’s follow up care all of which are unavoidable.

We can change Wes’ life now and create a future in which she can live independently and care for herself; this is doable. Think of it: if a single church with a congregation of 2,000 people each gave $2, BOTH of Wes’s feet could be repaired, changing the course of this child’s life forever. 

CPR-3 and The Red Thread Promise need your help today to proceed with Wes’s treatment plan. So far, $300 of the $2000 needed for her first clubfoot surgery has been raised for her care. We need to secure the remaining $1700 by December 31, 2014 to ensure that Wes can receive this life-changing surgery in January. An additional $2000 will be needed to correct her other foot later in 2015.

Now is the time to show Wes that we really do care. Donations in her name can be made to The Red Thread Promise via PayPal (button on sidebar) or check (address in upper right). Please write "Wes" in the subject line when possible. If there is no subject line, please email Kathy and let us know how you want your donation specified. With your support, we can change the course of this little girl’s life.

Wes's adorable little feet

HAITI :: Dreaming BIG for LITTLE Wes

Meet 18-month-old Westhalineda

Connections… a vital word in the 11 year history of The Red Thread Promise (TRTP); the same word that will carry us forward into 2015. Our name fulfills a Chinese proverb, one that speaks of a silken red thread of destiny connecting every person who will be part of our lives from birth. We have evidence that the red thread does more than just connect us; it brings us close when the time is right, binding us together, evoking a responsibility to the health and well-being of others to which we respond together. This is again one of those times where we need your help to meet the needs of one child - one precious soul in Haiti.

Through a web of networking among friends and strangers too complex to explain in a few words, we find ourselves looking into the eyes of a spunky Haitian toddler named Westhalineda. Stephanie, from CPR-3 (Coatsville, PA, another amazing group working in Haiti), knocked on TRTP’s doors asking for help for little Wes. Of course, we opened the door and said yes.

Stephanie recalls seeing Wes—our nickname for her—for the first time, lying in a washbasin at the tender age of 3 months. Wes and her young mother, Nadine, were to be Stephanie’s new neighbors in Bercy, Haiti. Over time, an unbreakable bond between Nadine, Wes and Stephanie developed and Stephanie has the privilege of witnessing this young mother’s transformation from hardened unwed teenager to loving doting mother.

Wes and mother, Nadine

Wes is just eighteen months old, has a smile that goes as high as can be on her little cheeks, whose face lights up with laughter when you interact with her. That charming smile belies the fact that she suffers in silence from club foot as well as the developmental delays it is causing according to our partner and club foot specialist, Dr. Bheki Khumalo of West Tennessee Haiti Partnership (Memphis, TN).

Dr. Bheki Khumalo, club foot specialist, conducting an examination of Wes

Born to a teenage mom in rural Haiti outside of Port-au-Prince, Wes appeared doomed to a life of hardship and perhaps little love. Her mother, Nadine—alone in the world since her mother died during childbirth and her father’s subsequent abandonment—was chided by her community for not being able to provide for her daughter. Early on, Stephanie recalls Nadine joking about throwing her daughter away. Life had hardened the young mom, leaving her with a flippant, defensive attitude.

Soon, with Stephanie’s mentoring and persistent modeling of unconditional love, the barriers between mother and daughter broke down. Now, Nadine is her daughter’s fierce protector, head-over-heels in love with her child. This radical transformation over the past year and a half has clearly softened her heart. It is Nadine’s persistence in seeking care for her baby girl that led her to CPR-3 for help; CPR-3 to TRTP to utilize our experience treating children with disabilities; TRTP to Dr. Bheki for diagnosis and a sound treatment plan; and finally TRTP to you to provide financial support for Wes’s surgery and care.

Growing up in Haiti’s animistic culture—meaning that the physical and spiritual world are believed to be interacting—Wes will likely face challenges that others will not. Culturally, a disability is often regarded as punishment or a mark from the spiritual world. This wide-spread belief leads to misunderstanding, isolation, neglect and even abuse of people with disabilities. By treating Wes’s condition, we will not only change her physical life, giving her the opportunity to walk normally, but also give her a solid place in her own society, free of stigma.  

Hugs from Aunt Christella after the consultation

After an initial assessment, Dr. Bheki has determined that surgery (coalition resection and stabilization of the feet) is the best course of action. The prognosis for Wes is good due to her age and the amount of cartilage he has to work with during the procedures. We are greatly thankful for CPR-3 staff, Amanda and Jordan, for taking the responsibility to get Wes to her first of many appointments with Dr. Bheki and for being our eyes and ears on the ground in Haiti.

But changing Wes’s future comes with a price tag. While Dr. Bheki (who has been working extensively in Haiti as a volunteer surgeon over the past 10 years) is donating all of his time and expertise to perform her surgeries and follow-up care, there are still costs that need to be addressed before she is able to have the procedures. Dr. Bheki has done his best to negotiate the lowest price possible for the things we can not get donated in Haiti, including pre-surgical lab work the week prior to surgery, rental of a sterile surgical suite from a reputable hospital, anesthesiologist and anesthesia for the surgery, as well as Wes's follow-up care (medication, bandages, etc). The estimated cost for each foot to be corrected is $2,000, for a total of $4,000. Wes is slated for her first surgery in January 2015. 

The time is now to show Wes that we really do care. Donations in her name can be made to The Red Thread Promise via PayPal, credit card or check (address in upper right). Please write "Wes" in the subject line when possible. If there is no subject line, please email Kathy and let us know how you want your donation specified. With your support, we can change the course of this little girl’s life.

As we dream and pray about Wes’ future, our sense of responsibility grows; our lives and stories become intertwined. With a loving mother, CPR-3 just down the street where American neighbors are willing to advocate for her, and Dr. Bheki working with The Red Thread Promise to provide the surgeries needed to give her a disability-free life, we see a much brighter future for Wes. 

YOU can be an active part of her life. Please give now.

Such a sweet little girl

HAITI :: A week of surgeries

Dr. Bheki performing an evaluation on a previous trip

Dr. Bheki and his team from West Tennessee Haiti Partnership arrived safely in Port-au-Prince yesterday. He and Dr. Beauvoir, a Haitian surgeon, will begin seeing children at St. Vincent's tomorrow morning, including little Wes (who you heard about earlier this week on FB) as well as Jonathan, another little boy that the silken red thread of destiny connected us to. 

Please keep Dr. Bheki in your thoughts and prayers as they provide love and care to many children throughout the week. 

So thankful for our wonderful partnerships! We can't do this work alone.

Having some fun mixing smelly scabies ointment!

HAITI :: Christina's first miraculous steps

Christina after 2 successful surgeries
(photo courtesy of West Tennessee Haiti Partnership)

Remember beautiful Christina from St. Vincent’s? She is one of the many children we have connected with in Haiti over the years. Her story is nothing short of miraculous and, by supporting The Red Thread’s work in Haiti, YOU have been an integral part of her success. 

During a Red Thread outing in 2012

An otherwise completely healthy infant, Christina was born with a birth defect that caused severe clubbing in both of her feet. Over the years she endured multiple unsuccessful surgeries and castings to correct her condition, after which she was no closer to walking than she was the day she was born.

In 2013, the tides began to change for Christina. No longer would she be resigned to life in a wheelchair, but rather to a newfound hope of planting both feet on the ground (something her condition never allowed her to do) and even walking independently!

Following her first successful surgery

Through our partnership with West Tennessee Haiti Partnership (WTHP), Dr. Bheki Khumalo (clubfoot specialist / Memphis, TN) and Dr. Georges Beauvoir (surgeon / Port-au-Prince, Haiti), Christina's first successful surgery was completed in August 2013. The skilled surgical team performed a tendon release, bone and soft tissue correction, and finally a foot rotation on her right.

After her foot healed, Christina's second surgery was completed in February 2014 on her left. When the stitches were removed, she was able to wear a boot and worked with a physical therapist to strengthen her legs.

Gazing at two corrected feet
(photo courtesy West Tennessee Haiti Partnership)

In April came Christina’s miracle! Our partners from WTHP were conducting a clinic at Christina’s home, St. Vincent’s Center for Handicapped Children in Port-au-Prince. Dr. Jenn and Tiffany (visiting physical therapist and nurse respectively) began stretching Christina's legs and ankles, encouraging her to begin putting weight on her feet. Then it was time for Christina to stand up. With support of each arm, Christina put one foot in front of the other and took THE FIRST STEPS OF HER LIFE!

After 16 years of thinking walking was something unachievable, she was able to take her first steps and one of our partners from WTHP was able to capture it on video! The footage is raw but heartwarming. You can see the tender care given to her by Dr. Jenn when she gently wipes her face right before she walks.

Christina is a bright, energetic girl who is well on her way to leading a more normal life now that both feet are corrected. She will continue to work with therapists to walk and become increasingly independent.

Christina may never have taken these steps without your support for which we are eternally grateful. Your donations made it possible to rent a sterile surgical suite, purchase medications, schedule after-care and physical therapy, and cover all associated expenses for this beautiful young lady's care. We are forever grateful for Dr. Bheki, Dr. Beauvoir and Dr. Jenn for their countless hours working with her. 

We invite you to continue to be a part of this life-transforming process, helping kids like Christina, kids whose biggest obstacle in life was being born into poverty where adequate medical care isn't an option as their families struggle to put food on the table.

The cost of both surgeries - $3600!

The long-term effects - priceless.

There are many more success stories like Christina’s shared on our Facebook, website and this blog. Our team is available via phone or email to answer any questions you may have about how we serve impoverished children with disabilities. We invite you to join us in making a difference in these children’s lives. Financial support can be sent via our website or PayPal link at left or by check. Thank you for caring.

HAITI :: Help put an end to hunger pains

Deaf students sharing their one substantial meal per day, THANKS TO YOU
(all photos courtesy of West Tennessee Haiti Partnership)

Our hearts break a little more with each new conversation with Father Sadoni only to hear that the food crisis for the children at St. Vincent’s is not improving as we had hoped. While a partnership of teams researches both aquaponic and aeroponic garden solutions for St. Vincent’s long-term sustainability and to minimize future food shortages, there is still a real need to fill the children’s bellies now. 

This, friends, is where your support continues to be critical. 

St. Vincent's serves as a dormitory, school and community for the deaf and blind as well as those missing limbs and children who have impaired cognitive abilities. Due to unforeseen circumstances, St. Vincent's lost it’s main food donor in 2013. Ever since, Fr. Sadoni has been working fervently to establish a new food source for the children so they can grow and thrive while in his care.

Currently, the residential students and the live-in caregivers receive two meals per day. The breakfast is light, usually bread and butter. Lunch consists of a single plate of beans and rice. All meal service for non-residential students (close to 200 children) has been put on hold with no reinstatement date in sight.

In an attempt to ward off hunger pains at bedtime, older residents—mainly teens and young adults—set aside a portion of their lunch to eat in the evening. The younger kids often don’t fare as well. No doubt it is difficult for the smallest ones to set aside part of their meal when their stomachs are still growling.

To add to their plight, the filter on the St. Vincent’s water purification system needed to be changed and the system shut down, temporarily cutting off their water supply. Thankfully, this should be rectified quickly, hopefully by the end of this week.

The situation is bleak now, but there is always hope! Our friends from West Tennessee Haiti Partnership were at St. Vincent’s last week to provide well-child checkups and reported that the kids are still relatively healthy. They were kind enough to snap a few pics of the kids at lunch time (pictured here). The children's spirits were high and, as usual, they thoroughly enjoyed having the US team in their midst for the week. They are doing remarkably well under the circumstances. 

With your WONDERFUL HELP, we met and exceeded our $12,000 food goal in March 2014. For this we extend our gratitude as do the children! However, in lieu of the circumstances, our team has decided to continue the food drive until the situation changes for the better. 

With your gifts, we will continue to feed the kids in the short-term, ending their hunger pains NOW, while long-term solutions are set in motion. THANK YOU for both your gifts and sharing this need with others who may be in a position to help. 

Every gift counts.