My Little Buddy

This is Roberson, the 5 year-old boy who we believe to have cerebral palsy. He lives in the next village over. I first met Roberson and his mother, 5 months ago when a concerned neighbor asked that I help find him a new place to live. His mother was newly pregnant and was forced to abandon him every day to work the fields in order to put food in their mouths each night. Roberson, paralyzed from the waist down, was left to sit in his own urine and feces until a neighbor or his mother returned to change him. When I first found him, he was alone in a corner, covered in saliva, urine and bugs.

After Mother Theresa’s organization turned Roberson and his mother away, I went to Fr. Marc and asked if there was any way we could get Roberson’s mother a job at Espwa and have one of the ladies at Espwa watch Roberson during the day. Without hesitating, Fr. Marc made the calls and by the next morning, Roberson and his mother were on campus being hired by Berthony, the Director of Espwa. Now, nearly 8 months into her pregnancy, Roberson’s mother cannot work nor can she take care of Roberson. While we continue to hold her job and send her food, it was obvious that caring for Roberson was becoming harder and harder even with the help of neighbors.

This is the new chair that we had made at the Espwa carpentry shop to help relieve some strain from Roberson’s mom. It acts as a potty chair and with the arms on all three sides; it allows Robeson to hold himself up unlike before when his sitting on the ground also meant his face being in the dirt from his inability to hold his upper body up. Ever since first stumbling upon their home while on my morning run, I’ve made it a habit to visit frequently. Sometimes I just sit there with him in silence. He smiles and starts throwing up his arms when he sees me coming, while his mother yells “Gade, Roberson. Zanmi ou ap vini.” (Look, Roberson. Your friend is coming). He is a beautiful little boy, full of joy and affection.

Raymond, the man who first told me about Roberson and asked me to help is currently in the middle of helping to build a new one-room house for Roberson and his mom. Raymond dedicates 6 months out of the year to living and working in Haiti, building homes for the poorest of the poor. His work is inspiring.
Roberson and I just thinking about things and shooting the breeze.

Roberson's mom doing laundry.

Roberson in his new chair.

Roberson's old chair and his new chair.