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Loveka's Story

In February 2009 a liitle girl named Loveka was brought to our compound by her father. Loveka's story is a perfect example of why we must urgently and quick build the Danita's Children's Hospital of Hope, and why we ask you to prayerfully consider getting involved today. Loveka is just one example of the thousands of children's lives and souls that we believe will be saved as a result of your involvement in this project.

On February 10, 2009 a desperate Haitian father arrived at the Haitian/Dominican border in Ouanaminthe with his 3 1/2 year old daughter, Loveka. Daniel, her father, was frantic to get Loveka to a Dominican

. /Having tried a . . . hhospital. Her . . . .
hundred folk cures,... mid-section was .. . . . . Loveka's father ... ... .swollen to several was desperate ..... . times its normal . .for help. .... . .. . ..size as though
the tiny girl had a ..basketball on the inside. She was unable to stand or speak. Mr. Daniel had been to several Haitian clinics over the past ten.months, but doctors, limited by their ability and lack of tools to treat her, could only surmise as to what was causing the bloated belly. Meanwhile, Loveka's grandfather had aministered a hundred folk cures without positive results. Loveka's life was now hanging in the balance.

The Dominican border would not allow Mr. Daniel and Loveka to cross. As his desperation and insistence grew, the border guards recommended that he seek the help of "Mami Danita", as she is referred to in the city. The border guard suggested that Danita and the missionaries may be able to help the desperate child. Mr. Daniel made his way to the orphanage, and Danita looked at the child who may have only lived another week or two without medical attention, and called missionary friends Annie and Mike Floyd. (The Floyds live in Santiago and have been visiting Hope for Haiti Children's Center twice a week for nearly eight months now to assist at out school.) Danita made arrangements for Loveka to cross the border and asked the Floyds to pick her and Mr. Daniel up in Santiago, D.R.

The Floyds met them at the bus station, and immediately took her to the public children's hospital in Santiago. She was admitted to ICU by 10:30 that night. X-rays revealed a giant "light bulb" of water being retained in the child's abdomen. Doctors began treating her, and for the next four weeks, the Floyds visited with Loveka and her father frequently, bringing them food, clean clothes and many prayers. Slowly, Loveka began to reduce in size. For two weeks the Floyds drove around Santiago running the many errands that medicine in the Dominican Republic demands. Instead of ordering blood directly through the hospital, a blood sample had to be taken directly to a blood bank, where bags of blood can be purchased, wrapped in styrofoam..Then,.vials of Loveka's blood had to be taken all over the city for various tests: proteins, electrolytes, white blood cells, etc. Every test is brought in by hand and paid for in cash, and if there,
is an error one must get in line and start again. The process of caring for a sick child can be tiresome and expensive, making it . . . The gratefulness on .
very difficult for the average Haitian . . . . . .. . . Mr. Daniel's face was .
child to obtain medical care,.even in the . . . . . . .. . . . . .obvious as he watched . . . . . . .Dominican Republic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .his little girl smile.
..
.Three weeks into her recovery, the Floyds returned.to see Loveka. But this time, rather than seeing a sickly and weak little girl,.they saw a bright-eyed and smiling Loveka. Her face lit up when she saw them. What a blessing to witness the miracle of health in little Loveka's body! The gratefulness and joy on Mr. Daniel's face was obvious as he watched his little girl smile.

The Floyds put Loveka and her father on a bus and sent then back to Ouanaminthe. On the way home, they stopped to see the missionaries at Danita's Children/Hope for Haiti Children's Center. While Mr. Daniel went to pick up some medication, little Loveka ate lunch with the missionaries. Unaware that there was more food available for her father when he returned, little Loveka began to separate the food on her plate in two to save half for her father. When the missionaries told her she could have it all, her eyes lit up once more. Loveka, even at a young age, could see that she was blessed and thankful for her meal.

When Mr. Daniel returned from the pharmacy, he told missionary Karris that both he and Loveka had accepted Christ as their Lord and received salvation during thei stay in Santiago.

A simple Gospel of Christ's purest love and acceptance was shown, often with hands, food, a bit of cash...or even syringes and pills. You are part of that love, as a member of the family of God. Know that in a little corner of a sun-drenched cement-block house with a tin roof, in a dusty village of a nation that sometimes feels cursed, often forgotten, Mr. Daniel and Loveka will continue to tell each other of the long journey they took, and the saving love, hope and mercy they experienced.

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