My Little Stanley Man

     "Hey Pretty Boy with your big brown eyes, someday you'll change the world with your                    smile."

     "Stanley Baby, why do you cry, Stanley Baby..."

     "Oh baby boy I'm gonna miss you when I'm gone. 
I'm gonna miss you by your hair, I'm gonna  miss you everywhere, oh baby I'll miss you when I'm gone. " ( Songs I sang to him.)

         Within the first hour of being at the orphanage I had already met a beautiful little fellow. I walked up the cement steps of the second floor, hearing a cry. There on the little carpet floor sat Stanley and a very small baby girl named Ruthie-Anne. I asked one of the older girls if I could hold Stanley. With permission granted, I held him in my arms for the first time. I took him up to my bed and started taking pictures of him, he loved the camera. He is definitely not camera shy!As I'm writing all of this, and remembering the first time I saw him, it's hard not to worry about him at the moment. However I am very comforted by Philippians 4:6-7:

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

         Mama Miss told me how Stanley man ended up at the Orphanage. In October of 2013, at City Blue; Saintard, they found him. He was incredibly malnourished. He was the size of a 9 month old child, yet he had a full mouth of teeth and that is how they knew he was older. He wouldn't respond to the human touch, he was just limp.  He has come a really far way and I praise the Lord that he was able to come into Mama Miss' care. Seeing him smile now, though he did it rarely, I never could have guessed it was the same little boy now as in October. He is now 18 months.

         That night, Februrary 1st, was the first time that I rocked him to sleep. I was alone on the balcony, with the now cooler mountain air blowing ever-so-slightly. As I stood there and looked down onto this sweet little boys face, seeing him suck on his index finger, and feeling his tiny hand touch my hip... it hit me. He will never have a Mom to call his own, and a Dad to help him grow up. He wouldn't have someone to pick him up whenever he fell, or have someone to tuck him in. As the tears were streaming down my face, I promised God that very night that I would be the one to kiss his cheek and tell him Jesus loves him every night till I left. I have never had my heart broken like I did that night on the balcony. I didn't know why God wanted me in Haiti, but I knew one, tiny purpose the first night.

This was my very first time holding Stanley.

           The next day we went to church but afterwards, My aunt and I thought it would be an amazing idea to give Ruthie and Stanley man a bath! It was SO cute. He loved holding my hand and splashing. I

 knew it was time for him to get out when he wouldn't stop sucking on the rag, haha!  Here is a picture of me giving him a bath, and his cuddly self afterwards. The photo credits go to my friends Maria Friesen and Tina Martens: 

He is very ticklish in his palms.

I love how whenever I gave him a bath he always kicked his feet up and held my face. 

I decided not to even bother putting his cloths on, he was too cozy. He dozed off soon after. 

          Within the first couple of days of being there and spending time with him, we all discovered that he was really sick. He had a cough and a high fever that he had for over 3 days already. The people that were helping with the children, Sandra and Mark,  took him to the Clinic at the compound to get him tested for Malaria. At our group Devotions that evening, we prayed for him and Ruthie (She was also sick), and then within that first week of being there, they both felt much better. They got some antibiotics that helped them get better. Praise the Lord they did! 

      

            The one night, My Aunt Tina and her Mom Susanna made noodle soup. I was informed by Mama Miss that is was Stanley's first time having it. He went all out! He had 2 full bowls of it and yeah....quite a bit of noodles on his highchair! Not only did he love Noodle Soup, he also loved Peanut butter and oatmeal. 

He knows how it's done! Ah man, he is just too precious! :')

              I was not the only one that warmed up to Stanley though. My friend Frank had some fun trying to get Stanley to like him better than he liked me, although we all know who he liked better in the end. Haha, just kidding. This is them having some fun:

Notice his little Elmo shorts...yup I chose those :p

          Ruthie and Stanley got along really well! Stanley would try to hold Ruthie on his lap all the time. While the two of them were on the high chairs, he would share his food. Ruthie would do the same. They were like best buddies. The one day while my friend Aggie and I were taking the afternoon off of painting the mission home, we took the two of them upstairs to our beds and they almost strangled each other with affection. Stanley always tried to kiss her, and then looked REALLY smug afterwards!

Hug-fest.

"You ain't going anywhere, I can walk, you can't!" lol

Gross Stanley....she's half your age. lol :P

        I was very blessed to be able to spend the first two weeks of February getting to know Stanley and caring for him. I pray everyday that he will be alright and that someone is taking care of him and the rest of the children. I know he won't have someone to kiss his cheek or hold his hand while he dozes of everyday, but I do know one thing: God let him survive that day in October for a reason. He has a wonderful plan for this little guy. It would be great if I could go back in November to help out again, but I will have to wait on the Lord and see what His plan is. If anyone has further questions about Stanley or Ruthie, feel free to comment below. 

Thank you, 

~Anna G

My little Angel sleeping peacefully. <3