Pictured: Grace Le Sage in Haiti
When Lisa and Grace Le Sage came to Haiti on a short-term Impact Trip, they were more than excited to meet their sponsored student from Armee du Salut. They had a backpack full of snacks, clothes, toys and school supplies and were ready to bless this little girl that they had been praying for over the last two months…but sometimes God has different plans.
It was October, school had just started for the year and some of the students had not yet arrived to start classes – not uncommon in Haiti. One of those students who had not yet started school was Berlande, their sponsored student. Still anxious to get a chance to meet her, the pastor at Armee du Salut offered to walk us through the village of Luly asking people along the way where we could find where this little girl lived since there are no street addresses in Haiti.
Pictured: Luly
We finally reached the home of the school principal who pointed in the general direction of Berlande’s house, but let us know that her parents had moved across town and he just found out that she was no longer going to be attending the Armee du Salut school.
Lisa reflected on that day in Luly…
“After processing this for a moment, wondering if we should try to find Berlande anyway, or how and when we would get a new sponsorship and now what to do with the backpack, we asked if there were any other little girls in the school who needed sponsorship. The principal said there were many.”
“I have become convinced that if God stands a child before you, for even just a minute, it is a divine appointment.” – Wes Stafford
“Then he said, ‘There’s one right here,’ and pointed to a little girl in the group of children who came to meet us. Ismalie was in 2nd grade and just the right size for the dresses we had packed in the backpack! Ismalie’s parents are both deceased and she lives with her uncle who is the school principal, her aunt who was expecting a baby, their 2 or 3 other children and their grandma in a house about the size of our kitchen and dinning room.”
Pictured: Lisa & Grace with Ismalie
Sometimes even in our disappointment, God has better plans. Ismalie was blessed with more than just a sponsorship that day. She was blessed to know that God cares for her and is meeting her needs, even after being orphaned. She was blessed to know that someone across the ocean cares for her and is now praying for her. She was blessed to know that it was God who was directing Lisa and Grace to meet her that day. Oh, how we love to see God at work through student sponsorship and His divine appointments!
Pictured: Pastor Louis and Lisa showing Ismalie her gifts
Lisa and Grace are now helping to find sponsors for more children in Haiti because they understand the difference an education and a hot, nutritious meal each day can make in the life of a child in poverty.
Experience the joy that Lisa and Grace did by sponsoring a child today. When you do, you will provide help for today, hope for tomorrow and faith for eternity.
