Haiti (MNN) — While many Haitian Americans are trying to bring family members to the U.S. out of Haiti's earthquake ruins, orphaned children don't have that opportunity. Thousands of children were left orphaned and homeless by the quake that killed thousands.
Kids Alive International is attempting to help some of them with their residential children's homes in Cap Haitian. The home of Kids Alive's Robenson Gedeus was destroyed in the quake. "Our house collapsed, but we survived. But this is very difficult situation for me and my family and all the Haitians in Port-au-Prince at that time."
The situation in Haiti isn't getting any better as people are still in make-shift tents and other temporary shelter. "This is the rainy time in Haiti right now. When it's raining a lot, it's flooded and people can't stay in the tents because the water comes in the tarps because the water comes through. They have to stand up and can't sleep. The government doesn't do anything now. They're talking about the election," says Gedeus.
Because of the inadequate shelter in Port-au-Prince, Kids Alive is taking the orphaned kids to Cap Haitian — seven hours away. "After the earthquake, we helped 45 children from Port-au-Prince because a lot of children slept on the ground because they lost everything. They lost their families."
Now Kids Alive is hosting many kids, says Gedeus. "Now that we have the children, we have opened new houses. We had three houses. Now we have eight homes to receive the children from Port-au-Prince. We have 81 children now."
These children are now receiving three meals a day, shelter, love from Christian house parents, and the Gospel. Gedeus says many of their parents were voodoo worshippers, so going to church is a new experience for them.
The testimony of these rescued children speaks loudly to their relatives. Gedeus says when relatives call, "They explain to them how God saved them, how God does very good things for them. Now their relatives in Port-au-Prince understand the love of God through Kids Alive."
While 81 children is great, Kids Alive has an ambitious goal to do even more. To do that, they need sponsors for children and large supporters. "We're going to open a new village in Cap Haitian to receive the children from Port-au-Prince — even MORE children."
