About six months ago, a friend of mine, Rachel, who had just returned from our village in Haiti was talking about a lady who was going through a tough time. Rachel was asking people to donate, so she could send some money to the lady. To be honest, I had no idea what was going on. The next week, Rachel mentioned the same lady and asked us to pray for her. Still, I was not fully aware of the situation. I thought it had something to do with her family, so I did not want to ask questions. Trust me, I am not a careless person. I just don’t like to get involved in others private affairs. Anyway, after a week had passed since she asked prayer for the lady, Rachel came back and said, “The lady has decided to keep her baby!” Everyone was excited! And now, I knew what was going on.
I found out that the lady’s name is Olga, and she had in a very difficult decision, whether or not to abort her child. Please carefully read what I am about to write: We, at Mercy International, are strongly against abortion. But I think even when we are against abortion, it is very important for us to do what it says in James 1:19 “Know this, my beloved brothers: Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger”. I say that because so many times we have no idea what is going on.
We all make mistakes in life. We are all human. Ever since the fall of Man, mistakes are part of what makes us human. I don’t know Olga’s full story. I don’t know it and I am not trying to judge her. What we do know is, she was going to abort the baby. For her, aborting the baby was what she thought she had to do to save her own life.
Throughout this difficult time for Olga, it was a blessing that God allowed us to help. The timing in which Rachel heard Olga’s story was perfect. We sent the money that she needed to save her life and her newborn. God uses us in marvelous ways!
(Kenlley Leyendeckers is a Haitian native, who was adopted by American parents at the age of thirteen. As a young boy, living in an orphanage there, he had met missionaries who inspired a growing vision within him. He knew he wanted to help bring hope to the children around him. The 2010 Earthquake precipitated his father’s going to Haiti to escort him to America. He quickly adapted to the American language and culture, graduating from high school and attending college. He is now the associate director of Mercy International.)
