Everyone, meet Reggie! Reggie works with the Student Sponsorship Program and is one of our favorite translators at World Wide Village. Reggie grew up in a family of seven, the middle child of four sisters. His family moved to America when he was six years old. “We moved to America for the search of a better life,” said Reggie. “We got our visas and traveled to Fort Pierce, Florida, where we set up our new life. My father was disabled… but my mother started as a migrant worker. My sisters and I were able to attend school.”
While America offered new opportunities for work and education, it came with abundant challenges. “My father went back to Haiti when I was 12,” he said. “From then on, I didn’t have a childhood. I had to be the man of the house.” At the age of 15, Reggie started working two jobs to help his mom pay the bills and provide for their family. “I worked at a local restaurant, and I loved it,” he said. “But I wasn’t making enough money doing that, so I started delivering newspapers in the mornings, too.” He became accustomed to a regimented work schedule—he would work at the restaurant from 3pm-10pm, and he would deliver newspapers from 12am-6am. “After I was finished delivering the newspapers, I would shower and go to school,” he said. “I found I had no time to sleep. So, at the age of 15, I had to choose: school or work?”
Reggie chose to drop out of high school to allow him to keep working to support his family. “If I didn’t work, my family would struggle,” he said. Before he dropped out of school, Reggie was a talented athlete. “I was good at sports, especially basketball. I had a future with it. But when I dropped out of school, I lost my only opportunity to pursue it.” When the recession came, life became really tough. Hard choices made as a teenager led Reggie on a journey back to Haiti – but also closer to God. Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
About a year after he returned to Haiti, Reggie was connected with World Wide Village. Since then he has proven himself as a dependable employee, marked by a sharp sense of humor and a genuine dedication to the people and the projects that he is working alongside. In addition to his success in his career – moving into a new role with the Student Sponsorship Program – he also recently became a father. “I’m excited, I feel like I am ready now. I’ve experienced a lot in my life, I feel like I am ready to guide, lead, and love a child.”
Pictured: Reggie’s baby girl!
A special thanks to our members of the Cornerstone Club who make it possible to have wonderful Haitian staff like Reggie! Your ongoing monthly gifts allow Reggie to continue working with the Student Sponsorship program and blessing our teams kids in Haiti. If you would like to learn more about helping build a strong foundation for God’s work in Haiti through World Wide Village, read more about becoming a Cornerstone Club member today!
