Jean Edwouard knocked on our door this morning “early’” to tell us “Happy New Year,” and to thank us for rescuing him when he was six. We found him in the village of Old Letant when we were with a volunteer team from the states.

His mother and father had died, and he was taken to live with an aunt in Old Letant. Children in this condition here in Haiti become endured slaves to the family who takes them in. These children will never go to school, never have a full meal, and never be treated like a “child,” or part of the family.

When we found Jean Edwouard, he had already gathered a bucket of water to make food for a large family, had started the fire, and was cooking for them! We brought him home with us. Today, his desire is to attend “sewing school” in Croix des Bouquets, about 45 minutes from us, but sadly there are so many gangs on the road that the sewing school cannot open. It is heartbreaking.

We have so many children with dreams and no way to get them to the places they want to go, because of the violence.

Sherry