Children of Hatti

Can you imagine getting into an orphanage or a mission being an imporvement to your daily situation!? That is what it is like for so many of the Haitian children. We often talk about getting these kids out of the orphanage, but in Hatti there is something called a Restavek, which in Creole means "to stay with." It's basically a slave. According to this article from Time it's estimated more than 300,000 Haitian children were living as Restaveks before the earthquake! Imagine the numbers now!

I recently read an article in the Chattanooga Times about the Jean-Robert Cadet Restavek Foundation. This foundation works to help children out of the system of child slavery in Haiti - the restavek system. Ray & Joan Conn helped found the organization and were in Hatti when the earthquake happened. It's by the grace of God they are still alive and in the area trying to find the children that belong to their organization & helping in anyway they can.

Joan was quoted in the above Time article about their efforts on child slavery before the earthquake and how much more vulnerable the children are for child trafficking since the devastation.

It's a scary and dangerous place for these kids right now. I can't imagaine, can you? Not only do they not know where their next meal will come from (nothing new to them), but most have lost their families & are being stalked by evil men promising food, but delivering a life of slavery or prostitution.

My mind can't really comprehend that.
Maybe it just doesn't want to...

The Restavek Foundation has a blog site here that is updated regularly with news of their efforts in Haiti and is always open for donations. It's nice to know of an organization you can donate to and trust that your money actually will make a difference in Hatti.