Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Catch Up


I started this blog in December 1995. My husband John and I were spending a lot of time in Haiti. John does incredible things there, and I wanted to record our experiences. Until our last trip to Haiti, I accompanied John to the clinics and hospitals where he worked and helped where I could.

Then we fell in love with a little boy.

We met him in March 2004, started the adoption process in June 2004, took him out of the orphanage in July 2006 and spent the next seven months in Haiti, until we were able to return home with our son, Luke Innocent Carroll, on February 19, 2007.

During this seven month period, I spent all of my time caring for Luke and ventured out only rarely. It was a dangerous time in Haiti’s history. I did blog during this period, mainly about the things that John would come home and tell me.

I haven’t written a post since we’ve returned from Haiti. Originally, I was going to be a purist and only write posts when I could justify the name of the blog: Live from Haiti. But I’ve decided to change that. For those of you who occasionally check this blog, I will be posting at least once a week even when we are stateside. There is enough going on Haiti-wise, even when we are home to justify ongoing posting. For example, over the past several months:

-a young woman, Marie, had successful heart surgery at Provena St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet IL.

-John and our niece Jennifer traveled to Haiti to escort Marie back to the
States. John examined other patients and they shot video of Marie in her home
which was used by the ABC affiliate in Chicagoland for a story that they did
about Marie’s surgery.

-we had three Haitian children accepted for heart surgery and are in the process
of making arrangements to bring them to the United States.

-we now have a beautiful, young Haitian permanently living with us. I didn’t post
much about our adoption process in order to preserve some privacy for our son.
But I will share information about Luke that I think is relevant.

-Father Gerry Jean-Juste, the priest that John was instrumental in freeing from
prison, returned to Haiti this past week, in much better health and to an adoring
congregation.

In short, there is more than enough for me to blog about even when I’m in Peoria instead of Port-au-Prince.

I thank those of you who read this blog. Writers like when people read their stuff. I hope that this blog motivates you to learn more about Haiti, maintain your involvement with the wonderful people who live there, or get involved if you are not already.

Let’s take the journey together.
Pictured about are: my husband John, my son Luke, Siste Lila, a Daughters of Charity sister who runs a clinic where John works and Pierre, who also works at the clinic. This picture was taken in February 19, 2007, the day we returned to the United States after our seven month stay in Haiti.