LEXINGTON, KY - The seven children - five boys and two girls - have not been dealt a lucky hand in life. Most of them were street kids, many orphaned when their parents died of AIDS. Even the ones who have parents had no money to go to school. All of them had the misfortune to be citizens of one of the poorest countries on the Earth: Haiti.
Some of them, such as Roodlet Jean-Pierre, had been neglected all of their short lives. When he was 4-years-old Roodlet was so badly malnourished that he was very close to dying. His hair had turned red from lack of protein in his diet. His flaking skin had lost its color and he'd never spoken.
But thanks to help from the Lexington-based nonprofit Ten Kids Inc. Roodlet, now 6, is a healthy, happy and highly verbal child. He attends school and lives in a Ten Kids-sponsored group home with six other Haitian children. This home adjoins three others for children which are run by Planting Peace, an affiliated organization based in Florida.
Ten Kids, headed by Kim and Gip Gibson, is awaiting approval as a tax exempt 501(c)(3). Gip Gibson, who has a background as a lighting director for a theater, was working for another nonprofit organization in Haiti when he saw a TV program which featured Aaron Jackson, a nominee for a CNN Heroes Award.
Gibson contacted Jackson and after talking with him, decided to start his own nonprofit organization. About two years ago with the encouragement of his wife Kim who runs Cypress Community Services which offers daycare for mentally challenged adults, he launched Ten Kids.
A number of local businesses and organizations have signed-on in support of Ten Kids. Among those listed on the group's website http://www.TenKids.org are Keeneland, Joli Salon and Day Spa, Lynn Imaging, Annette's Catering and Morris Book Shop.
Following the earthquake, Gibson spent days in Orlando trying to get on a flight - any flight - to Haiti. The children had enough supplies to last for only a few days. At 4PM on Sunday Gibson finally boarded a plane bound for the devastated island. He had with him food for the children, purchased in Florida.
His first priority is to "get resources to the children." Second on the list is to provide "food and water for people who are outside of Port-au-Prince."
"In the past we've wired money to our accounts in Haitian banks, but Western Union and all of the banks are closed now," he said. Gibson and Jackson hope to buy supplies in the Dominican Republic, the adjoining country on the butterfly-shaped island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean.
"However, there are only three roads from the Dominican Republic into Haiti. The southern road is closed because of a mountain landslide," Gipson said.
As they made their way to the quake zone, Gibson and Jackson were uncertain what supplies they'll be able to buy.
"You have to buy water in Haiti," Gibson explained. "Normally you can get five gallons for about 80 cents. We've heard that now one gallon sells for $8."
At first there was only secondhand information that the children under Ten Kids' care had survived. Thursday night brought the best news. John Dieubon, the director of the residence home, was able to talk briefly to Gibson and assure him that he and the children were safe. Two of the houses had collapsed, so the children are crowded, but they are safe.
Gibson is concerned about Dieubon. "We have an old ambulance that we use for transportation. After the kids were settled, John had been driving it to take bodies of the dead to the hospital. He sounded exhausted."
For more information about Ten Kids or to send a financial contribution by check, credit card or PayPal see http://www.Ten Kids.org. His progress can be followed on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TenKidsInc.