Found


Rose Milaine has so quickly become a part of our family. Laughing and playing with the kids, helping with chores, following the Mommies around and coming over to greet me with her cute crooked smile each time I come into the orphanage.

I really didn’t know how Rose Milaine’s story would end. Finding her family would not be easy, I knew that from the beginning. Just registering her with UNICEF was a week long challenge and they said it could take up to a year or more to find any living family members. On top of all that we didn’t even know if her family was alive as their town was hit hard by the quake.

So, when her aunt showed up this morning I was emotionally unprepared, I didn’t think she would be leaving us so soon. I had envisioned her being with us for months and had already put her in the category of, ‘one of my kids’. Of course I was so excited for her family, not only were they alive but they were able to find their precious Rose Milaine so quickly (through someone at the Hospital where we found her).

After we interviewed the aunt and Rose Milaine, photocopied identification, and signed the appropriate forms it was time to release Rose Milaine to her aunt. I brought her to the orphanage to pack her bag and say goodbye to the kids and staff. I rang the bell for the kids to come and say goodbye. Tears started to stream down Rose Milaine’s face as I told the kids that she would be leaving and it might be a long time before we saw her again. The kids, staff and I gathered around her and prayed over her before they took turns saying their goodbyes and giving her one last hug. Rose Milaine was not the only one with wet eyes, as many of the children and Mommies had become close with her since she came.

As I drove her to the front gate I asked her if she was excited to see her aunt, she nodded saying she loved her aunt very much. I then asked her why she was crying to which she replied, “I really like it here. I don’t want to leave.”

It was bitter sweet for the both of us. We had all fallen in love with Rose Milaine and were happy to call her our own, but a child should be with their family whenever possible, especially a family that loves them and cares for them like her aunt obviously does. I told her aunt that Rose Milaine was welcome to come and visit anytime and she promised she would bring her by from time to time.

I hugged Rose Milaine one last time and through her tears she choked out the most sincere thank you I have heard in a while. I was reminded in that moment why I am here, why I have given up the comfort and luxury of life in Canada. Moments like these make all the sacrifices worthwhile. What a great blessing to have been a part of this young girl’s life, even if it was just for three weeks. I hope we will have left a lasting impact on her for years to come.

Peace & love,

Rachel

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Baby Sized Miracle

Image
Today I witnessed a beautiful miracle. I saw God's love poured out in a lovingly selfless act. Today I saw the hands and feet of Jesus at work. Today in Leveque something amazing happened. It started with something terribly sad. A newborn baby was dropped into a latrine and left to die. Something I cannot fathom and which shatters my heart. I cannot even begin to understand what went through this mother's mind as she let go of her baby and watched him fall into the dark pit. Thankfully God has a wonderful plan for this little life and his sweet cry was loud enough to be heard by a good samaritan passing by, who quickly called Pastor Williamson, the deaf pastor from Leveque. A group of people worked together to smash the cement cover off the latrine carefully so the baby would not be injured. Then they somehow used some metal bars and a net or basket of some sort to lift the baby out of the pit. Miraculously he only had a few scraps on him. The community came together to care ...
Read more

How to Be More Effective in Cross Cultural Ministry

There is a sad truth I would like to share with you. All too often people with great intentions do harm in Jesus' name in cross cultural ministry. In my ten years on the mission field I have seen a lot of amazing things happen but I've also seen a lot of hurt caused by well meaning ministry workers. I have compiled this short list of things I have learned, and that I think you should know to help you be more effective in cross cultural missions. 1. Always remember that YOU are the foreigner. This is not your country, you are a guest and should act like one. 2. The people you are serving know SO much more than you ever will about their country, culture and needs. 3. Your way isn't the only way, or necessarily the right way. 4. You better work your butt off to learn the language, and quickly. If you have been living or serving in a foreign land for a year and still can't communicate more than basic greetings to those you came to serve you need to make some chang...
Read more

Gross, gross, gross!!

I can handle mice. I can handle rats. I can handle lizards. I can handle cockroaches. I can handle snakes. I can handle tarantulas. I can handle flying green leaf shaped bugs that smell funny. I can handle a lot more than your average woman, with two minor exceptions: Dead things and Haitian frogs. I can kill a mouse, a cockroach, a snake or a tarantula without fear, but once it's dead I'm not going near it! A lizard on my bedroom wall doesn't faze me, but a dead one in the closet makes me run for the door. Strange I know...but dead things just freak me out! Haitian frogs on the other hand have me running around screaming like a scared little girl. I specify Haitian frogs because Canadian frogs have never really bothered me, except that one time in grade 8 when Ben Lanteigne kicked a frog and it came flying right for my face! Haitian frogs are a whole other ball game. They are the kind of frogs you would see in the Toronto zoo. They always look wet and slimy and ha...
Read more