It is said that hopelessness is the enemy of justice.
Also, it is often said, mainly by women we work with at the Maternity Center, "Haiti has no justice". As you read that you might think, well - that's hyperbole - certainly there is SOME justice.
There cannot be zero justice, right?!?
We first came to Haiti in early 2002. I came one week per month for seven months while I waited for Isaac and Hope to legally be free to come to the USA. After all of these years of meeting and working with average Haitians and hearing their experiences and stories, I am here to tell you that it is no exaggeration.
Justice is a commodity - as in you can buy it if you have the means to do so.
Because the average Haitian citizen does not always have the means to eat three square meals a day and purchase a sufficient amount of potable water and keep their kids in school. For them there is definitely no expendable income to grease the seized-up wheels of justice.
Earlier this year we helped a young woman file a police report for sexual assault. She described what had taken place in detail over and over many times to interview rooms full of men. The manager of that department of the police was very enamored with my friend, KJ. He was less interested in helping the young woman filing the report than he was in finding a way to get KJ to flirt with him. He claimed we could pick up a copy of the report if we returned a few days later. We returned no less than four times, but were given another (always new and creative) excuse why we could not have a copy of the report we had filed.
It is said that hopelessness is the enemy of justice.
Last week in postpartum class we talked about abuse in Haiti, specifically sexual abuse and children. I shared a few personal stories and posed a question to the women seated in the room. "If we never talk about it or acknowledge it is happening at an alarming rate, how will it ever change? Can we change what we don't address?" The next 45 minutes were spent with different new mothers sharing horrific stories of abuse. It was hard to hear what had happened in their neighborhoods. Not one had ever been able to report it to authorities. Not one had seen the abuser face consequences.
It is said that hopelessness is the enemy of justice.
On Monday, November 5th a little girl named Love was born with probable (not yet diagnosed) VACTERL association at the Heartline Maternity Center. Due to a connection with a long-time volunteer at a local hospital we were able to go directly to a hospital that would see the baby. Typically, Haitian mothers will visit several if not dozens of clinics and hospitals before there is one that takes on the responsibility of diagnosis and care.
Our experience of being seen the day we walked into that hospital is atypical. Justice in that way came due to connections, which we are INCREDIBLY grateful for and also no more deserving of than any other person. The hospital sent baby Love for several tests, most of which took 8 days to complete. On Monday the 19th we hope to return to the hospital with all of the results of the tests and lab work they ordered to learn what happens next. Returning to the hospital will depend upon the ability to arrive there. There are rumors of blockades and protests in the coming days which can easily lock up the entire city and render us helpless to arrive at the hospital.
Mercifully, baby Love has been peeing, pooping, and eating without trouble or these 8 days would have been entirely different. Love's mother keeps long socks on her to keep her neighbors from seeing her malformed legs and feet.
It is said that hopelessness is the enemy of justice.
Last night a baby boy named Wisler was born at 6:01pm. His one minute APGAR was 1 and his 5 minute APGAR was 2 and his 10 minute APGAR was 3. At minute eleven he and his mom were in an ambulance heading toward the closest hospital. At the closest hospital two female medical professionals began asking good questions, at that point Wisler was 30 minutes old. A male doctor walked up and barked, "Can't you see how many malformations and abnormalities this baby has? You need to go to _____ right now!" (He named another hospital.)
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| Wisler born 11/16 at 6:01pm |
I assured him I did see but that we had always been told they were an excellent pediatric hospital. He dismissed us with a flippant wave and told us to get going. Trying to lighten the mood I asked, "What if the next hospital doesn't like my face, we won't get this baby accepted." As we turned to walk out of the triage room he said, "There are foreigners there, they will like your face."
We arrived at the second hospital before baby Wisler was an hour old. The first medical employee to greet us was annoyed we did not have a NICU at our Maternity Center or a referral letter and she did not especially enjoy the fact that the first hospital had sent us on to her. I explained that breathing for the baby and driving to the hospital seemed like a better use of time and resources than sitting down to write a referral letter.
Wisler was admitted, for which we are grateful. The reason he was admitted was because we assured the hospital staff that we can pay for his care. The average Haitian could not afford the small amount (only $57 USD) we spent last night to get things started. The average Haitian would not have arrived at the hospital in an hour. Public transport takes about two and a half times as long as private.
It is said that hopelessness is the enemy of justice.
Last night, we returned to the Maternity Center at 9pm with Wisler's mom. In just three hours her entire world turned upside down - technically, she is one of the "lucky" ones, she had the connections needed to help grease the wheels.
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It occurs to me regularly that those of you that read these social media updates and pray specifically for situations we share and financially support the work of Heartline Ministries are the reason we keep hoping. Your sacrificial love and concern is hopeful and it trickles down.
You might imagine we don't read messages or see your donations in the busyness of day to day work in Haiti.
I want you to know today that we do see you.
We feel the power of your prayers.
We are lifted from discouragement by your generous words of love sent via several social media outlets.
We know we can support the costs of the rare sick baby that needs hospitalization because of your generous giving.
You are the grease to the wheels, you are stubborn in hopefulness - and we thank you this Thanksgiving.
To learn more about the work of Heartline Ministries, please visit:
Lastly, meet two beautiful little ladies born in the last 24 hours ...
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| Nadia and MarieLiah - born 11/16 at 5:24pm |
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| MarieAnoute and yet to be named baby girl - born 11/17 at 12:05 am |
