EDUCATION:
As school is gearing up to start in Haiti, the benefits of sponsorship are clear. Many students, who would otherwise be on the streets, will be in school and learning this year.
Yet did you know that sponsorship provides so many more benefits than simply an education? There have been countless stories from the last month of how sponsorship is helping children in Haiti and we want to highlight a couple for you today.
SARAH PIERRE:
Sarah was born with hydrocephalus and has been living with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid.
Last week Sarah became ill, and it was apparent that her shunt had become infected. Sadly, her family had no way to provide for the much-needed surgery.
Sarah’s school administrator said, “Because of the cost of about $635, the parents saw the child’s life was over.” Yet God had other plans!
Read Sarah’s story HERE!
ADWENS AND WISEMIE JEAN:
When a gang from the mountains entered Williamson last month, Adwens and his younger sister, Wisemie, fled their home.
They retreated to a neighboring community with their aunt, but soon heard the news that their own home and all their possessions had been burned by the gang. They were devastated.
Hearing of their struggle, World Wide Village staff stepped in to help as they have both been part of the sponsorship program for years.
Read Adwens and Wisemie’s story and how sponsorship has helped HERE.
WILLIAMSON UPDATE:
Peace talks continue in Williamson. Families are slowly returning to the community as the start to the school year approaches. The World Wide Village well has started providing water again as families come back to the area. Many are hopeful for the restoration of quiet streets while others are still too fearful to return to their homes.
Vigilantes continue to patrol the streets of Williamson at night, keeping watch over the community and even World Wide Village property. Families are preparing for schools to open over the next month, but with some trepidation.
Other areas of Haiti like Port-au-Prince are riddled with gang violence. Just over the last week there have been reports of sick children dying en route to the hospital because gangs won’t let cars pass. A group of church members marched in protest of a gang taking over their area and many were killed. The US Embassy has urged all US citizens to leave immediately. Hundreds of thousands of people fleeing gang violence have taken shelter at a sports arena in Port-au-Prince. The reports of chaos and violence persist.
The United Nations continues to talk about the possibility of a UN mission led by Kenya. Only God knows how Haiti will be restored.
Please pray for the safety of our staff, teachers, students and their families in Williamson. Pray for God’s wisdom for our WWV leadership in Haiti and school administrators as they make decisions for their schools and their students. We know that God hears our prayers.