Update on Esperansia, the girl who was attacked

Since the day of the tragic events involving Esperansia we have gained more information about the whole incident. For one thing she was able to receive surgery on both her hand and her head the very next day in Port-au-Prince, so that was fortunate. Both Kiki and Patchouko have had a chance to visit with her. Patchouko showed us some pictures. From what we hear she is beginning to gradually get better physically each hour. The emotional recovery will undoubtedly continue long past the time the final bandage is removed.

Some of us went over to her family’s house yesterday to encourage them and pray together. They seemed pretty wiped out by the whole thing. We walked over and saw where the attack took place, and there was blood on the ground. Seeing that scene somehow made the whole thing more real. It was a little bit creepy.

We also learned the identity of the attacker, and he is a young man who was sort of a fringe member of the youth group. That was very sad to hear. I’m sure it must have been difficult for Pam, because she has known many of these people for the past fifteen years or so. That means this young man and young woman were little kids when she started coming here. To watch them grow up and get into this kind of trouble would be hard. That day will come for us, too, if we stay here long enough. And how can you ever see anything like this coming? As Antoine said, “Nothing surprises me anymore. Anyone can snap at any time. How can you protect your family from something like that?” I said, “I guess you just pray, trust God, and keep your eyes and ears open at all times.”

We will continue to keep tabs on the whole situation and post another update at some point, probably after Esperansia comes home to be with her family. We should also pray for her attacker, wherever he might be at this time, to be found by the police instead of the mob, serve his time in prison, and somehow be changed by God and given a chance at forgiveness and a new life sometime in the distant future. Without God murder is in all of our hearts. By His grace may He have mercy on us all and change us through the washing of Christ’s blood. That is truly our only hope.

Keep Praying and Trusting God!
-The Grimms