On a recent trip to Haiti, I traveled to a village called Manneville. The poverty there was extreme.
Large families were living in shacks that a strong summer storm could easily destroy. I visited with many families, but there was one that left a lasting mark on my heart.
I met Marie there, an older widow who lived there with her eight children, two grandchildren and her older daughter who was pregnant with her third little one. The tiny hovel they called “home” was in terrible condition – dirt floor, mud walls, minimal ventilation and a rusted metal roof with numerous holes which makes it impossible to find a dry spot whenever it rains. There was no food in the house – none at all.
My heart broke as she spoke.
She said: “My burden is too large,” as tears rolled down her face, “If I only had one child, I could go to my neighbors and beg for a cup of rice. But how could I ask my neighbors, who are also poor, to help me with so many children. I can only turn to God. My burden is too large…”
You can help bring relief and solace to women and their children whose burdens are overwhelming. I know God will bless you abundantly for that.
