WILLIAMHAUN

Dawlence’s story is one of the most moving and memorable from Haitihelpers‘ February 2010 medical mission trip. In the village of Paskèt, just outside of Jacmel, Haiti, the team was holding their 3rd and final clinic. Over 300 patients had already been seen and as they were packing up, one last patient arrived.

It was a 6 day-old child whose mother had died giving birth to him only six months into the pregnancy. He was being cared for by his cousin but had not breastfeed at all since his birth. The family said they had only been able to get him to drink water. Dr. Joni Yamamoto, a family physician from Georgia, took him in her arms and examined him. He was in dire need of nourishment or he would soon die.

A week earlier, before leaving for Haiti, Joni had visited a pediatric practice to get supplies from their samples closet. She had hoped to stock up on children’s antibiotics for the Haiti mission trip but left a bit disappointed with only a few allergy meds and three enormous boxes of infant formula.

God had a plan for all that infant formula.

Joni excitedly opened one of the ready-made formula boxes and found that it came with a bottle & nipples to attach. The tiny boy immediately began to suck on the bottle and finished an entire ounce in no time. She went over the importance of frequent feeding with the cousin and took the whole bin of formula to their home.

The next night, after a full day of waiting at the airport with no luck getting a flight out of Haiti, Joni and several of the team members returned to Dawlence’s home to check on him. It was dark and the family’s two room house with walls made of tarps only had a single candle illuminating its interior. The entire family (and some neighbors) crowded in to hear what the doctor had to say.

Dawlence was doing well but was sleeping and not being fed every 3 hours as the family had been instructed. I translated Joni’s instructions into French and we explained again how important it was that he be feed regularly even if he is sleepy. It turned out they had no clock with which to tell the time and schedule feedings! Without hesitation, Joni’s husband Chris handed his watch over to the family.

Before leaving, we prayed with the entire family for them and for Dawlence. Life in Haiti has always been hard, but in this post-earthquake period it is harder than it has ever been. Everyone’s lives have been turned upside-down and taking on the responsibility of raising a relative’s orphaned child isn’t easy.

Keep young Dawlence uplifted in your own prayers – may he grow up strong and come to know his loving Creator who gave him life. Praise God for providing the infant formula the child so desperately needed. Praise God for providing Dawlence with an extended family that is willing to care for him during these extremely trying times in Haiti. Praise God for doctors like the Yamamotos who are willing to leave their own families and comforts of home to serve those suffering in Haiti.