White Shoes

One spring Marie-Louie brought Janine to this country with help from a charitable organization that arranges medical care for children in desperate straits.  They were placed with a neighbor family through a local group called Hosts for Hospitals.  Barely 18 months old, Janine was small and frightened, sick with a rare form of cancer in her eye.  Neither she nor her mother spoke English since they were from Haiti, in fact, Janine had not yet started to speak at all.  She clung to her mother, rarely daring to peek out with her good eye, her body language clearly expressing the pain and fear she was forced to endure.

              What a change good medical care brought about.  Within 48 hours she was alert, looking around and occasionally even smiled, though she still stayed very close to Mom.  Within a few days she had recovered from the other ailments enough to begin the chemotherapy.  Janine's recovery seemed miraculous.  Soon she was running around, playing peek-a-boo and even beginning to talk!  However, the treatment was going to take much longer than anticipated.  This was more than one family could manage, since Marie-Louie and Janine had no source of income. 

              A group of neighbors decided they could do it if they all took turns.  Four families took on the responsibility- all within the same block.  Janine soon had 4 sisters and 3 brothers, not to mention the 4 aunties and various uncles in the mix.  She danced into the heart of each of them, and just about anyone else who got to know her.  Janine loved shoes, her own especially, but everyone else's, too.  She would often insist that other people notice and comment admiringly on her shoes.  Afterwards she would insist on admiring theirs as well.  Much of this was done in an elaborate sign language with a few English and French words thrown in. 

              Janine continued to be treated for the cancer.  French was learned or brought back to life after long neglect.  The two only-children in the bunch began to experience what it was like to have a sibling.  The four families drew closer and better connected.  Life was good despite the normal ups and downs and extra stress of a 'family' member undergoing treatment for cancer.  Hope blossomed and looked to bare fruit.

              Five months in, the bad news came; the cancer was back.  The doctors explained that there was nothing more they could do, other than make her death as comfortable as possible when it came.  After the initial shock wore off and tears dried, the families pulled together.  Comforting Marie as best they could, they vowed to see that Janine had a good, and as normal as possible, last bit of time here on earth.  She died  peacefully, a month later at the hospital, in the arms of one of the aunties.

              Although, this story doesn't have a happy ending, Janine did.  She came to this country a small sick, stranger, in pain and afraid.  She left this life surrounded by people who loved her, having touched the hearts of many more than most ever do.  She laughed and danced and showed off her shoes.  Though she endured much, ultimately, Janine experienced happiness, growth and many good days. 

Neatly placed by the front door of one of the houses where she lived is a small pair of white patent leather shoes, a fitting shrine for one who still dances joyfully in our hearts.