Meet Bénél (Part I)

Our most recent trip to Haiti was spent at Pastor Eric's Church, holding a Vacation Bible School for about 70 children.  The kids were so excited to learn about the Fruit of the Spirit (our VBS theme for the week).  They were also thrilled to play games, make crafts and receive some special treats.   The mission team was touched by each and every one of the precious children.  But one young man stood out.

Bénél is a 15-year-old boy who, at first glance, appears to be the same as all the other teen boys attending school at Sanctify Baptist Church.  But as we watched his eyes light up when he listened to the Bible stories, as we observed him showing compassion toward the younger children (when the other big boys would bully them) and as we listened to him eagerly recite the Fruit of the Spirit from memory - - we knew he was different.  Special.


When asked for more information about this cheerful and bright young man, Pastor Eric told us a story we would have never expected.  Bénél's family has virtually nothing.  He has four younger siblings and his parents simply could not feed them all.  In an attempt to offer him a better life, they sent him to Port au Prince to live as a "restavek." In Haiti, it is acceptable for parents to send children to live with distant relatives in urban areas, with the promise of food, shelter and possibly and education in exchange for housework.  The reality is that most restavek situations amount to child slavery - many children are severely abused (click here to learn more about the plight of restaveks).  This concept is foreign and quite troubling to us here in the US; we could never imagine a young child being forced to wash laundry by hand, cook meals over a hot fire or walk miles to fetch water and food.  But it is the harsh reality for many Haitian children and one that Bénél experienced firsthand.


After a while, Bénél's parents learned that his host family was mistreating him, so they brought him home.  This was an act of faith on their part, because they simply did not have the resources to provide for all of their children.  His mother made a plea to Pastor Eric, "Please allow my son to attend your school and receive and education."  His parents could not afford to pay for a uniform or for tuition (required by most schools in Haiti) but Pastor Eric's heart is for the the poorest of the poor in his village, and he allowed Bénél to attend.


So this is how we came to meet Bénél.  But the story does not end here...