News - September, 2010
A Heart-Warming Haitian Story
Sister Ann Crawly, CSJP, has been missioned in Haitiforalmost one year now. She writes in a recent letter, "I have just received the snap of my lovely boy Jamesly our first baby of the earthquake. Our little hero of about eighteen months, was found in the rubble with spinal, head and eye injuries. He fell from the arms of his stepmother when she was killed in the earthquake and his birth mother died when he was born."
Ann continues in her letter, "He was seriously ill on admission to hospital last January and the doctors gave little hope for his survival. The little fellow was miserable in himself, having lost two mothers and suffering the pain of a nasty abscess on his spine.
I tried to visit him a couple of times a day which was difficult back then as we were "up to our eyes" with our many patients from the earthquake. At first Jamesly used to" woof" at me to go away but with time he whimpered as I left. I used to carry him outside to let him feel the sun and air on his frail body and give him candy!. He got to like these visits of course gradually showed interest in life around him.
I did not want him to get too attached to me so I prayed to St. Joseph to send someone to help care for him and a young local boy of 16 turned up one day and is here ever since. He came here of his own accord and does all voluntarily. His name is Davidson and he takes great care of Jamesly. He washes him every morning in a basin outside the tent, feeds him and gives him his medicines. He then goes to school and returns later to continue caring, feeding and washing Jamesly and his soiled clothes. He even stays with him at night. I call him Joseph as it was certainly St. Joseph who sent him along. Is this not real devotion? Where in the world would you find such charity....only in Haiti.
There are many such Davidsons in Haiti who come every day to care for the sick and suffering. These people fill me with hope. Jamesly is a happy little fellow today always chuckling with laughter and is loved by all. The long term plan is that he continue his treatment here for a further six months and then go to the US for surgery on his spine. Ask and you shall receive! I've tried!
Ann