MISSION OF MERCY

Bill & Maxine Crofton of Nanaimo B.C. have been coming to the DR for 6 years, the first time on a one week vacation, but after seeing the great need, they felt compelled to help each year thereafter. For the 2nd year in a row they have integrated themselves in the local community of Puerto Plata for a period of 6-8 weeks and have made it their mission to visit the sick, feed the hungry and help the poor.

Their hearts were touched by the critical situation of 2 1/2 year old Cristo Daniel (Christopher) whose mom Jocelyn, aged 24 is in the final stage of her life due to AIDS. Cristo Daniel was extremely malnourished, neglected and needed immediate intervention on his young life or he wouldn’t live much longer. Bill & Maxine brought him to the public hospital and supplied all his needs while there. The hospital provides only one meal and a visit from the doctor daily so they paid for all his tests, blood transfusions, supplied the bed sheets, syringes, medicine and a 24 hour caregiver. This incredible burden was shared by their friends back home through prayer support and financial donations for the 2 weeks Cristo Daniel was in the hospital. China (rhymes with Tina) Almonte, a recent widow of only 7 or 8 days, and whose daughter was a patient at the same time offered to help carry the burden of 24 hour care even after her daughter was released from the hospital. During this same time, Bill & Maxine were busy searching for a home for Cristo Daniel because it was unlikely that he would be able to return to his home in Los Algodones with an absentee father and a very sick mother.
The local orphanages were filled to capacity but through local connections they were able to find a place for him in an orphanage in Rio San Juan….2 hours east of Puerto Plata. On short notice we left Puerto Plata late Friday afternoon to bring him to his beautiful, new home at
“Hogar de Ninos”, a project of Manna International. The Lord granted us safety and travelling mercies driving on the roads after dark which are very dangerous because some sections of the road had more potholes than road surface, motorcycles with no headlights or taillights, and people walking on the edge of the road with no flashlights. Cristo Daniel was greeted with open arms by his “new” family of caregivers. Saying goodbye was difficult for Tina, Maxine and Bill after spending so much time with him but it is a joy to know that he will thrive alongside the other healthy, happy children there.