It is hard to imagine the burden Pastor Jeannot carried before the first Faith team visited his orphanage in March 2011. He continued to accept helpless and abandoned children from the village of Desiré and his hometown of Gonaives until he had 63 that he could barely feed, clothe, or shelter. He was completely dependent on God to keep them alive and safe.
From the prayers of Pastor Jeannot, God orchestrated Faith’s first visit to his orphanage in March 2011. With a last-minute shift in direction from the Global Orphan Project, the team found itself in the remote village of Desiré. What they saw when they reached Jeannot’s orphanage was shocking. Little faces peered out from behind the tarp-strewn shack that served as the community building. They emerged with naked and bloated bellies and infected skin. A few cracked smiles, but others looked blankly at the first white faces they had ever seen.
A child named Sonson was among the sickest in the group. His body was ravaged with impetigo, and he struggled to breathe. As he lay limp in the arms of a team member, one had to wonder how long he would survive in this environment.
Pastor Chris Conradson returned from the trip with an unmovable sense of urgency. We had to help these children…now. The congregation’s response was overwhelming, and soon the orphans were receiving better nourishment, clothing, and minimal healthcare. Shipping containers were brought to Desiré to get the children out of the damp tents they were sleeping in. A well was dug so they no longer had to use the bleached water that was laboriously drawn from a cholera contaminated spring.
Because of the generosity of our congregation, things continue to improve in Desiré. The kids are now living in solid, cinder-block structures, and are getting at least a minimal education. More than 150 people from Faith have visited the orphans (many have gone multiple times) and have grown to love these children as their own.
Little Sonson is perhaps one of the brightest lights in the orphanage. His skin is now clear and glowing, and his smile melts the heart of anyone who is blessed enough to catch a glimpse of it. Like any little boy, he has his mischievous moments. He fights with other orphans and throws a fit if he doesn’t get his way. But what is most striking about Sonson is his constant yearning to just be held and loved.
Sonson and the now 70 other orphans in Desiré have become a part of the family at Faith. They are more than just faces on the wall in the foyer. The Faith missionaries who have gone to Desiré know these children. They know their personalities, their talents, and their challenges. They worry about what will happen to them when they turn 18 and have to leave the orphanage. As a church, we pray for them and give sacrificially so they have the very basics that one needs to live and grow. God has clearly led Faith to Desiré, and whether it’s through praying, giving, or going, we all have a hand in the lives of these children. Please continue to pray for Pastor Jeannot and the orphans.