Monday, November 25th, 2019
“Joumou pa janm donnen kalbas.”
The English translation of this Haitian proverb is,
“A pumpkin never bears gourds.”
Its meaning? “Children are like their parents.”
Source of Life Ministries is blessed to have staff who love God and are committed to following Biblical principles and to loving and nurturing the children. They are examples whose lives can be followed and carry out the same responsibilities as godly parents do for a child.
When Jacques Merine and his brother Jean-Erol opened the Safe Home in February 2009, Jean-Erol took the lead as the head of household. Three Haitian women were brought on staff full-time to care for the children and home: Rose, Esther, and Miyan (Marie Merine’s late sister).
Sadly, SLM and the children have experienced great loss over the years when Jean-Erol was taken from this earth in 2012 as the result of a gun-shot and Miyan in 2015 after a battle with cancer.
As the Home has continued to grow, additional employees have been hired to perform every role needed to raise seventeen children, including cooking, cleaning, driving, doing laundry, watching the gate, tutoring, nurturing, and more! We would like to introduce you to these valuable men and women:
Rose
On staff with SLM since the opening of the Home, this extremely honest, gifted woman is in charge of all finances and purchasing. Proverbs 31:10, “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies,” is an accurate description of her value to Source of Life Ministries!
Esther
Also on staff with SLM since the opening of the Home, Esther focuses much of her time on being “mommy” to the youngest children. She knows what size clothing and shoes every one of the children wear! She spends a lot of time doing all the girls’ hair, cleaning, and taking the children to appointments.
Venette
This dear lady became part of the SLM staff shortly after the 2010 earthquake and is known to sing her way through the day. She cooks, cleans, and does laundry. Venette has a special sensitivity in prayer to the Holy Spirit and deep compassion for the children. When someone is sick, she is the first one to step in to help.
Natasha
This strong, hard working woman can lift 100 pounds as if it is nothing! She joined the staff in 2014 and is very capable with many kinds of maintenance projects, gardening, and caring for the animals. She plays with the children but is also a strong disciplinarian who truly loves both the Lord and the children.
Marie-Ange
Added to the staff in 2017, Marie-Ange was previously a school teacher and is very calm and knowledgeable in communicating with the children when their behavior is being corrected. She provides first-aid for injuries, tends to other needs of the children, and takes them to doctor appointments. She spends many hours in the kitchen each day and is very gifted in decorating for any event at the Home or church.
Sony
In 2018, Sony joined the SLM staff and filled the position of head of household. A highly educated man, Sony taught school for many years and provides excellent guidance to the children with their school work. He is loving and very patient. Sony is helping to train the children in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6), and they clearly see him as a “father figure” and love him very much.
Harold
Harold became the driver for Source of Life Ministries in 2013. He spends many hours driving the children to school or appointments and driving the staff for errands. When visiting SLM, the first person you will meet is Harold when he picks you up at the airport. Though Haitians are typically very aggressive, Harold is cautious and a very skilled driver. He is very careful with both the vehicle and the people on board, and he is punctual!
Molier
The second person you will meet at Source of Life Ministries is Molier. He keeps watch over the gate to the property, is an overnight watchman, does maintenance, and works in the garden. Working for SLM has been life-changing for Molier. When he was hired in 2014, he had been living with the mother of his seven children for many years. Praise God, one year later, Molier accepted Christ, was baptized in water, and committed to her in marriage!
How blessed Source of Life Ministries is to have such good and faithful workers on staff! Yes, the children miss Jacques tremendously when he is not able to be with them at the home, but the ministry at the children’s home is truly able to function the same whether Jacques is there or not because of these dedicated men and women! Their “job” is far more than employment to them; it is their ministry and mission in life!!!!