Middle Ground

In my last post I wrote about cultural differences between Haiti and the United States. In my opinion, one of the most important cultural differences that I spoke of was yawning. In Haiti, when someone yawns they are asked if they are hungry. People are constantly hungry here, and hunger makes you tired. Malnutrition is infused in the culture of Haiti and this is why malnutrition centers such as Middle Ground are so so important.

Up to this point, I have been sharing small moments from my time at Middle Ground, but I don’t think I have really emphasized the importance of it’s existance. The mission of Middle Ground is to provide malnutrition treatment, caregiver education, and ongoing stability.  I strongly believe that these three factors are the way to eliminate the threat of malnutrition in families now, and in the future.

As stated on their website, Middle Ground has “a dream to see parents and caregivers empowered to care for their children, to see children living in the homes of their birth, and to see whole families thriving together.”

This is the poster that is hanging in the center as a backdrop for before and after pictures of babies. I think that these Toby Mac lyrics speak to the mission of Middle Ground in the best way possible. Through the love and guidence of God, this place is able to help heal the brokenness that cripples so many Haitian families by speaking LIFE.

Within the center there are many different programs that aim to provide support for families. The programs for babies are inpatient care, outpatient care, formula, and NICU. There are also programs aimed toward caregivers and parents, such as agriculture classes, health education, counceling and spiritual health, and business classes. Lastly, we have programs for children who are now healthy which make sure that this health is sustained. These programs are school sponsorship and follow-up. All of these programs together make for a busy and lively center often filled with people who want to provide for their families in the best way possible.

The greatest skill that Middle Ground can provide for families, is knowledge. Knowledge of what malnutrition is and how to prevent it helps families stay together and thrive as one unit instead of having to seperate.

Middle Ground teaches parents or caregivers how to identify the signs of malnutrition and that there are two main types. One type is Marasmus which is when body fat and tissues degenerate. The second type is Kwashiorkor which is characterized by fluid retention. This type actually makes babies look plump which could be why, unless you know what to look for, it can go unnoticed. Another common characteristic that is less known is dry and red hair. The pictures below are more obvious examples of each type that have come to the center.

As you can probably tell by the quick and lengthy update, this center has truly brought a new passion to light in my life. I look up to the work that they are doing and am beyond proud to be apart of it. As always, I appreciate the donations that allow me to give my time and energy to assist Middle Ground in their mission. I’m currently feeling a little poor, so if you’ve been thinking about it, now’s a good time to donate. I also have the link to Middle Ground on my blog so that you can learn more about this amazing organization and donate if you feel so moved.