john mutin's reflections

I have been asked to write to you about how things are going in Haiti.  In considering this task, I feel one of the biggest questions in my mind is - Are we making a difference?  The answer is definitely yes!  We have helped to improve the children’s lives thanks to your help.  They are showing a big improvement in their hematocrit (blood iron) levels although they are still not up to the equivalent of an American child’s level.  The multivitamins they are getting every week day are improving their general health along with the food and clean water. Their health was much improved; their weight is up slightly and all they are growing taller.  They are in a safe clean place where they are cared for and loved very much. It never ceases to astound me just how happy they are and the love they exhibit. In a place where one would expect self-pity, I see then striving to help their friends.

One of the biggest new events that came out of this trip is that there are some children that are currently in wheelchairs that could, with physical therapy and casting, be able to walk.  What an amazing gift this would be that could change a child’s life forever.  We need to develop a full time physical therapy department that can work with the foot clinic and give these children back there mobility.  Currently a child with a club foot is placed in a wheelchair to give them some mobility, but this weakens their leg muscles and contracts the tendons to the point where they will never walk again.  We can make a huge difference to these children if we can provide a properly trained staff to work with them on a regular basis. The children are coming from all over Haiti for the foot clinic, so this is chance to change their young lives.  It wouldn’t be that expensive and the impact we would have is nothing short of a Miracle.  With God’s blessings and your help, we can do this.