Maddie Ziegler: House of Hope

Right down the street from where I am staying, there is a children’s home called House of Hope. It is not officially associated with HOM, but the girls do go to the HOM school at Terre Noire and Nadege (the principal at the Terre Noire school and the daughter to Pastor Leon) oversees the home. There are 11 girls, 8 of them are under the age of 5. They are adding on to the house so they can bring in more girls and are also hoping to build another building on the property to help even more children. It is not technically an orphanage because most (if not all) of them do have parents, but the parents were not able to care for them. Many of them came extremely malnourished with no clothes on. Part of the agreement is that the girls will all do well academically and behaviorally in school, and if any issues arise either at school or at home, the parents are called and the girls are asked to leave. Obviously this hasn’t been an issue because these are the absolute sweetest girls I have met! They all have had such different and challenging pasts, but they truly are a family and love one another well!

I consider myself very blessed to go and spend time with the girls. I have spent mornings helping them shower and get ready (Ashley Crowder-if you read this, I have a new found respect for you and all the stylish hairdos you give Yeni…that is not easy work), afternoons reading, playing games, dancing and singing and nights again showering, worshipping and singing. Although I am starting to learn a little creole, these little tykes can fortunately speak some English so we can communicate. And of course, dancing and singing and praying are somewhat universal and bring us together. For the last several nights, I have gone over to help with their bedtime routines. They shower, put on pajamas, take what seems like a million different vitamins and medications and then we all gather in a circle on the porch, hold hands, recite Scripture and sing. I am inspired, yet a little convicted, because these little girls have entire Psalms and Bible passages (keep in mind, most of them are under the age of 5). Memorizing scripture is something I have wanted and known I’ve needed to focus on for a while now, but have always found some excuse to put it on the backburner. My favorite Psalm they recite together is Psalm 100, and so I have committed to memorizing this Psalm (and hopefully more) while I am in Haiti.

I have included pictures from the House of Hope, and ask that you pray for these sweet girls and the family they have created in the last 2 years….prayers for strength, for health, for the Lord’s guiding hand in their lives. And prayers for the staff members at the house; they have a housemother, a cook, a cleaner and a gatekeeper. They live there 7 days a week and have very little time off. I don’t know how they keep up with these little ones, but I am so thankful for loving on these girls so well. I hope to have many more stories about them to share with you all!

Dafka (5 years old) and Rebecca (6 years old):

Clarafina (4 years old) and Dafka: both of these sweet girls were in the hospital for 3 days last week, thank you for your prayers! They are all better and full of energy!