Helping Orphans in Haiti

The first thought that came to my mind when I saw the news about Haiti was "what about the orphans?" I never watch TV during the day because the kids are around, but on Wednesday morning the kids had just gone to preschool and I was waiting to leave to go work at the food bank so I turned it on some random morning show just to see what was going on the the world. I saw that it cut off and the picture came on saying, "Special Report." My first thought (which I quickly felt guilty about) was "Lord, whatever it is please don't let it be something bad in South Korea." Then once I saw what had happened I thought about the orphans. Specifically, I thought of orphans who were kill, injured, homeless, with no one to advocate for them. I also thought about the families who are waiting to bring their child(ren) home like we are and now the wait will be much much longer...and their child will be living in even more dreadful conditions.

So I wanted to post some information just in case anyone was interested in specifically helping the orphanages in Haiti. Donating, praying, whatever.

Although it's been hard for agencies to get information on the orphanages they run because of communication issues, there has been some news. We receive an online adoption newsletter each month called "Rainbow Kids." They had this article today about the condition of a few orphanages in Haiti. One they know of has been completely destroyed; others are damaged. The good news is that in the ones that were only damaged very few children were injured and only minor injuries. In every one I read about the kids and workers are sleeping outside because of the fear that the tremors will collapse the already cracked and fragile homes. They need food, generators to run their water filters, medicine, formula, diapers, etc.

That same Rainbow Kids article lists 7 different orphanages and talks specifically about what is happening with them. It also gives links to each of them so that you can donate directly to the orphanage.

International Child Foundation (which was the second agency we were with when we were attempting to adopt from Kyrgyzstan before it shut down adoptions completely) is very focused on their Haiti adoption program and raising money for the three orphanages they work with in Haiti. Even before the earthquake, they were living in more dire conditions than almost any child living in an orphanage around the world. One of their orphanages in Port-au-Prince has lost their outer "protective" wall and has had problems with looters. ICF is taking donations that will go directly to this orphanage.

MSNBC had this and this article about a few families who are in the middle of trying to bring their children home from Haiti and how they are dealing with things after news of the earthquake.

I truly am posting this for information only. I am not trying to say that we all need to donate money to orphanages or to Haiti in general. But if God lays it on your heart to pray for or give to orphans, I figured I'd put some information out there...because it sure is what is on my heart right now.