Tuesday. Thursday. Friday. These are the days affectionately (or not always so affectionately) referred to as “gate days” here at COTP. These are the days when families can come to us asking for help. These are the days when we weigh kids who are in our formula and medika mamba programs. These are the days when families can come and take home their children. These are the days when families come to ask for updates and pictures of their children who have been adopted. These are the days when biological families can come to visit the kiddos in our care. These are the days when reunited kids come back to see us and check in.
Some of these days are slow, others leave no time for a break. Some of these days are fun and uplifting, others are discouraging and overwhelming.
Yesterday was a busy day, an overwhelming day...
One of our reunited toddlers, together with his mom and three siblings, is now homeless, unwanted by friends and neighbors because there are so many children.
Another reunited child came back for a check up, sick and two pounds lighter than when we saw him last.
A mom we’ve worked with for almost two years came and asked us for adoption for her eight month old, the youngest of two brothers.
We had to send home a baby to a really tough situation, with parents who love him but don’t quite understand how to care for their tiny son, especially now while he is ill.
And yet, in the middle of yesterday’s chaos, there was beauty and encouragement...
A biological grandmother came to ask us for an update on her granddaughter. I was able to print some pictures of her healthy, happy four year old granddaughter and her new family. I brought the pictures into the office and showed them to my Haitian coworkers, Eulalie and Roseline. One of them looked at the pictures and remarked how beautiful the once-extremely-malnourished little girl now looks.
Then she looked at me and told me, “I don’t make a lot of money doing this job, but I love it. It is hard, but it is good.”
Even though it is easy and even necessary to focus on the hard part of our job, these amazing women are daily becoming more passionate about their work. Even when not inside our gates, they are visiting homes, making phone calls and praying for our babies. They advocate for those who need it, they hurt with those in pain and they rejoice with those who are healthy.
Even in the midst of this chaotic day, they took the time to praise kids for their weight gain, to offer candies to those who were frightened, and to proudly show a grandma the photos of her thriving granddaughter. I am definitely blessed to work alongside these beautiful women. :)
