To Mika and Kam, their friend, Woodmy, isn’t “different”… he’s just Woodmy. These now 5-year-olds understand what many adults in Haiti do not. They understand the inherent worth, value, and dignity of every person regardless of ability or disability.
The VouDou influence on Haitian culture has led many Haitians to believe that anyone who is “different”, like Woodmy, is cursed or possessed, and therefore disposable.
In other places around Haiti, children like Woodmy would likely be ostracised, have rocks thrown at them, or even killed. But not in Neply.
Woodmy is loved by his family, classmates, peers, and teachers. He is treated the same as other students. He is celebrated and loved for exactly who he is, as God made him.
Woodmy is 5 years old and a Kindergartener at LIFE Academy. His favorite activity in school is identifying shapes and colors.
He was born with a condition called arthrogryposis which causes shortening and rigidity of muscles and joints. These complications make it nearly impossible for Woodmy to walk properly without having major surgery.
Woodmy has been coming to LIFE Therapy since he was a baby when his mother and grandmother noticed his legs were “different”. He had surgery a few years ago in hopes of making it easier for him to learn to sit, move, and potentially walk someday. He continues to work on mobility, sitting, and walking with a walker at LIFE Therapy but currently resorts to his own creative way of transportation most of the time.
Woodmy is loved by his classmates, peers, and teachers and treated the same as other students. This is the difference of LIFE Academy and a testament to the impact the Gospel has had and continues to have in Haiti.
This video is much more than an inspiring one of a little boy with special needs defying the odds and overcoming obstacles. Woodmy is a witness to his mother, his grandmother, his classmates, peers, teachers, and the entire village commUNITY of what is possible with God.
Woodmy's mom, Cindy, and grandmother are very involved with myLIFEspeaks. It was myLIFEspeaks' staff members who actually helped save Cindy's LIFE years ago.
Cindy was in a major motorcycle accident when she was sixteen. Some of our staff happened to be passing by after the wreck and saw Cindy on the side of the road badly injured. They stopped and put her in the car and drove her to the hospital where she was treated for a major fracture of her leg.
Without myLIFEspeaks' intervention, she would have never gotten the medical care she needed. Cindy was treated at the hospital for an infection after surgery and was very ill. She ended up coming and living with an American family who was onsite campus directors at the time (the King's) who fostered her until she recovered.
We know God purposely crossed our paths so we could help her that day but also so Cindy would experience the Gospel and see the worth and dignity of the way people in Neply treated and saw people with special needs. In a way that only God could orchestrate, this paved and prepared her heart for her future son with special needs.
Woodmy’s grandmother (Cindy’s mom) has also been an active participant in our Bél Ewo, Biblically-based parent support group for parents since it began. Bél Ewo is for all parents in our commUNITY but has a special focus on empowering parents of special needs children. Woodmy's grandmother helps take care of him and is a huge advocate for him. She knows his value and purpose and serves as a pillar of strength for him in LIFE.
There is a cultural and spiritual awakening rippling out from Neply and at the core is the Gospel. It is people like Woodmy, whose lives speak volumes and open the floodgates for God's Love to flow.