Haitian orphans arrive in Pittsburgh

[RamboLiberal]

The chartered plane carrying the 53 orphans from earthquake-ravaged Haiti has arrived at Pittsburgh International Airport and the children are en route to Children's Hospital.

The plane arrived from Orlando, Fla., at about 9:30.

The rescue mission came in response to messages last week from sisters Jamie and Ali McMutrie of Ben Avon, who said this month's devastating earthquake endangered the health of 130 children in their care at the BRESMA orphanage in Port-Au-Prince.

The children range in age from a few months to about 9.

The children were carried or accompanied off the plane and onto buses staffed by volunteers from Catholic Charities and stockpiled with blankets, winter coats and infant sleepers with feet in them -- items the children hadn't needed in their tropical homeland. THey are traveling to Children's Hospital in Lawrenceville. Catholic Charities also provided Creole translators for the buses and to assist the doctors and nurses at Children's Hospital in assessing and treating the children, said Clare Kushma, a spokesman for Catholic Charities of Pittsburgh.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10019/1029348-100.stm#ixzz0d4Wlukxf


Cots with toys for the children line an auditorium in Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC in Lawrenceville in preparation for the arrival of the orphans.

[livetohike]

1. Has to be a huge culture shock for them. I can only imagine

what the kids are feeling/thinking.

[RamboLiberal]

2. I think they will adjust well after a period of time

Dr. Rick Saladino, chief of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Children's, went to the airport this morning and rode back with a group of orphans on one of the buses.

"Most of them were interactive, smiling, trying to figure out the electronic phones during the bus ride," Dr. Saladino said. During the ride, each child had a "buddy" -- either from the Red Cross or Catholic Charities or the hospital, and many of the younger ones were clinging to an adult when they entered the hospital's emergency entrance.

The children seemed happy and were well-behaved on the bus trip, which took them into the city over the West End Bridge, said Tom Kneier, deputy executive director of Catholic Charities. When they became excited at their view of the city, Mr. Kneier asked a translator what they were saying.

"They were just amazed by the size of the buildings," he said.



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10019/1029348-100.stm#ixzz0d6ZDManX


A bit of fear and trepidation can be seen in the eyes of this youngster, as he arrives at Children's Hospital with more than 50 other orphans.

[livetohike]

3. We'll make Steelers fans out of all of them

:-)