Tears of relief and joy feed a family’s future

In her small Haitian town, 8-year-old Isemaylie dreams big. She spends her days playing with dolls, imagining herself as an engineer, crafting a better future for her troubled country. Her cheerful mother, Jean Mirlande, fills their home with laughter, working tirelessly as a laundress to make ends meet.

But Jean Mirlande’s sunny attitude masks a constant, gnawing concern. Despite her hard work, Jean Mirlande struggled to buy enough groceries, forcing them to skip meals or make do with low-nutrient foods.

“Will I be able to feed my daughter today?” Jean Mirlande wondered constantly. She took on more laundry work, but 80 percent went to rent. Isemaylie was getting more lethargic by the day.

When Jean Mirlande received a “feed a family” gift from Chalice’s gift catalogue “she cried with relief while clutching the bills,” says Edley, Haiti North site director.

“I received manna from heaven!” she said. Edley says she then “raised her hands to the sky: ‘Thank you, God, thank you donors.’ Isemaylie danced with joy, repeating ‘We will eat well!’”

Both Isemaylie and their cupboards are now full of her favourite – spaghetti. “With spaghetti and oil, I won’t have stomachaches in class anymore!” Isemaylie says.

For Jean Mirlande, it’s a relief from the daily anxiety of not knowing how to feed her child. “Now I know my daughter will grow up healthy,” she says. “I can breathe again.”

“Your gift saved my daughter from hunger. Thank you for hearing our cry for help. Because of you, Isemaylie can become an engineer! May God multiply your kindness a thousandfold!”