I first became aware of ASHCA, an orphanage for disabled children, in the summer of 2015 and was moved to do what I could to help them. Over the past year, The Freeman Foundation, through our blindfolded events and other special donations, raised $8,000 to feed these children a second meal a day for one year. Shortly after we had reached our first $8,000 goal, we heard the tragic news that Francois, the director of the orphanage, had tragically passed away from a massive stroke.
On June 25, 2016 my wife Stephanie and I, together with 10 other people from Forward Community Church, traveled to Haiti for a week long mission trip. After settling into our accommodations for the week, we had the opportunity to visit ASHCA, an orphanage for disabled children. Putting the experience into words is difficult.
I was excited to finally visit, but unsure about what we would find when we arrived.
You wouldn’t believe the conditions these children survive in. After the earthquake in 2010, they had to abandon their building and now reside in makeshift huts around a former night club. They have wheelchairs made out of wooden boxes, and a small kitchen where the meager amount of food they receive each day is cooked. Children that in the states would have received physical therapy and medical care, in Haiti have been cast aside and forgotten.
As I stood there having my surroundings described to me, my heart broke and the realization of how different my life could have been was overwhelming. If I had lived in Haiti when I lost my sight at the age of 12, I would not have received the opportunities that I have in America. I would not have attended school or played football. I would not have graduated from college and seminary. I would not have become a professor or preacher. I would not have a movie based on my life or written a book. I would not have a beautiful, loving wife. Instead of these opportunities, I would have most likely been cast away into a place like ASHCA.
As heartbreaking as the visit was, it also lifted my spirit. Praying Pelican Missions along with the board that oversees ASHCA are working together to find a replacement for Francois. Once that occurs, things are already in motion to find a new facility and with our support the feeding program will continue. My spirit was most lifted, however, by the laughter I heard as our team loved on and played with the children. The simple acts of bouncing a beach ball and coloring brought them immense joy and excitement. We may never know what that short visit meant to those children, but they were a blessing and inspiration to us.
Finally, the visit inspired me to continue the mission of The Freeman Foundation. Hearing about ASHCA gave me a desire to help, visiting ASHCA solidified in me that we must help. James 1:27 says, “Pure and undefiled religion is this, to visit widows and orphans in their affliction (ESV).” The command comes from the Hebrew law that made provisions for widows and orphans, and James includes it in the New Testament law as well. The Freeman Foundation strives to honor this command by raising money to help feed the children of ASHCA.
So you might be asking, “What can I do to help?” Below is a list of prayer requests and actions that you can take.
•Pray for a new Haitian director
•Pray for a new facility
•Pray for the children’s physical and spiritual health
•Pray for Praying Pelican Missions
•Pray for the Haitian people
•Visit ASHCA
•Help us feed these children a second meal a day for another year. You can donate directly to The Freeman Foundation’s Haiti Initiative by clicking here.