Thursday, September 30, 2010

Briana - Birthdate: 1/20/02

At some point, Compassion put out a plea for people to sponsor children in Haiti, where the need was so great (this was before the hurricane). I really didn't know if I could take on the cost of another child, but when I thought about what it would mean to the child and what it would mean giving up for me, how could I say no?

Again, I looked through the pictures and when I saw that there was a girl named Briana (with one n instead of Brianna our granddaughter), I had to adopt her.

It takes several weeks to hear from your sponsored child, but Hurricane Gustav arrived before that and I was frantic to find out where she was and if she had been affected. I was relieved to discover that she was in Petite-Anse (Cap-Haiten), in the northern part of the country, about as far away from the affected areas as you could get and still be in Haiti.

Briana is one of 3 children, living with both her parents. The typical house in this area has a cement floor, brick walls, and tin roofs. The regional diet consists of maize, beans, chicken, fish, cassava, rice, goat and vegetables. Most adults are unemployed but some work as market traders and earn the equivalent of $67 per month.

The translator of her father's letter (only 8 years old, Briana does not write letters herself), says that "she is cute and elegant." They also say that she likes to sing.

I have only heard from her 3 times, so don't really have a feel for her yet.

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