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Church helps the starving in Haiti
By Hillary Gavan
Daily News staff writer
“Dear friends, for over 25 years both my situation and my country have not progressed. Things are getting harder; more corpses than I can count are laying around as a result of economic regression. People are numb to hunger for the longest time now; it doesn't scare us anymore.”
That's what Haitian Renald Deraz, 27, e-mailed Beloiter Debbie Fischer after his brother starved to death.
After receiving such a desperate plea and reports of other deaths from starvation, Fischer is more committed than ever to helping some of the families in Haiti during her mission trip there at the end of May.
As Americans struggle with all the increased food costs due to higher gas prices, Fischer explained that people in Haiti are literally starving to death.
Fischer, a member of Central Christian Church in Beloit, puts together a sponsorship program for a boy's orphanage outside Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with Denise Anderson. They have set it up so she can e-mail and keep tabs with the boys and several other local families.
Although the two women and other church members have traveled to Haiti numerous times to help work on the orphanage, the hunger situation has never been as dire. In addition to the high oil prices, some of the food has been sitting around in ports because of new crackdowns on the border designed to curtail drug trafficking.
For Renald Deraz and most other Haitians, it's more than a devastating blow. Although Fischer and the church usually get requests from those in Haiti, she was especially touched by Deraz.
She's met the young man numerous times. He's educated, with a wife and two small daughters. But a life of poverty wore him down about as far as he can go.
He compared his e-mail to a eulogy.
“Like my deceased brother, I've been humiliated countless times. I've been threatened, I'm homeless, jobless, sick helplessly, married with two beautiful girls,” Deraz wrote.
Although Deraz isn't sure if he or his family will survive, he said he's learned the noblest gift in life is humility.
Fischer is hoping to raise money for the orphanage and Deraz. She's started a fund, Bless the Boys. To contribute, people can send a check made out to “Bless the Boys” and mail it to P.O. Box 384, South Beloit, IL 61080 in care of Debbie Fischer.
Denise Anderson, a nurse, hopes to check out Deraz's medical situation. He has a big swelling on his forehead. For now, the best hope is to keep Deraz and his family fed and alive. In time, Fischer hopes that they have the opportunity to do more.
Central Christian Church members continue their commitment to the orphanage and other families in Haiti. Several church members are in the process of adopting Haitian children.
Fischer said any money sent will go directly to the people of Haiti, since there are no administrative fees in the volunteer project.
Fischer has been to Haiti seven times since 2005. This time she and other volunteers plan to repair the roof on the orphanage. She said selling mud and oil mixed together is popular in the markets because of the severe poverty and lack of jobs.
Fischer is always impressed with how happy and grateful the Haitians are despite their abject poverty when some in more bountiful countries are always unhappy no matter how much they have.
Daily News staff writer
“Dear friends, for over 25 years both my situation and my country have not progressed. Things are getting harder; more corpses than I can count are laying around as a result of economic regression. People are numb to hunger for the longest time now; it doesn't scare us anymore.”
That's what Haitian Renald Deraz, 27, e-mailed Beloiter Debbie Fischer after his brother starved to death.
After receiving such a desperate plea and reports of other deaths from starvation, Fischer is more committed than ever to helping some of the families in Haiti during her mission trip there at the end of May.
As Americans struggle with all the increased food costs due to higher gas prices, Fischer explained that people in Haiti are literally starving to death.
Fischer, a member of Central Christian Church in Beloit, puts together a sponsorship program for a boy's orphanage outside Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with Denise Anderson. They have set it up so she can e-mail and keep tabs with the boys and several other local families.
Although the two women and other church members have traveled to Haiti numerous times to help work on the orphanage, the hunger situation has never been as dire. In addition to the high oil prices, some of the food has been sitting around in ports because of new crackdowns on the border designed to curtail drug trafficking.
For Renald Deraz and most other Haitians, it's more than a devastating blow. Although Fischer and the church usually get requests from those in Haiti, she was especially touched by Deraz.
She's met the young man numerous times. He's educated, with a wife and two small daughters. But a life of poverty wore him down about as far as he can go.
He compared his e-mail to a eulogy.
“Like my deceased brother, I've been humiliated countless times. I've been threatened, I'm homeless, jobless, sick helplessly, married with two beautiful girls,” Deraz wrote.
Although Deraz isn't sure if he or his family will survive, he said he's learned the noblest gift in life is humility.
Fischer is hoping to raise money for the orphanage and Deraz. She's started a fund, Bless the Boys. To contribute, people can send a check made out to “Bless the Boys” and mail it to P.O. Box 384, South Beloit, IL 61080 in care of Debbie Fischer.
Denise Anderson, a nurse, hopes to check out Deraz's medical situation. He has a big swelling on his forehead. For now, the best hope is to keep Deraz and his family fed and alive. In time, Fischer hopes that they have the opportunity to do more.
Central Christian Church members continue their commitment to the orphanage and other families in Haiti. Several church members are in the process of adopting Haitian children.
Fischer said any money sent will go directly to the people of Haiti, since there are no administrative fees in the volunteer project.
Fischer has been to Haiti seven times since 2005. This time she and other volunteers plan to repair the roof on the orphanage. She said selling mud and oil mixed together is popular in the markets because of the severe poverty and lack of jobs.
Fischer is always impressed with how happy and grateful the Haitians are despite their abject poverty when some in more bountiful countries are always unhappy no matter how much they have.
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