Today Ronald was able to finally apply for his new passport. This is a big deal to us as Ronald has a heart condition that has already needed open heart surgery three years ago in the states. Over the last few months, we have seen Ronald deteriorating, not being able to walk very far, losing weight, and seeing his heart beat like a drum throughout his neck and upper torso.

His father came to the orphanage to get him today to take him to the passport office. He hadn’t seen him in a while, and began to weep when he saw how weak Ronald had become. I can’t imagine what this poor Haitian father has been through, watching your son be so touch and go his whole life. It was so disheartening to find that the surgery he had already endured had failed. Now he has to go to the states for another open heart surgery. It is a race against time for him to get all of the paperwork and visas ready to go. We have been on edge watching this scenario unfold and praying for the best for Ronald, who at 16 should be looking forward to a full life ahead of him.

I sat on the bed with him a few weeks back and asked him if it makes him sad. That his whole childhood he has been sick, hasn’t been able to play with other kids, hasn’t been able to do the basic and normal things kids want to do- play soccer, run around the neighborhood. He seems to me to have been so ripped off by this condition. I asked him how he felt about all that. He just wept. He truly has lost so much.

And here’s to hope.. hope that the beauracracy will not entangled him anymore and that he will be going home to the US for good. Please pray for Ronald as we wait with bowed heads in hopes that he will be healed.