About two weeks ago I met Rood while delivering supplies to an outpost run by a Christian nurse midwife named Sabrina Zehr. She told me that in the midst of the devastation which destroyed 80% of that community, including large segments of the Christian community and pastors, one special boy stood out for immediate help. His name was Rood (pronounced Wood). He had lost his grandparents, mother and father, and siblings. He was alone in the world except for one aunt who was not in a position to care for him.
In addition, Rood was an amputee. The story connected to his amputation was one of the most heartwarming of our journey. At the time of the quake, Rood’s mother reacted by protecting her son. She covered his body with hers burying her head into his bosom. The weight of the walls crashed down on her, but she saved the life of her son. For two days Rood remained in the rubble holding the body of his dead mother. Her head pinned down his left arm during this time, crushing it and cutting off the circulation. In the end, Rood would lose his left arm. Rood is left handed.
Rood was found by the woman in the black shirt pictured above who pulled him out of the rubble. Together with Rood’s aunt, and other friends from the community, we spent an hour talking to Rood.
I asked them to tell me about Rood, his personality and his passions. I was told that he had a reputation for three things: Loving Jesus Christ; eating a lot of food, and drawing pictures.
My son Joshua is a budding artist. He immediately fell in love with our special orphan boy and purposed to teach Rood much about sketching.
Rood obviously needed care, love, food, and regular medical attention. It was everyone’s opinion, including Rood, that this orphan boy should be brought to our home base, the Haiti Christian Rescue Mission, under the direction of Pastor Jean Fritz, and aided by the founder of Harvest Internation, Dr. John Leininger. I called the orphanage and Pastor Fritz immediately gave approval.
Before we left on the long journey back to the orphanage, I spent time with Rood and encouraged him in the word of God. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).
I also spoke with the clinic directors and told them that Rescue Haiti’s Children would work to get medical services donated to Rood, or would cover all the expenses of getting Rood a prosthetic.
Before he left the community where he and his family had lived, his aunt (the sole surviving extended family member) exhorted him and encouraged him. I could not understand their Creole very well, but it appeared that she was urging him to be strong and trust God.
Now imagine for just a moment that your world has been turned upside down. Imagine that you have lost your arm, and more important, that you lost all your loved ones and are now alone in the world. Finally, imagine strangers coming and taking you away from the place where all your loved ones died. This was the reality for Rood. Yet, despite fears and physical pains he was experiencing with his arm, this courageous boy followed my sons Justice and Joshua and made the trek to his new home.
On the way home we stopped at another hospital in Rood’s community where more than 2400 squatters have gathered. We met with community leaders and surveyed them for specific needs. Rood sat in the back of the truck. He was very quiet and seemed a little anxious to me. I learned later that he fears crowds because when they bump him it causes great pain in his arm
We arrived late that night at the Haiti Children’s Rescue Mission. Rood was exhausted and wanted to rest and eat. He was given a sleeping bag and a spot to rest, and then his first warm meal since the quake. As he rested and ate, a dozen older orphans gathered around him to love on him and share their compassion with him. Like him, many of them had lost family in the quake, but he was the first amputee to arrive at the orphanage.
The next day was a happy one as we took Rood and some of the orphans for a day out to the market to buy shoes for the children and meat and cake for a thanksgiving dinner to be held that night. During lunchtime Rood shared some very personal and beautiful thoughts with me about his dreams and desires before the Lord which I shall never forget.
Over the next few days Rood experienced a great deal of pain in his arm. In this this picture taken by my friend Caleb Walsh, you can see Dr. John Leininger trying to comfort Rood.
Rood is also under the care of a Haitian medical student named Whistler who lost everything he had in the quake. Rescue Haiti’s Children and other leaders hope to play some role in helping Whistler get back on his feet so that he can be a source of great encouragement to the Haitian people.
It is difficult to appreciate all that this special boy has gone through in the last month. Only God’s grace can sustain a man through such trials, but praise the Lord—Rood IS sustained by God’s grace.
We heard from Rood today and he told us that his arm is healing, and that he is “not so good, not so bad.” We will be going back to Haiti next month God willing. if you would like for Rescue Haiti’s Children to deliver a letter to Rood, you may send a one-page, easy-to-read note to him, care of Vision Forum Ministries. If it arrives in time, we will attempt to deliver it. Thanks for your continued prayers for Rood and all of the orphans.
Many Americans have responded to the videos and stories about Rood expressing great interest in his welfare. We can see the hand of the Lord at work preparing the next important steps in his life right now, and I will continue to keep you posted as it is appropriate.
Watch the video report of Rood’s rescue.