Yonel’s story is a sad one… Most everyone knows what happened to him when he was very young (about eight or nine years old). For some reason, his real father had been “extremely angry” with him… and held his hand in boiling water. A burn from boiling water is most often far worse than a charcoal fire burn.

His father had “thrown him out on the street,” where a Haitian Police Officer found him. Someone brought him to us and that is how we first took him in. Due to the problems here in Haiti, it was hard to find a specialist for his hand, because he needed a “plastic surgeon.” We had made one trip across the most dangerous area in Haiti, Martissaint, in order to get him some specialized care. That was two years ago. That day, when we traveled through “Martissaint,” we saw dead bodies on both sides of the road.

After getting to the hospital, the doctor examined him and wanted us to bring him back for surgery, but due to the violence in the country, we could not get there. Now, we have an appointment in the Dominican Republic, a seven-hour ride from here, but he does not yet have his Passport. The roads have been so dangerous, it has been difficult to get down there to get his Haitian Passport done. The roads are covered with gangs, roadblocks, burning tires, and “death waits for us anywhere along the road.”

So, as soon as the Haitian Embassy opens, we will get his Passport and get him over to the Dominican Republic, where we have a wonderful plastic surgeon waiting. We ask for your prayers for Yonel. He is a sweet, shy, intelligent, and hard-working young man, and deserves a chance to have his hand operated on. Let’s pray that this dangerous time in Haiti will soon pass. God bless you. – Sherry