They're Here!!

After three long days of waiting, Nick finally called me and said that the container which held our solar panels had arrived and to send the yard guys in with the truck to pick them up!  Each day Nick would return home and say with confidence, "They're coming tomorrow, for sure this time."  As you all know, this is Haiti and so nothing is ever for sure!  The fact that it only took three days is actually kind of a miracle in itself.

We were worried that some of them may be broken but they were all delivered here, carried up two flights of stairs, and are now on our roof in one piece waiting to be installed.  The team of electricians arrive on the 5th of May to install them and we are very excited about this!  The trip has been delayed twice, but it appears that was for the best as our panels just now arrived!

Our yard guys and a few men from the community were all so excited yesterday as they hauled them up to the roof.  They were all smiles the entire time and kept saying "Dousman, Dousman." Slow, Slow.  I think they were all just as scared as Nick was to drop one!

Thanks to everyone who helped make this project possible!  

Annella

We are once again sadden to write that one of our sweet babies have passed away.  Annella and her twin sister Annelle were admitted in December 2010.  At the time they were admitted they were 11 months old and Annella weighed only 7 lbs 15 oz.  Annella stayed in the volunteer house for nearly three months to receive extra attention and a special diet to help her gain weight.  Even with all of this, she was still very small and gained very little.  She did catch up developmentally while she was here.  She learned how to sit, army crawl, clap, and babble.

About a month ago Annella went out to the baby but began to loose weight.  We brought her back to the volunteer house to try and help her get better.  After several tests over the months, we thought we were finally getting close to finding out what was making her so sick.  We took her to the hospital on Tuesday night to do more advanced tests and have closer monitoring.  Annella unfortunately passed away Wednesday afternoon.

Please pray for her family as they mourn the lost of their little girl as well as all the volunteers who fell in love with her while they were here.  Annella has a special place in all of our hearts and will never be forgotten.

We have not had any new admits, discharges, or birthdays!

Needs:

-Size 3 diapers

-Rice Cereal

-Baby Shampoo/lotion

-Baby wipes

More new kids

Admits 2:

Ester is three months old and weighs 6 lbs 7oz.  Her mother is very young and doesn't have a place to live. She is unable to care for her baby at the moment and has asked that we keep her daughter for the time being.  Her Mother is unable to breastfeed and can't afford formula.  Ester has spent some time in the hospital recently.  Since being admitted she is doing great in our care.  She is drinking well and already staying in the baby house.

Ester and Her Mom

Deborah came to COTP yesterday with her Aunt and Grandma.  When she came she had bad diarrhea and vomiting.  Deborah is already doing much better and both of these have stopped.   She is very malnourished weighing 10 lbs 8 oz.  She slept most of the day yesterday, but is already beginning to look better.  Deborah is drinking well but still refuses to eat.  We are treating her for worms.  She will be staying with us for two months until she is healthy enough to return to her family.

Discharge 0:

Birthdays 1:

Theo turned 2

Visits:

Jackson (who was reunited with his father a few months ago) came back last week to visit.  He had a fever, but besides for that he seems to be doing really well.  He was a little unsure of us and didn't know how to interact.  Jackson appears to have really bonded with his father which is great.  The other children, nannies, and us staff were all very excited to see him and know that he is doing well!

Needs:

Our three biggest needs right now are

-Rice Cereal

-Size three diapers

-Baby wipes.

Thanks for your continued support and prayers!

Prayers Needed

There has been a pretty bad bug going around here at COTP over the past week and a half.  Many of our children have had bad diahrrea and vomiting that has lasted days.  We have had to put a few children on IV's because they have been so dehydrated.  Most of the children who have been sick with this have recovered.  

This morning our nurses were woke up because Marie, one of our little girls in the Giraffe room wasn't doing well.  Marie had been sick for a few days, but appeared to be doing well last night at bed time.  Tori and Amy tried all morning to put an IV in her, but were unable to find a vein.  Unfortunately Marie passed away this morning.  Marie's biological mother passed away during child birth at a local hospital.  While there a lab technician and her husband fell in love with Marie and decided to adopt her.  Although they wanted to bring their new daughter home immeadiately, they had to fill out the adoption paperwork first, so Marie was admitted to COTP while this happened.  They visited often and were eager to take their little girl home.  They were only about a week away from finishing the paper work.

Please pray for her adoptive parents who loved her so much.  Pray for our nannies and volunteers who have fallen in love with her as well.  And most importantly pray that this bug passes soon and that no other children become ill.

Admits 7: 

After nearly two months of no new admits, we are making up for lost time!  We have admitted seven new babies recently.

Rosar was originally admitted to COTP in November after her parents passed away from Cholera.  Her uncle was the one who brought her to us.  Rosar was reunited with her Uncle last month, however after a few weeks at home, he realized he was not able to care for her and Rosar was readmitted to COTP.  Our first goal is to see families reunited, but appreciate when a family truly can't care for a child, they are comfortable enough to ask us for help again.  Rosar has readjusted to life here well and is enjoying spending time with her old friends.

Adlin is a two year old boy from Milot, a town next to us.  His mother passed away last June and since then he has been living with his Grandmother.  Adlin weighs 14 lbs 14 oz.  He can sit by himself but can not stand or walk.  He is very malnourished, but we are confident he will do well here.  Adlin loves to eat, which is unusual for malnourished children.  He is already comfortable enough her to smile and show us his beautiful white teeth!  Adlin loves to be tickled!

Rose Guerda was admitted to COTP on March 29th.  She is 5 months old and weighs 6 lbs 11.8 oz.  She is very tiny for her age but is very adorable.  Her Mother is not able to produce enough breast milk because of her older age.  Amy, one of our nurse met her family at the hospital recently while Rose Guerda was admitted there.  She will stay at COTP for a few months until she is healthy enough to return home.  Please pray that she gains weight quickly and that her health improves so that she can be reunited with her family.

Joseph is a 6 month old boy who weighs 7 lbs 8 oz.  His mother passed away and he has become very malnourished.  His Father and Grandmother have been caring for him since.  He has recently spent over a month in the hospital.  Joseph has a few health concerns that we are hoping to help with while he is in our care.  Please pray that he gains weight and that we are able to find doctors to preform his needed surgeries.

Ederly and Edly are one year old twin boys that weigh 10 lbs 8 oz and 13 lbs 3 oz.  We recently met their Mother at the local hospital where the boys were admitted for malnutrition.  The Mom was not able to breastfeed and could not keep up with their nutritional needs.  Their Father does visit them every now and then, but does not play a large role in their lives or help financially. Their Mother loves them very much and will be taking them home in a few months when they are healthier.

Adleyson is a three month old little boy and weighs 8 lbs 6 oz.  His Mom was orphaned as a child and never went to school.  She doesn't have any where to live with the baby and spends most of her day walking around begging for food because she knows she needs this in order to continue to breast feed.  She does not want her baby to continue to live like this, so has asked us for help.  Please pray that there is something we can do to help this Mom be able to provide for her baby and that Adleyson does well in our care for the time being.

Discharges 3:

Love Mika was brought to COTP by her Grandfather on November 25th 2010 after her Mother passed away from Cholera.  At the time her father was also sick with Cholera but is much better now.  Her Grandfather came to visit her often.  On March 28 2011,  he came back with his wife and with Love Mika's other Grandma to take her home.  Love Mika's father is very young and unable to care for her, so she will live with her grandparents.  This little girl is very well loved and we are sure she will have a smooth transition home.  While at COTP, Love Mika learned how to sit up and also gained a lot of weight.  She will be missed here but we are excited she was able to return home!  She weighs 14 lbs 2 oz at discharge (admit weight 11 lbs 11 oz).

Lovenson and Livenson were admitted to COTP on Christmas Eve when they were only 8 days old.  Their Mother passed away a few hours after they were born and the hospital referred their Father and two Aunts to us.  When they first came both boys were tiny, weighing 4 lbs and 7lbs.  Livenson was feed through an NG tube for 2 days when he first arrived because he refused to drink on his own, but since then both boys have been doing fairly well.  They lived in the volunteer house for almost two months in order to gain weight before moving to the Giraffe room.  Livenson recently spent two weeks in the hospital and was only discharged the day before he went home.  Please pray that both boys do amazing in their aunts care and continue to gain weight.

 

Birthdays 5:

We have celebrated three very special peoples birthdays recently.

Wedly turned 2 on March 11th.

Nickensly also turned 2 on March 19th.

Christella celebrated her first birthday on March 29th.

Robert and Rodney also celebrated their first birthdays on April 5th.

Each child enjoyed celebrating their birthdays under the mango tree with their friends.  Each birthday is a big deal here, and we are excited to be able to spend these important milestones with our precious children!