We Live In Haiti {Real Craziness}

My husband and I live in Pignon, Haiti, and run an orphanage, Haiti Home of Hope. We have a biological son who just graduated high school. We have two Haitian daughters who we are in the process of adopting. And we have 22 boys and 23 girls in the orphanage. We also direct a feeding center for children suffering from malnutrition.

10 years ago, my husband and I were just your average American couple. Bill was working, I was a stay at home mom homeschooling our son. We as a family that year had committed to ministering wherever God led us. We had no clue that God was going to call us to Haiti, and in a short time we would be there serving orphan children. We had not been to Bible school, and were not looking or desiring to be on the mission field.

We arrived in Haiti January 21, 2003. We proceeded to get the building and property ready to start accepting children. Our plan was to open an all boys orphanage, with no babies. In May we had a 4 pound, 4 day old baby girl, brought to us. Our very first orphan! She was sick with typhoid, the doctors here said not to even try and save her, that she probably wouldn’t make it. I worked with her anyway. We fed her around the clock with an eyedropper, she could only take a couple of drops at a time. And we prayed so much, that God would save her.  God was gracious and saved her life. She is now 7 years old and the picture of health. She tells me that she wants to grow up and help sick babies, just like her mommy!! She has such a sensitive heart, we thank God everyday for her We now have 47 children here, and life gets crazy sometimes.

I would like to share some of my everyday craziness with you. I like to get out into the countryside and visit children that are on our feeding program. I just never know what I am going to find when I go out. The physical and spiritual needs are so great. Last Saturday I had gone to visit a really poor family. There are 5 children, all suffering malnutrition. When I arrived at the hut, there were no adults around. The door was hanging open, and the 1 year old twins were laying on the floor. They are only 8 pounds each, and can’t sit up or crawl around. They were both covered in dried feces and crying pitifully. I found an old rag to wipe them off with, and a couple of blankets, and wrapped them up. We gave them what little water we had, and some cream cheese in my bag, that I let them suck off of my finger. When I asked the older kids, they said they had not eaten in 2 days. I passed out all of our crackers and cheese, and water. We were anxiously awaiting the mom’s return, but after an hour when no one came, we had no choice but to lay the babies down and walk away. I felt so defeated, I was in tears that there was nothing more I could do. There was no food for them to cook in the house. I prayed that I could come back soon and bring some food.

It was Monday before I had another another opportunity to go out that way. When we got within a mile, the road was impassable, because of deep mud. So we made the decision to walk in. Just as we arrived at the hut, we were hit with a huge thunderstorm. The mom was gone again, door left open, babies on the dirt floor, and the other 3 kids running around naked. We gave them all cheese and crackers, and water, again. The mom finally showed up, so we were able to leave rice packets, specially formulated for malnourished children.

Mission accomplished, we then started the walk back in the thunderstorm. The water in the road was rushing, about a foot deep. In some places, the mud was a foot deep. I fell twice, and was covered in mud, head to toe when I got home. But I was so happy, because I knew those kids would have a meal that day. But more important than that, I hope and pray that the mom saw the love of Christ thru us, as we ministered to her and her babies.  I pray that she will see the harm that voodoo does to her children. I pray that  one day she will come to accept Christ in her heart.

Please pray for these families that are so caught up in voodoo, that they don’t see the damage being done to their children. Pray for the poor children of Haiti. The only hope for them is Jesus. Pray that we will continue to have love and compassion, so that they will see Jesus shining thru us.

{wife, mom to 48- Jennifer Campbell}

A note from Kari:  I met Jennifer on my 2nd trip to Haiti.  She is my hero (even though she would hate me saying that!)  She and her hubby serve God with all their hearts and are making a huge difference with the families in the village of Pignon.  She explained to me that when a family is practicing voodoo, their children are born with red tipped hair.  It is NOT hair dye… she has witnessed a family that after accepting Jesus in their lives, shaved their children’s hair, despite the witch doctor’s evil warnings of death.  When their hair grew back, it was black.  God healed this family from the inside out.  Roger will travel to Pignon, Haiti to work with the Campbells in August.