My name is L.W. I once lived in small village with my wife and our four daughters. Life there was simple but good — I worked as a tailor, and my wife bought and sold goods in bulk. Together, we earned enough to care for our children, pay their school fees, and meet our daily needs. We were happy, and we felt secure.
But that peace didn’t last.
When armed groups and violence reached our community, everything changed. Homes were burned, people were killed, and we lost everything we owned. There was no choice — we had to flee for our safety. Two of our daughters went to stay with an aunt in another area, and we made our way to Cazale with our other two children, hoping to find refuge and a new beginning.
In Cazale, we stayed in the national school building, which had been turned into a temporary refugee center. But when school reopened, life became even harder. Each morning we woke up before dawn, packed up all our belongings, and moved outside so the students could use the classroom. Many days we spent outside in the street — cooking there, resting there, and waiting until late afternoon to go back to our sleeping space. It was exhausting and stressful, but we had nowhere else to go.
We tried to stay strong, but some days there was nothing to eat. We felt hopeless. We could not afford to rent a home, and the future seemed unsure. Then Real Hope for Haiti stepped into our lives — like rain falling on dry ground.
RHFH helped us with food and basic supplies at a time when we had nothing. We later wrote to the mission, asking if they could help us rent a house and start a small business so that we could rebuild our lives.
We will never forget the joy we felt when we left the school and moved into a home of our own. Now we can sleep peacefully, wake when we need to, cook when we want, and live like a family again. We also received support to begin a small business — selling soap, and snacks — giving us hope and purpose once more.
Some people die from the stress of losing everything and feeling abandoned by their country’s situation. But God was gracious to us. He brought us to a new place, surrounded us with kindness, and connected us to a mission that gave us a chance to rebuild.
To everyone who helped make this possible — thank you. Your generosity has given us dignity, hope, and a new start. May God bless you.