“But when she could no longer hide him, she got a basket made of papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch. She put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile river.” – Exodus 2:3

The scripture above describes what a desperate mother did to save her son, Moses, from certain death. Exodus 1 ends with a decree from Pharaoh commanding that every newborn Hebrew boy is thrown into the Nile. So let’s get this straight. Mom sets her son afloat on the Nile River, infested with hippos and crocodiles, in an effort to save her son? That doesn’t make much sense; however, history shows the faithfulness of God not only to save her son but to reunite her with him and call him to be the salvation of the Hebrew people from slavery.

Anytime we get a new child in the orphanage, there are several emotions that I experience, but one of the main ones I feel is anger. I get angry because the Devil is bad and is doing his best to destroy lives. I get angry because of choices that lead to this child being in our care, but I get really mad when a child is brought to us because he or she was left, abandoned and seemingly unwanted. Recently, I had this same encounter with anger again.

In December, a little girl named Brenda was taken by her mother to a hospital to receive treatment for hydrocephalus. After being admitted to the hospital for further care, the hospital staff noticed that the mother was nowhere to be found and was never to return.

The hospital staff lovingly cared for Brenda for over a month but did not have the staff or equipment to treat Brenda’s condition. Being evident that Brenda’s mother was not to return, the hospital contacted IBESR (social services) to help find her a more suitable and permanent home.

Mid-January, IBESR decided to bring Brenda to us, knowing that we provide for many children with special conditions and believing we had the ability to love and help her.  Honestly, I was intimidated. We had never had to deal with a situation like this before.  Where do we start, what do we do?

We quickly learned about a hospital in Port Au Prince that hosts medical groups from the University of Florida that come to Haiti monthly to perform surgeries for children just like her. We took her for her exams and evaluations, and within a month, little Brenda received a life-saving surgery and is now doing fantastic.

Just recently, IBESR showed up at our gate once again.  This time with a little boy named Jamesly who was severely malnourished and suffering from the same condition, hydrocephalus. Once again, admitted to a hospital by his mother and abandoned.

Anger, rage, confusion, sadness, all things I felt about these two innocent children that were left seemingly unwanted. Then God reminded me of the story of Moses, but more specifically his mother.

Perhaps Brenda and Jamesly’s mothers were desperate, much like Moses’s mother. If they were to keep their child, most certainly they would not be able to pay for their surgery, provide their special food, and give them the special attention needed. Perhaps, just like Moses, they set out with the hope that God would place them in the hands of someone who would give them what they need.  

Sometimes I like to ask, “What if?” What if, we had met these women before they had left the hospital not knowing what would happen to their children? What if, we could have connected them with the resources they would need to receive care for their children and continue being a part of their life?

For our staff members and their children in Haiti, that “What if?” is a reality. It brings us great joy to see many children being raised by our very own Coreluv staff families who will not be left abandoned. It also brings us great joy that Brenda and Jamesly will be loved by us at the Coreluv Children’s Village | Myan, Haiti and WILL know the love of Jesus.

Anger no longer crosses my mind when I think about those women. In fact, I pray that God would give them a vision of their child and they could rest at ease knowing that they are safe and loved. Perhaps, God will someday reunify these women with their children just like Moses, and perhaps God will use these children and their story to set a nation free.

Defend The Orphan,

Jacob Sangster