Pierre*–once an abandoned and abused child in Haiti –is the bright and thriving young man he is now because someone like you embraced the opportunity to change his life.
When he was just four years old, Pierre’s mother died and he was sent to live with his biological father-a man he had never met. Within a couple of months, his father tired of him and sent him to live with a distant relative in Port-au-Prince, where he promptly became a child slave (restavek). Working from sunup to sundown, he carried water and cleaned the hut, with no end in sight. He was verbally and physically abused when he didn’t work fast enough. Malnourished and exhausted, he felt utterly alone and rejected.
He later ended up at a local orphanage, but his situation did not improve. He was unable to go to school, was frequently sick and was completely broken mentally and physically. If that wasn’t bad enough, six-year-old Pierre learned he had contracted HIV from his parents.
Then came the day Pierre will always remember–what he calls his “deliverance day”. A pastor familiar with his situation took him to the LSM Home of Hope in Welsh, a small village near Les Cayes. It was here that Pierre’s life was forever changed.
Today, at seventeen, Pierre carries no bitterness from the painful memories of his mother’s death, his abusive experience as a restavek and his ongoing struggle with the effects of HIV.
Pierre is choosing a different story. Uplifting other children in the same way he was uplifted by the pastor years earlier, he is a leader and supportive brother to his eleven younger siblings. He is excelling in school and is even teaching himself English. Most importantly, he has a deep, personal relationship with Jesus thanks to the love and guidance of his Home of Hope parents.
Pierre is building a legacy of hope for his brothers, his community and his country today because one person embraced the opportunity to help him reach his God-given potential.
You can impact a child like Pierre today. Donate here.
*name changed for privacy