Noldine

My name is Noldine and I live in Haiti.

I was born on August 13th 2011, I was a mistake.
Atleast that is how I feel. Most days I am left alone, in the dirt, hungry. I have some family but it is hard for them to take care of me. I am almost 3 and can not walk. My family has to walk far away to fetch water. Since I am crippled I am left alone. I can not talk but I think I know what they say.

I am a statistic. I might die before my 5th birthday and if I do not start walking soon, I will live my whole life being teased. Some people may think I can not walk because of voodoo. My hair is turning orange from malnourishment, my bottom is rough from the ground. I am sad. All I know how to do is cry. But sometimes I feel like no one hears me. I have no toys, no sippie cups, and no teddy bears. My clothes are in shreads and my belly hurts.
I am sad.
Sometimes I dream of a better life. A life where I can run and play. Where I can run into my mommys arms and tell her I love you. It is a dream.
I am grumpy. But do not judge me. I am only grumpy because of my circumstance. I have never seen happiness. I am lonely. I am sad.

I have one friend. She is only 8 months old, but is already trying to walk. Her legs are straight when she stands. Mine are crooked. She shares the dirt with me.
A white girl keeps coming to my house. I had never seen someone like that before so I use to cry everytime. She scared me. But she was nice. She would sit near me and talk to me. I thought maybe she would leave but she keeps coming back. She won't leave me alone.
She bought this pink thing and trys to make me walk. I started out not liking her. But she loves me. I see it in her eyes. She gives me food and buys me clothes.  I wonder why she cares.

I feel like I am just a statistic.

She told my family she did not have much to give, but she could pray. She explained how amazing God was and how prayer could help me. I thought she was crazy. She was different, but so was I.
Her skin was light and mine was dark. I couldn't understand her words but she kept looking at me. She would smile, and I would roll my eyes. (I am very good at doing that!) Sometimes she brings over a friend. His name is Stanley. She tells me that he use to not be able to walk either, but now he does.
She likes the word miracle.

But all he does is take my crackers. But I still dream. Maybe one day i'll walk like him. Maybe, just maybe. The white girl brings over her other white friends a lot. One day I saw them all coming. I was sitting next to my friend. I quickly crawled away, and left my friend alone so the white people could get her and not me. I CRAWLED AWAY!! I do not know how I did it, but the white girl was so happy!
I smiled for the first time that day and I finally let her hold me.

I am starting to feel what it means to be loved. I am starting to feel that I am wanted. I like hearing about this Jesus that will help me walk. One day I will walk, one day I will run, one day I will fall into my Saviors arms, and He will tell me "My daughter, my special beautiful daughter, I love you, you are wanted, you are Mine."

Psalm 139:14

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.