cbm Canada - Rescuing Missing Children

Stouffville, ON, May 12, 2010 – On the water’s edge of Port-au-Prince, an active boy forges his way through the narrow alley ways between tents, maneuvering over the rough terrain.

“To see him move around the camp with his crutches, you would think he has had them his entire life,” says Julie Hard, cbm Canada’s physiotherapist in Haiti. “He has no trouble running, turning on a dime or darting between tents. He’s actually hard to keep up with.”

Sebastian is one of thousands of children in Haiti who are learning to live with recent amputations. (see: cbm Canada Saving Lives in Haiti, March 16, 2010)

“Thanks to the generosity of Canadian donors, children like Sebastian are literally being saved by cbm’s wound care and physiotherapy,” says Ed Epp, Executive Director of cbm Canada. “Follow-up care after surgery is critical to survival.” 

cbm and its close partner, Handicap International, have more than 20 physiotherapists working in 12 local hospitals and nine community care centres called “Antenna Handicap” in Port-au-Prince.

An only child, Sebastian had been trapped under a beam in his house for three days after the January 12 earthquake. His mother lay dead beside him. Tragically, he lost his family, his home and his right leg.

If he had not been found and pulled from the rubble, Sebastian would have died. His Aunt Roseleine and Uncle Claudy, who have eight children of their own, took Sebastian to Diquini Hospital where his badly crushed leg was amputated.

The physiotherapy exercises and good wound care Sebastian received through cbm at Diquini Hospital prepared him to be a good candidate for prosthesis.

He was released on March 22^nd and now receives outpatient care through the prosthetic centre in Port-au-Prince. He now lives with his aunt and uncle.

Sebastian’s story, like so many in Haiti, is a mix of tragedy and hope. He’s lost so much yet he’s fiercely determined to make the most of his life.

Without proper care, his amputation might have resulted in a serious infection, warranting a secondary amputation and threatening his life.

cbm plans to give Sebastian ongoing rehabilitation, training, and assistive devices for at least the next three years to help him walk, go to school and fulfill his dreams for the future.

There are thousands of other children with disabilities that cbm is striving to help – including those who had injuries before the earthquake when there was no rehabilitation program available.

These children are often hidden in Haiti’s crowded streets and tent city tarps, struggling to stay alive.

And yet, Haiti is only one place in the world where children with disabilities are missing...hidden...forgotten.

 In Luke 15:4, Jesus tells the story of the shepherd who searched desperately for his one missing sheep. When he found it, he lifted it into his arms, rejoicing at finding his precious lamb.

With the help of Canadians, cbm can continue working to rescue missing children and give them a future of hope.

$50 will equip a community worker to head out into camps, villages, slums, looking for missing children.Once a child is found, $360 will provide the complete care this child needs to save their life.

To learn more about becoming a Forgotten Child Sponsor contact cbm Canada at 1-800-567-2264, or donate online at missingchildren.cbmcanada.org .

A leading international Christian humanitarian organization, cbm works to meet the needs of persons with disabilities in the poorest countries of the world.