Sick Little Boy

In America, if you have a child that is sick in the night, the emergency room is available.  When urgent care is needed in Haiti, it is not available.  The drive is far and the wait is long.  Sunday night a little boy was having difficulty breathing, and his heart rate was incredibly fast.  We did not know how to care for Him.  We were able to bring him to a Doctors Without Borders Hospital in hopes that they would be able to care for him and monitor him through the night.  I will refer to him as CC in this blog entry.  CC is a typical 4-year old boy.  He's full of energy, loves to laugh, run, play, and drive matchbox cars while making the car noise that all boys seem to do very well.  He is the little one who puts his hands on my cheeks to pull me down close to him and tells me "I wuv oo." (I love you) when I tuck him in at night.  What a cutie.  The night he was ill broke my heart.  He was limp, had labored breathing, and a high temperature.  I watched him struggle for air as his heart looked as though it was beating out of his chest.  It is so hard to see the children sick.  He spent a night in the hospital.  The doctors ran some tests, took a chest x-ray, and gave him some medication.  On Monday, I was able to go to the hospital to bring him some food, since he was refusing to eat the hospital food.  The security was tight at the hospital.  After waiting about an hour to go to his pediatric cottage, the guards let me go see him.  I was so thankful.  I was the only one allowed to enter the facility.  The cottage had about 20 small beds.  Most filled with frail, sick children.  I spotted him laying on his bed.  He noticed me as I walked to his bed.  He sprang up and shouted "Kah-tee" with a huge smile on his face.  He gave me a big hug and was so joyful!  I told him, "Mwen manke ou." (I miss you).  He told me, "Mwen manke ou." (I miss you) and "Mwen reman ou." (I love you).  We spent part of the afternoon laughing together, singing songs, and playing together.  He sat in my lap as I bounced my knees.  We made up a game a few weeks ago.  He says an animal in Creole (cochon=pig, kabuit=goat, chwal=horse, etc.  Then I make the animal noise as I bounce him on my knees in different rhythms.  He wanted to play that game at the hospital.  I was so happy to see him smiling.  God is our ultimate healer and this little boy was feeling much better.  He needed to stay one more night since he wasn't eating and his chest was still filled with some fluid.  The following day I was able to go back to hospital to bring him home.  When he arrived at Grace Village he was full of smiles as people greeted him and welcomed him home.  Each day I pray for continued health of the children.  Thank you for your prayers too!