Women's Empowerment | Roseline's Story

I recently visited a community close to our campus in the Dominican Republic where one of our church partners hosted a medical clinic. One of those who received care was a young mom named Roseline. She came with her two young children, and after the doctor assessed their needs, Roseline said that she had an upset stomach and a headache. My guess is she thought she’d get some Tylenol, Tums, and vitamins and be on her way, but the doctor recommended that she take a pregnancy test to rule that out before giving her any medication. Her test came back positive, and she was devastated.

She was shaken by the news and tried to explain to the doctor that she could not be pregnant. Her husband just left her, and she can’t even feed the two children she has now. She left the clinic in disbelief only to return the next day highly doubting the test was correct and asked to take it again. Visibly distraught when the result was the same, she said to the doctor that she really could not have another baby and needed to know where she could go to have an abortion. Dr. Stephanie calmly explained that abortion is illegal and there are other options; perhaps someone from the church could help her. She made the comment that she didn’t want to hear about God because people who know God have mistreated her. She ended up leaving the clinic with tears in her eyes and her two malnourished toddlers in tow.

I felt helpless knowing what she had just said. I've met moms who have been so desperate to provide for their children that they will do whatever it takes to end a pregnancy or make sure they don’t have more children. I so badly wanted to convince this mom that it would be okay, that God loves her, and that the people of the church would love her too—but she had been so betrayed by others that I knew my words would fall flat.

The reality of her words and thoughts of terminating her pregnancy quickly elevated the severity of the situation. When people feel trapped, logic is usually the last filter being used to make a decision and we knew we needed to find her before she took matters into her own hands. For four days, I prayed a short and simple prayer. “Lord, our hearts break for this mom. You know where she is; please help us find her so that we can be Your hands and feet and help her to know she is seen and loved by You.” She left the clinic on Thursday and Liphat, a local Haitian pastor, and our staff worked to track her down and finally were able to talk to her on Monday.

Roseline is scared and alone, which breaks Jesus' heart. Beyond what the initial day of meeting her in the clinic revealed, she also does not have direct access to any water, much less clean water. If she is able to prepare any food, she cannot keep anything perishable for more than a day. She has no way to cook, but from time to time, a neighbor will allow her to borrow her stove. Her home is in very bad condition, and now with it being the rainy season, it is leaking, so she has multiple tarps that cover the inside in an attempt to keep the things she does have from getting wet and ruined.

This week, because of your ongoing generosity, WE were able to provide Roseline with hygiene items, a tarp to help when it rains, a propane stove, and enough food for a month. She has chosen to keep the baby, but she has a long road ahead of her as she continues to navigate life as a Haitian mom in a community where she feels alone. The Lord was so good to allow our team to be there that day, not to speak profound words, but just to act on His behalf and to trust that He had it all under control.

There are many others like Roseline who we have yet to meet, but they are out there, and WE want to be equipped and ready to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the families that are marginalized, the moms who are desperate, the children who are innocent, and the unborn who are defenseless when the Lord puts them in our path.

This is why we’ve created a benevolence fund that will allow us to do that. Would you prayerfully consider helping us fill that fund so when a crisis situation is brought to our attention, WE are able to step in and care for those who have no voice, who have no option, and who seemingly have no hope?

As we pray “Lord break our hearts for what breaks Yours and use us how You choose,” I believe that impossible things can be made possible because as we walk in that type of faith, He will never fail to give us opportunities.