About 12 years ago, one of our Haitian pastors, Pastor Justin, walked down from one of the highest mountains where we work, a village called Covant. He was carrying a baby in his arms. His poor mother died right after childbirth from eclampsia, the “childbirth fever,” which leaves behind so many orphans here in Haiti. As in many other families, the baby’s poor father could not care for “another child.” We took him in and called him Fritzner. The picture you see was taken when he was 5-6 months old. This is why so many children are put in orphanages here in Haiti. Imagine a mother giving birth on the floor of a mud hut, and a neighbor cutting the cord with a rusty razor blade or tin-can lid? This is one reason why we felt led to build the Birthing Center. If it was not for our Birthing Center, many of these moms would have died, and there would be more orphans. We have a “women’s healthcare” class they have to attend first thing in the morning, and we encourage and teach about birth control.

Back to Fritzner… He is 12 years old and in 4th grade at school. He “loves” to help the moms cook in the kitchen!! (Maybe it’s because he does the “taste tester” thing!!) Fritzner is a good student, sweet and kind, and always helping, especially the moms! He wants to be a doctor!! So maybe that baby that Pastor Justin carried all the way over the mountains was a “one-day doctor” who would help his people…Fritzner!

We all love Fritzner and we all love our Birthing Center! Sherry