We Have A “Visitor”

"I would like to inform you the office which covers the orphanage (Bien Etre Social) and some UN police officers brought us this boy this afternoon just for some days, mean time they are preparing a file to send him to a definitive place. This boy is 10 ears old. They told me from time to time, they can bring children like that. Please, if you have questions, let me know. Thanks." Such was the message we received in Stamford from our orphanage in Hinche. We work closely with the Bien Etre Social to assure transparency in the way we operate as an orphange. We have shared with them the fact that we admit children at the first grade level only and educate them in our school. From a resource standpoint, we are not financially or people equipped to take orphans of all ages. Yes, we will assist where possible with emergency situations, but we cannot offer a long-term solution. In this case, we are concerned about the well-being and the education of the child. He is too old for our children and for our school. We will have to divert resources to accommodate this child for what appears to be an indeterminate period. We do not know anything about the background of the child or whether he presents risks for our other children or staff. We will proceed with caution and appropriate care to learn a good deal more about our visitor. Yet there is this 10-year old boy that has no place to stay. The authorities could have taken him to one of several other places in or near Hinche, but chose to bring him to COHH. Such is our reputation in the community. We will welcome our visitor and, with God's help, make him feel at home. Report prepared by Wisny Geffrard and Kari Fjeldberg.