Orphans, caregivers fall sick in Haiti

[RamboLiberal]

As increasingly worried volunteers struggle to bring a group of orphans and the Ben Avon women who care for them out of Haiti, a relative of the women said they and their young charges have fallen ill.

In a message posted today on Facebook and Twitter, Ali Pace -- sister-in-law and spokeswoman for sisters Jamie McMutrie Heckman and Ali McMutrie -- said "the babies have started to get very sick. The girls have started to get sick."

Ms. Heckman and Ms. McMutrie, both of Ben Avon, run the BRESMA orphanage in Port-au-Prince, the increasingly unstable capital city of the earthquake-ravaged nation. Pittsburgh immigration lawyers, political officials and others have been working to gain refugee status for the 150 orphans -- many of whom have adoptions pending but not finalized in the United States -- and to arrange transportation for them out of Haiti.

Ms. Pace did not specify the nature of the illnesses affecting the sisters and the children. She could not be immediately reached for clarification today.

But in her post, she also noted that the sisters and their orphanage were interviewed yesterday by Anderson Cooper for a television news report broadcast last night on CNN. While many of their supporters who saw that report were heartened to see the sisters, Ms. Pace noted that they were interviewed earlier in the day before they became ill.



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10016/1028842-455.stm#ixzz0cpgfs36K


Hope they get them out soon!

[RamboLiberal]

1. Latest: Altmire optimistic on finding haven for orphans

At least some children from a group of Haitian orphans in the care of two sisters from Ben Avon may find a haven in the United States or other nations within days, a congressman said last night.

Rep. Jason Altmire, D-McCandless, said prospects for help for the imperiled orphans at the BRESMA orphanage in Port-au-Prince had improved yesterday. The shattered orphanage is run by sisters Jamie McMutrie Heckman and Ali McMutrie, who have refused to leave Haiti without the children and who reportedly have fallen ill along with some of their young charges, according to a relative's Facebook posting.

"A lot of these kids, I think, shortly, are going to be able to leave and come to the United States or another safe haven or other countries," Mr. Altmire said.

He was not specific, however, on how the children would be transported or how many would be granted documents and permission to leave Haiti. Nor was it clear when any of the children would leave the island, although Mr. Altimre said he believed it would be days rather than weeks.

Pennsylvania's congressional delegation, along with White House, State Department, military and National Security Council officials, have been working with the Haitian government and the governments of other countries to help most of the children leave Haiti, he said.



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10017/1028952-82.stm#ixzz0cue2YoQi

[blue neen]

2. I hope they can get the sisters and the orphans out soon.

I really wish there was something more we could do to help.