More Than a Handout

~ Written by Viki Rife

Have you ever sent your children to the local dump to find food for the family dinner? Have you kept your children home from school because they literally had nothing to wear? Have you fed them dirt to help quiet them when their tummies rumbled?

Sadly, there are mothers who can say “yes” to those questions. Haiti is a country whose political and economic unrest is echoed by the ravages of hurricanes, flooding and earthquakes. Families are caught in a cycle of helplessness, with no hope of ever rising above their circumstances. Although humanitarian efforts have poured aid into the country, logistics and corrupt leaders often keep aid from reaching those who need it the most. And even when they receive aid, it only postpones starvation by a day or two.

You’ve heard the Chinese proverb, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” That is the principle behind the ministry of the women traveling this morning as a team to serve in Haiti for the next week. Each member of the team is also taking with her a sewing machine which will help Breathe Partners (formerly CPR-3) provide an opportunity for a mom in Haiti to develop her own business. 

The team members will be spending the week teaching the moms to use the sewing machines, as well as also ministering to the children. Please pray for Mandy Swain (Team Leader), Eunice Biehler, Cheryl DeBoest, Lydia DeBoest, Sally Miller, Theresa Overy and Peggy Riffle as they minister, and for the families that will benefit from their investment in their lives. 

To follow updates from the team, go to http://www.wgusa.org/haiti-2016/ or https://www.facebook.com/WomenofGraceUSA.