The Most Thankful Thanksgiving

I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord most high.

Psalm 7:17

The day before Thanksgiving this year started out exactly as every other day, I woke up very late and rushed to get ready while Kate left for school. When I got to school she told me that when she left, a student of ours (and exceptionally loved child of our community) Manickson had been waiting outside our door. His father was taking him to be left in the countryside when he asked to come to our house instead. Before leaving, his father told Katie that Manickson was very sick, and we could care for him now.

Katie took him to school and I saw him for the first time; emaciated and very, very sick. While school continued as normal Katie and Lala, our fearless directors, stayed with Manickson trying to get an IV of fluid into him. He was too dehydrated at this point and when they tried to insert the IV his veins would collapse. Our school had collectively been praying for Manickson all morning, and by my lunch break they were on their last vein after 6 failed attempts. As every student and teacher around the school stopped what they were doing and prayed the last vein worked. After about an hour of fluids he was able to sit up, and for the first time all day it looked like he had some life in him. It wasn’t until later that Lala, Katie and I admitted how close to death he had been. 

That night, and for several nights after, Manickson slept with Lala on the floor of the clinic. He couldn’t go back to his Dad, as Manickson and his younger brother’s maltreatment had been going on since their Mother died of AIDS a few years before. He stayed with us, Lala staying with him every night, and Katie and I taking turns helping him during the day. He slowly grew stronger, and after the first day of fluids was up to 39 pounds - still shocking for a 12 year old boy.

I spent Thanksgiving this year sitting on the office floor with Manickson, watching Lion King and carrying him to and from the bathroom. I have never spent a Thanksgiving more thankful for anything than this year for Manickson’s life. 

He spent the next Saturday with our community celebrating Thanksgiving American style. He made a disgusted face when Katie introduced him to mashed potatoes, and ate an entire plateful of turkey. After we ate he ran around the house with Youvendjy and played our community games with us. He was comfortable, on his way to being healthy, and so deeply, truly loved by us. 

Manickson and his brother went to an orphanage outside of Gonaïves the following week. It was heartbreaking because they can’t continue to attend our school, but they are safe and they are loved. I took a long time in my last job at CYF to get good at trusting God to care for children when I no longer could. God has big plans for these strong and courageous boys, and I’m grateful that I’ll be able to see them unfold.