Gertrude

A mother’s testImony

In 2010, nineteen year old Gertrude watched the passionate display unfolding before her. Gertrude’s aunt, recently returned from Port au Prince after the earthquake, sat before her grandparents sharing of a newfound faith in Jesus Christ. “There is nothing outside for us,” Gertrude heard her aunt say, “We need to convert.” Gertrude’s grandmother was the first to heed these words, turning to Jesus for healing from a life of addictions and chronic ailments. The rest of the family quickly followed suit. Yet Gertrude would soon discover that a life devoted to Christ did not mean a life without difficulty. God’s delivering power, which she had witnessed in her grandmother’s life, had built the foundation of faith on which she would stand in the trials to come.

In November 2018, Gertrude sat on a hospital bed with the youngest of her three children, fourteen month old Cherlanda. The year had taken its toll as her daughter battled coughs, fevers, and eye infections. The latest sickness, pneumonia, finally sent them to seek medical attention. When the doctor stated that Cherlanda was anemic and that the anemia had the potential to affect her bones, fear entered Gertrude’s heart. Immediate action was needed for a blood transfusion – it was a parent’s worst nightmare.

“God, this is the child You gave me, so You have to be the one to heal her.”

Faith battled against desperation as Gertrude turned to the God who had healed her family before. “God, this is the child You gave me so You have to be the one to heal her.”

Family and friends called to pray with them over the phone. Many Hands staff frequented the hospital to bring food, encouragement, and to help purchase medical supplies . MH4H staff were also able to find suitable donors for Cherlanda’s blood type. After six intensive weeks, Cherlanda’s condition stabilized and she was healthy enough to return home. The situation became more stressful when mother and child could not be released until the doctor bill was cleared. Unable to pay the debt, the family turned to Many Hands for Haiti. Through the First Thousand Days program, as part of the Love in Action Initiative, Cherlanda’s bill was paid in full. She returned home with a few needed medications as well as scheduled follow-ups with the MH4H nurse, Lerosane.

Today Gertrude can confidently say that she has seen God’s protection on her family’s lives. Cherlanda’s hospital stay only served to strengthen her mother’s faith. Gertrude says, “God will do more for me still. This is a testimony. In the future [when trouble comes], I will again get on my knees and say, ‘God work on my behalf.’”

We at Many Hands are humbled that God chooses to work through our sponsors, partners, and staff members to be Love in Action for families like Gertrude’s. 

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