Scrambling to Help Haitian Children

Orphaned and In the Streets

Tragically, the stinging devastation of Haiti's earthquake continues to unfold, leaving children suddenly bereft of parents and family now wandering the ever-darkening, dangerous streets of Porte-Au-Prince and elsewhere, scrambling and scrounging for food, shelter, and comfort. Some are old enough to know their names. Others, too young to know what's happened, are lucky enough to have attending doctors assign them a number. The rest? Who knows?

Haiti is no stranger to orphaned children.

According to AP reporter Tamara Lush, in the past few years, atrocious political ruthlessness forced hundreds of political targets to flee Haiti, abandoning their own children in an exodus to seek asylum in the United States. On top of that, natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, and tropical storms mercilessly pounded the poverty-stricken island for the last decade, leaving behind a widening wake of destruction and death. Additionally, abject poverty forces many parents to give up care for their children and turn to orphanages for a last-ditch effort to provide for their needs.

Now this.

Before the earthquake, there were an estimated 380,000-plus orphans in Haiti, according to Lush. With the aftermath of the earthquake still at a tumultuous peak, it is hard to say what the number will be now, but it will be in the “tens of thousands,” reports Lush.

Stepped-Up Responses Benefit Some

The US Government Department of Homeland Security reacted quickly to the quake by granting “a humanitarian parole policy” for adoption cases already in process, opening the door for some children to enter the United States immediately.

HIT Web Design owner Dave Aitken hopes to benefit from the new policy.

In August, 2009, he and his wife announced their intention to adopt children from an orphanage sponsored by HIT Web Design. With the news of the earthquake, they felt like they were on “pins and needles” for days as news of the whereabouts and condition of the children from the orphanage was not available.

To date, all but six of the children cared for by the orphanage have been accounted for, including those who were to be adopted by Dave. Dave hopes the Haitian and US governments can bring about a quick resolution to their adoption quest.

In the meantime, Dave “cannot rest until the others are located.”

You can track up-to-date progress of Dave's adoption quest and the status of the orphanage by visiting HIT Web Design on Facebook. Search for “HIT Web Design,” and become a friend.

Hope for Little Angels of Haiti

HIT became a sponsor for a Haitian orphanage in 2009, and Dave ventured to Haiti to see the facility. He reported in April, 2009, “I have sat and held these children, and have to tell you, it is absolutely heartbreaking. They are so tall, but weigh absolutely nothing; many of their eyes seem to have no hope or happiness left, and I am excited to share with all of you how this changes as we help provide for them.” Prior to HIT's involvement, the mortality rate was one or two weekly at the orphanage, but with the help provided by HIT, that dropped to zero!

After making several other trips, Dave fell in love with the children. In August, 2009, he wrote, “I have to say that it is nearly impossible to walk into that place and avoid having a handful of these kids grab your heart. In fact, if I could, I think I would build a hotel in my back yard, fill up an airplane, and bring all of them home.” Dave initiated changes to improve the condition of the children, including moving them to a better facility.

In October, he was pleased to report incredible improvement overall of the health and condition of the children, saying, “The improvement in the kids' conditions was again evident (when) we walked in the door. We are seeing a very real reversal in the damage the (undernourishment) had done. The kids' hair is thickening and getting shiny, bellies are no longer bloated, eyes have the sparkle back in them, and my personal favorite, their energy is extremely high.”

With the earthquake carnage fresh in mind, and amid worries for the still-missing children, plans are already being made to build a completely new orphanage that will incorporate modern earthquake-resistant features and high standards of design.

For more information, or to donate, please visit http://www.hitwebdesign.com or call 1-866-211-0743.