Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity. Hippocrates.
Her name is Emilienne Jean-Pierre. She’s the one in the light pink printed t-shirt in the back row. Last year she became one of the estimated 2% of Haitians who graduate from high school. Now, she is 22 years old and has a heart for medicine.
This week we found out that she has more than a heart for medicine – she also has a brain for it. Emily did so well on the medical school entrance exam that the medical school didn’t want to let her go home!
Emilienne — also known as “Emily” — lives in the Merci’ de Dieu (“Thanks to God”) Village with her parents and six younger siblings. They moved into the village after living in the terrible conditions of a tent city. Both of her parents are Believers and one of her sisters just gave her life to Christ in November.
On our most recent trip to the village in November, Emily spent time in the clinic helping to care for her father’s severe leg wound. Jean — the team member who was helping — reported that although others would not be able to handle caring for such a gruesome injury, Emily handled herself with ease.
Because Emily did so well on her entrance exam, the medical school has given her permission to begin midway through the semester.
She needs $2500 to pay for tuition, books, uniform, and a small stipend (for transportation and food) by Monday, December 15. Overall, Emily will need $5000 per year. It will take her 6 years to complete her studies.
Our village clinic doctor, Dr. Whistler, also received sponsorship through Mercy International to attend medical school. He completed his degree earlier this year and now invests part of his time back into the ministry by serving three times a week in the village clinic. He has also helped to train the men and women of the “Barefoot Doctor” program in rural Haiti.
Haiti has a high demand for physicians and we love seeing Haitians trained up to help their own country. Becoming a physician is about the only way you can be assured of employment upon graduation in Haiti, even over nursing.
If Emily is able to receive sponsorship for medical school, she will have a completely different future than what might be expected from her background. From living in a tent city, to being given a house in the village, to possibly medical school. Amazing!
If you feel led to give toward Emily’s tuition, please let us know. We would love to help her, but know the Lord has to provide the funds for her.
Merry Christmas!
