Florida couple hopes to extend stay of deaf-blind girl from Haiti

From The News-Press in Ft. Myers, Fla.:

Hello, goodbye, hello, thank God.

That's how people who've grown to love 11-year-old Marie Cadet during her five months in Southwest Florida might describe her arrival and near departure, and then the last-minute extension of her visa.

Brought here from Haiti for medical treatment, "Little Marie" was blind, deaf and mute. Since February, she has gained the abilities to see, hear and speak.

She was about to return to her homeland last week, where thirst, hunger and hardship would suddenly be in sharp focus. As a child with special needs, she could be marginalized and even abused in the survivalist conditions of her homeland, said her temporary guardian, Marie Popkin. And that was haunting her extended local family, including parishioners of the First Christian Church of Fort Myers and many others.

But everything changed Monday afternoon, when a letter arrived at Marie and Rob Popkin's Alva home. There was news from the office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

"My husband read it and we didn't understand it. So I called the attorney," Marie Popkin said.

The nonprofit Florida Equal Justice Center in Fort Myers has handled Little Marie's case for about 30 days. But it was given priority because "this case had such humanitarian issues," said Monica Laude, supervising attorney.

"Marie is in lawful status. She was granted a temporary stay for six months," ending Jan. 13, 2110. "We are very glad that it happened," said Laude. "There are many, many immigration cases that don't have any remedy at all."

"One little piece of paper can really change your life," Popkin said.

The challenge is far from over, though.

Although Living Water of Haiti has sponsored Little Marie monthly, it has not met all her needs. "We've overrun our budget on her already," said founder Fred Chalker. In 25 years of missions to Haiti, he said, "(Little Marie) is literally from the poorest village I have ever seen. The poorest of the poor." She had no bed, no shoes, no toys, almost no food.

Here, donations of money and services have helped somewhat in Little Marie's care.

Kerry and Paul Rudd coordinated child care for Little Marie while Marie Popkin worked at RM Orthopedics in Lehigh and Rob Popkin worked as a captain for the Sanibel Fire Department.

Little Marie came here "doing institutional behaviors," Kerry Rudd said, probably as a result of spending two years in an orphanage. "She rocked and covered her face. We could tell she was severely sensory deprived.

"But within 10 or 15 days, she was responding to touch, helping with things around the house. She was suddenly involved in her life. I don't think before that anyone considered that she was a whole person inside.

"It was quick. She was so ready. She was just hungry to be alive."

Now that she can stay, at least until January, her extended local family is working to teach her the skills and words she missed as a blind and deaf person.

"She understands 'banana,' 'water,' 'swimming,'" said Popkin. "Now that she has eyes and ears, she's no longer disabled. She's just really, really behind."