When I heard the news three weeks ago, I immediately thought of this simple prayer. Over a year ago we ALL started to pray, "HELP!" after visiting Jonatas' orphanage, just down the street from where I stayed last summer.
If you weren't able to follow my journey last summer, or in case you don't remember the specifics, here's an excerpt from my initial reaction/reflection after visiting the first time:
7/1/15
Haiti Day 12
After loading up with food supplies we headed to the orphanage. It was truly one of the most horrific and heartbreaking things I've ever experienced. It was run by 3 very ungodly men. These criminals had not only been deported from the United States, but actually escorted out and told to never return. These orphans are not true orphans. They have at least one parent still living. The leader of the 3 men ("Jonatas" is his name) will dress up in nice clothes, borrow a nice car, and wear jewelry to go out to some rural villages of Haiti. Rural villages tend to be some of the poorest people who have absolutely nothing. They have no clothes, no food, no water. Anyway, this man "Jonatas" will go out to these villages and tell parents this wonderful story of how he has this home for children, promising a better life for their children than they can provide, offering nutritious food, water, education, shelter, etc. Parents send their children with him because they want a better life for their kids...they don't know the truth about the situation these children live in. The children were between the ages of 2 and 14 with the 14 year old most likely "transitioning" out soon...being kicked out to fend for himself on the streets. These men use these children for their own gain. They send people back to America with this sad story of all these orphans who need help, and Americans send money...thousands and thousands of dollars worth. These men pocket the majority of this money, putting hardly any of it toward food or needs for the children. It is assumed that they lock the children in the overcrowded, bunk-filled bedrooms with a prison-type cell door at night and leave them until morning (or whenever they decide to return to let them out). This broken down building only has half of a roof and no running water (which means no bathroom of any type and no place to bathe). The team brought a ton of toys and activities to play with the kids, and Frank told us that the men will more than likely take all the toys after we left and sell them. Along with the food we brought from the Depot...he said the kids MIGHT see 2-3 meals max (we brought a total of 110 POUNDS of rice) and then the rest of the food would be sold. These children aren't even able to be adopted...I think the hardest part of the entire experience was seeing, holding, and playing with these precious children of God who were dirty beyond description, wearing such dirty shirts...many lacked bottoms of any kind...so it was seeing that and knowing that there was nothing I could do for them but pray, it was especially hard for the ones that clung to me and didn't want to be put down. The second hardest part was being in the presence of those men, knowing how evil they are. Not only being in their presence, but being in their presence without judgment. And loving them. And having conversations with them. We are called to love the unlovable. I can't quite picture anyone more unlovable in my opinion. We are called to hate the sin, not the sinner. God loves them just as much as He loves you and me. That was hard. Not to judge. Not to hate. But to try and love them like Jesus does.
Brittany Fairbanks, who attended the June all-women's team, blogged about it and it went viral. It still seemed too helpless, knowing that authorities had visited and were given money to turn their heads and hide their eyes from the awful circumstances. It seemed too big. Too messy. Too awful. It was literally Hell on Earth.
Visit Brittany's original blog post here (a MUST-READ): https://brittanyannfairbanks.wordpress.com/2015/07/07/hell-on-earthheaven-on-earth/
After recapping that experience through email and sharing Brittany's blog, my aunt shared Psalm 10 with me. It provided some comfort, in knowing God sees the children, hears them, encourages them, and defends them. But I wanted answers. I wanted to know the answer to "Why?" I wanted to take every child out of that "orphanage" that day. Even with no place to go and no plan, I knew they'd be better off without that evil man. I was angry. These words of Psalm 10 helped:
Why, Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
who are caught in the schemes he devises.
He boasts about the cravings of his heart;
he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.
In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
His ways are always prosperous;
your laws are rejected by him;
he sneers at all his enemies.
He says to himself, "Nothing will ever shake me."
He swears, "No one will ever do me harm."
His mouth is full of lies and threats;
trouble and evil are under his tongue.
He lies in wait near the villages;
from ambush he murders the innocent.
His eyes watch in secret for his victims;
like a lion in cover he lies in wait.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless;
he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.
His victims are crushed, they collapse;
they fall under his strength.
He says to himself, "God will never notice;
he covers his face and never sees."
Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless.
Why does the wicked man revile God?
Why does he say to himself,
"He won't call me to account"?
But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked man;
call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
that would not otherwise be found out.
The Lord is King for ever and ever;
the nations will perish from his land.
You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;
you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that mere earthly mortals
will never again strike terror.
So, back to the beginning thought of this post...we cried out, "HELP!" Well, Frank received an email telling him that IBESR had gone in, removed all children from Jonatas' place, and RETURNED THEM TO THEIR FAMILIES. Not only does this call for a "THANKS!" but also a "WOW!" I couldn't wait to share the news with everyone who followed my journey last year, and bring light to the situation for those who didn't follow along. All praises to God! I'm so thankful for Frank who brought team after team by this place. I'm so thankful for Brittany for being vulnerable and courageous enough to put it out to the world on her blog, which got attention from people all around the world. God worked through the two of them, along with many authorities to put an end to this man's corruption. Hallelujah!
Kalipso was able to go over to the location of this previous "orphanage" twice to check things out this past week. Both times there was a lock on the outside of the gate. He didn't see anyone inside and didn't hear anything. When he talked to the neighbors they told him the orphanage was not there anymore and they didn't really want to explain anything to him. At this point we don't know where Jonatas is or what he's doing, but that may not be something anyone is able to find out for awhile. For now, I want to say "Thanks! Wow!" to God for getting this place shut down and the kids returned to their families and I want to pray that he has not moved to a new location and started another "orphanage" by seeking out other children from different areas/different families. Since God loves BOLD prayer, I would also pray that Jonatas has completely turned from his evil ways and has come to know Christ as Lord and Savior. Will you pray with me?
According to https://wearelumos.org/, there are 8 million children worldwide that are living in institutions because they are poor, disabled, or from an ethnic minority. Institutionalization denies children individual love and care and can damage their brain development and destroy their understanding of right and wrong. Of the 8 million children in institutions, more than 90% are NOT ORPHANS. Most have families who love them and want them! This is a violation of their human rights and the effects last a lifetime. One study found that young adults raised in institutions are 10 times more likely to be involved in prostitution than their peers, 40 times more likely to have a criminal record, and 500 times more likely to take their own life.
Will you pray boldly with me for this to end worldwide?
Thanks for sharing this wonderful news! Ever since I stepped foot in Joantas' "orphanage" I've been haunted by the depth of evil and depravity of man I encountered there. To know those sweet children are home with their parents brings such great joy! Praise the Lord! I'd like to echo "Wow! Thanks!"
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