'... Helping Jameson Was The Right Thing To Do'
During a 2013 mission trip to Haiti with members of the outreach group from St. Joseph Parish in Vanderburgh County, Resurrection Parish member Jim Riordan spotted a boy near a local chicken farm. The youngster captured his attention.
Years earlier, Jameson Andre, 13, suffered an infection that resulted in a severe bone deformity, making it difficult for him to walk and accomplish daily tasks. When the mission team gathered for their nightly meal, discussions kept circling back to Jameson and what could be done to help him.
That help involved many people, months of planning, mountains of paperwork, blood work, x-rays, passports and visa applications, and promises of funds and services from individuals and organizations including the World Pediatric Project, an international hospital for children in St. Louis.
“It all fell into place,” explained Riordan. “From early on, it seemed like helping Jameson was the right thing to do. Because of the misgrowth of Jameson’s knee, he was facing a very bleak future in Haiti. We believed that we could do something to help change that. We cleared every obstacle and challenge we had to face in order to bring him to the United States for corrective surgery.”
Early in 2015, approval was received to bring Jameson to the Unites States for knee-fixator surgery, periodic adjustments and extensive physical therapy. His mother, Alta Gideon, accompanied Jameson to St. Louis in March, and was with him every step of the way. Surgery to remove the fixator took place in September, and Jameson and his mother returned to Haiti in October, nearly two years after Riordan first met them. Jameson will attend the parish school in his hometown thanks to the sponsorship he is receiving from the St. Joseph Parish Haiti Student Sponsorship Program. He has hopes of becoming a physician one day.
“Jameson’s story is a reminder to us about how amazing things happen when people are willing to allow themselves to be touched by the people of Haiti,” said St. Joseph Pastor Father Gene Schroeder. “When they realize that they are able to do their part to help, all kinds of things happen. We lift up the goodness of all who have helped with this effort, and celebrate what God is doing through them.”
