Baby Jesus - Baby Haitians

Like Jesus our babies are born into poverty. Many without a midwife, nursing staff and without doctors. No birth announcements, no baby showers, and no flowers.

While in rural Haiti one can certainly be reminded of Jesus’ day. Chickens, goats, and donkeys mill about freely trying to find something to eat. People mixing with animals. People searching for a water source, people living by candle light at night. People living in small huts with large families. An oppressed people. Not unlike the people of Bethlehem.

Jesus came but few recognized him. He came to save the world. Part of that world includes our babies. We’ve had horrific birth settings and circumstances like garbage piles, ravines with pigs, outhouses and streets. We had a child left in an old skeleton of a van. We have had babies left out in the rain. Barely noticed, but someone heard, someone saw and got the child to us. Potential was born. Promise interrupted poverty and a child from terrible circumstances becomes a child cherished, loved and wanted.

It is always a miracle to see a child come in malnourished, under stimulated and failing to thrive and who in a short time becomes a child who, runs around getting into trouble, over eats, and fights over a swing. What pleasure it is to see a child who was lethargic come sailing down the slide with a big grin on his face.

Teenage moms show up at our gate with toddlers that they don’t want to raise. Dads come with a baby whose mom has died. Babies who might die themselves if not for the baby born in like circumstance 2000 years ago.

God sees, God hears, God rescues. One baby born a savior, others born to be saved!

Beth McHoul