Friends of Haiti:
In the past we have shared pictures of those who work with us and their families, told a little about them and how long they have been with us. This month we want you to meet Shirlene and her daughter Kimberly.
Shirlene is one of our teachers. She has worked with us for almost five years and lives in Caberet, north of Port Au Prince. Shirlene makes $50 a month (USD). If you remember the price list we sent last month you can kind of see what it takes for her to live and support herself and Kim.
Although we would like to be in the position to pay her more, she manages to get by and she feels blessed to know this is coming each month.
There is a world of mothers in Haiti in the same position as Shirlene…with a child or two or several…no husband, or he doesn’t have a job or can’t find any work. They simply do without. In the nearly 22 years we have been working in Haiti, we still don’t understand how they live…if they do.
Anne Poulsen with the World Food Program (www.wfp.org) points out several hunger statistics. Among all of them, the one that stands out to us is a UNICEF quote that says, “an estimated 44 children die hourly in Haiti.” It hurts to read something like that, being parents as well as grandparents.
To all who help, in any way, thank you. We thank you, and certainly Shirlene and Kim thank you. Without the help you provide, who knows where these two would be?
Serving HIM,
Steve and Terry
