When a mother and father have a large family, the father usually gets fed first. He is the one who works in the dry garden in the heat of the day. Then, the older children will eat because they help their father… and so on. That means the baby, like little Simeon, will get food last. With nine children in the family, little 11-month-old Simeon got the last spoonfuls, always.

His mother, Madamn Meristile, doesn’t have enough food for all her children. Sometimes, when they do have a little, they may even forget to feed Simeon. He is last on the “food chain.” With nine children to feed, it is a miracle that little Simeon is still alive. Life has been tough for Madamn Meristile. She wonders what she will do when there is no food at all… This is why we get the children on a good plan at home, with some special foods. We also send Feed My Starving Children food home, and when they come back for checkups.

There are many factors involved in the reasons that Haitians have big families. One thing is that their children are considered their “Social Security,” since there is nothing that is left for them for their retirement.

Another reason is that “birth control” is often too far away. Some mothers come to us, on a motor or a donkey… some of these women travel 8 to 9 hours. There are also a lot of factors in the culture of having large families. It is easy to judge a poor mother and say, “Why do you have so many children?” I used to wonder “why,” but since we have lived in Haiti for over 30 years, I can now understand a lot more.

Life is tough on any mother, especially those who are uneducated, poor, and depending on a man to help them. God has sent us here, “not to judge them,” but to love them… We all are the “hands and feet and Jesus.” God bless each and every one of you, who love the poor.

Sherry