From Tears to Smiles

Respire Haiti is the Miracle on Voodoo Mountain. Respire’s founder Megan Boudreaux visited Haiti and was deeply moved by the devastation and poverty. She quit her job, sold everything and moved to Haiti. She was only 24 years old. She had no plan but the plight of the children, especially the child slaves could not be ignored. From one small room in 2011, Respire has grown to encompass six acres with a school for 560 children, a medical clinic with therapy services that sees more than 2,000 patients a year and so much more.

Meet Woodchy. He is a bright young boy but struggles every day. As a baby he was fussy. As a toddler tantrums were daily. He has a sensory processing disorder which makes it difficult to tell where his limbs are in space. He is uncoordinated and bumps into things. He was laughed at by the other children which made him cry and act out. He has been in weekly therapy at the Respire Therapy Center for three years and has made remarkable progress. This year he will start transitioning into the classroom to be with his peers. He loves school and instead of tears, there are smiles.