Haiti...it happened

3 weeks ago today I was at the Kaliko Beach Club, anticipating the long trek home and reflecting on the previous 10 days. We had been away from the Mephiboscheth House (M-House) for less than a day and I already missed all the kids. They have a way of working themselves into your heart!

Here's are some of the kids who impacted me the most:

Shelton: this little boy captured the biggest piece of my heart! I'm not sure if it was his gangly limbs, his mischievous, curious spirit or his quick smile but he is one of the ones I miss the most. He has CP-like symptoms that limit the use of his legs. He has worked up to being able to take a few steps before falling to the ground. He also can't speak but does a great job communicating with hand gestures and sounds.

This series of pictures captures pretty perfectly his mischievous side:

Kiki: This is the other guy who captured a big piece of my heart! Kiki lost his parents to the earthquake that rocked this small country in 2010. He also has CP-like symptoms which severely limit his mobility. He has one good hand and is great at hitting a ball around! He is very fun loving and is quick to smile. He does have a bit of a stubborn side...however, I think some of it is for show. :)

Here's a short video of Shelton and Kiki (the kids loved getting videotaped once they knew my camera could do that):

Nadege: this girl is the queen of dominoes and will beat you every time! I don't know how she does it. She is one of the sweetest girls around and her smile would light up the darkest room. She uses a walker to get around and has very little speech. By the end of the trip however, she would look at me, smile and softly say "Kari". It melted my heart. She has a really sweet spirit and radiates Christ.

Shelove: this sweet gal worked her way into my heart. Everytime she saw me she would come over and sit or stand by me and just smile in my direction. She saw something in me she liked and was often nearby. She can't speak, has a difficult time walking and seems to process things really slowly. It was fun to say things to her and then watch as she processed it. She has a heart wrenching story that includes being unwanted and abused. When she got to the M House she was really withdrawn and didn't like to be touched, and now she loves to just be near you, holding your hand. She is a really sweet girl.

Jovanie: this sweet girl drew me in. Her body is very stiff and she moves with very jerky, awkward movements. She can only get around with the help of a walker and doesn't speak very well, although sometimes she tries. She is another one with a smile that lights up a room. She seems to be a girl who knows what she wants and who marches to her own beat. She seems to have a crush on one of the little boys there as one time I caught her throwing him a big smile and flirty wave from across the room. We brought nail polish with us and one afternoon she spent about 15 minutes painstakingly painting 2 of my finger nails. It was a moment of true beauty for me and I nearly started crying while I was sitting there with her. Another of my favorite Jovanie moments was another afternoon when I was taking pictures of everyone watching the World Cup. She saw me doing this, walked into the shot, posed and smiled in my direction. You can see the picture below.

I could go on and on about all the kids at the M House but will save those for another time! For now, I will leave you with a video of the kids who have captured a piece of me and shown me Jesus in ways that I have never experienced.