Children of the Promise ~ Haiti

7:45pm Central Update (1-22-10):
Today probably covered every emotion known; joy, frustration, anger, sadness and relief.

This morning two of our volunteers, Brenda and Dave, were leaving for the states on Lynx Air. We received permission from Homeland Security this morning for Gavin to accompany them to the U.S. He needs reconstructive surgery or he will not survive long. The people from the Dept. of Homeland Security were working very hard to get clearance for two more babies who have to get to the U.S. for major surgeries.

Brenda, Dave, and Gavin all left for the airport with our Rebecca Miner, RN. About 45 minutes before the plane was supposed to leave Haiti we received word that Rodchield and Caleb Charles could leave. Rodchield is 2 weeks old, has club feet and other issues, Caleb Charles has an encephalocele that needs to be repaired. Jamie Groen quickly left to take them to the airport hoping to get these two babies on the same flight with Brenda and Dave. In the meantime, we were told that Agape flights would be able to take out any of our adopted babies that had paperwork clearance. We tried frantically to get approval for a lot of children. We only were able to get one child cleared, but there were no vehicles to take him to the airport. The father took a motorcycle to get himself and new son to the airport to leave with the Agape pilots.

While this was happening, the Haitian immigration authorities at the airport were refusing to allow our medically fragile babies leave on Lynx since they didn't have Haitian approval (passport). Rebecca and the pilot convinced the Haitian immigration person that they legally could leave based on President Preval's permission (he must have missed the memo).

The 2nd Agape plane stayed the night in Cap-Haitian and the pilots are staying at our place. Government offices are trying very hard to get permission for more of our adopted children to leave. The pilots will wait around with the hope that they can fly some of our children out to FL tomorrow.

So many people are working very hard to help us. Remember them as well as our children and the Haitians in your prayers.

Jan