Meet Issac! Issac's story is one of many stories of hope and transformation because of myLIFEspeaks’ ministry in Haiti.
Issac is a 10-year-old boy from Neply who was born with Spina Bifida; a small hole in the back where the skin doesn't fully close around the spine. It is truly a miracle that he is alive!
Furthermore in Haiti, any kind of physical, emotional, or mental disability puts you immediately at risk of stigmatization and being treated as less than human. This is a product of the predominant VouDou culture in Haiti that perpetuates the belief that people with disabilities are “cursed” or “possessed” and therefore should be outcast from society or worse.
Thankfully Issac was born into a loving family who saw his worth and value despite his differences.
When Issac was just two days old, he had surgery to close the hole in his back. myLIFEspeaks covered the cost of this surgery at Bernard Mevs Hospital. It was shortly after this that Issac's mom began working as a cleaner at LIFE Clinic and has worked there ever since.
As a young child, Issac developed an open wound on one of his feet. With myLIFEspeaks' financial support and connections to quality doctors and surgeons in Haiti, Issac was able to undergo surgery to address this wound.
Surgeries that would be rather simple in the States, can come with increased complications and risk of infections in Haiti. In situations like these, we are extra thankful for the excellent care of doctors and surgeons like orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Francel Alexis at Adventist Diquini Hospital, provides.
Dr. Alexis walked Issac and his family through the surgical process and also gave special care and attention to Issac’s parents to educate them on post-op care for their son. It is personalized and intentional care like Dr. Alexis’ that empowers parents like Issac’s father to be advocates for their children’s health; something that is not always a given in Haiti.
Despite some persistent health issues and infections over the years, Issac has been able to attend school at LIFE Academy and is doing well.
Last school year he had to miss a significant amount of school due to medical issues. Because of this, we decided it would be best to keep him again in LIFE Academy’s 3rd-grade class for the 2023-24 school year.
Today, we are happy to report that Issac is doing much better health-wise and we feel he is back on a healthy path. He continues to do physical therapy at LIFE Therapy Clinic and is a happy boy who loves his family and loves making people laugh.
We are grateful for stories like Issac’s that remind us of how God never gives up on us and with persistence, strength, faith, and courage we can weather life’s storms and, like Issac, even find joy in them.
Please continue to pray for him and his family for good health, protection, and growth. Thank you Issac for being a witness to us all. Your LIFE speaks.