A MOTHER’S LOVE….

As parents, everything we do is driven by our desire and natural instinct to protect our children, to give them a happy, healthy, and secure life. This is exactly what I want and signed up for when I decided to mother my children. 

My love for Haiti and humanitarian instincts have forced me to make choices that I would not have dreamt of when I decided to embark on this motherhood journey. In February 2006, I found myself in the most terrifying place I could have imagined. Assessing whether I should move with my barely 4 & 5 years old children to Haiti or remain in the US. Continuing to feel sorry for and complaining about what should be done to improve the lives of children and families living in Haiti who are not as fortunate as my own kids.

I found myself filled with guilt wondering: 

• What if, without meaning to, I cause them harm? 
• What if, doing “the right thing”, is the wrong thing? 
• What if no one believes me? 
• What if I am truly crazy like everyone assumes?

However, no negative thoughts or human beings could stop me from listening to my heart. I moved with my children in the midst of kidnappings in the capital, and I exposed them to the real Haiti. They learned and grew to love this country, its culture, its rich history, and our new extended Haitian families.

In March 2012, we were robbed at home at gunpoint, and they even shot a 12 mm on the lintel of my bedroom. I felt like I had fallen into an abyss. Then I wondered:

• What if all I have been told about Haiti was true? 
• What if I am blamed for endangering my children? 
• What if no one understands that my family at this point is no longer just my son and daughter? 

There are no limits to a mother’s love, and as you travel with me on my journey to help Haitians Help Themselves, you will understand the overwhelming power of a mother’s love surpasses everything else.

I was constantly struggling to define myself as a good mother when my children returned to the United States for high school. Am I not a little selfish to choose to remain in Haiti instead of accompanying my 2 lovely teenagers back to the United States until they complete high school and then university? Ensuring that they can be responsible enough to fend for themselves and follow their own dreams?

As the saying goes “Life doesn’t come with a manual, it comes with a mother.” We are born of love and love is our mother. Therefore, love is limitless and must not be spread to just our biological family. 

I am overwhelmed with pride and joy when I look through the eyes of all my other children, at their confidence and enthusiasm in learning new skills, at their laughter when they win a competition, and I ask myself the following questions:

• What if I hadn’t chosen to love the children of Haiti?
• What if I had listened to the “NaySayers” who didn’t believe I would be able to honor my vision?
• What if I hadn’t obeyed that voice inside to be their little feet and voices?
• What if I can do more to better empower children so that they can be the vibrant future we all long for?
• What if I resisted God’s plan for my life to be a mom to so many beautiful angels today?
• What if my excuses contributed to unknowingly shattering the dreams of many more children and thus the future of Haiti?
• What if I can be a mom to all the motherless children growing without parents’ affection and attention?
• What if I had limited my world to only my nuclear family?

I believe that everything happens for a reason. Sometimes we have to let go and trust that God has a plan for us. If I had not taken that leap of faith 16 years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to experience the inspirational transformation that I am seeing today in the lives of the children I am serving. I used to feel guilty for bringing my own kids along with me on this venture. However, seeing the love my son and daughter have for the country and their willingness to help Haiti like their mother does, shows me I made the right decision to love and work for all of our children. For a better future for Haiti. Now I urge you to reflect on how you too can help our children in Haiti.