Anything but worthless
As a Haitian living in the Dominican for 13 of her 28 years, Sophie’s challenges are now even greater with the birth of her baby boy, Vladimir.
He was born 3 months premature weighing 2 pounds to a couple barely getting by. Unexplainably, Sophie’s husband ordered her to kill the baby. She told us that he said, “The baby is worthless.” She refused. In response, he beat her, kicking her C-section incision, and then took what little they owned and abandoned the two. With a baby barely clinging to life, herself injured, and both having no place to live, what choices did Sophie have? She cried to a friend, who told her “Don’t let your baby die. Take him to Mission Emanuel’s clinic!”
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- Baby Vladimir at 1 month,
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- Sophie and Vladimir
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- New mom, Sophie
When she showed up at our door she had nothing to give. Mari, who manages the Mission Emanuel Clinic, knew she had to be taken care of, but how much care could we give? Our clinic provides service to roughly 10,000 people a year in our community at little to no cost. We are completely funded by generous individuals, who recognize that Jesus walks among us, “disguised” as a Haitian refugee or sometimes as a premature baby or as countless Dominicans that Mission Emanuel serves in this community of Cielo. Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 25:45 what we are to do for the least of these. That is the purpose of Mission Emanuel!
Dr. Sara has been tending to Sophie’s wounds and a recent checkup for Vladimir showed, that for a three-month premature baby, he is surprisingly healthy. He is still very undernourished, but Vladimir is a fighter with a will to survive. Sophie continues to receive special formula for baby Vladimir, who has already gained 2 pounds in the past three weeks!
A safe place to come for help, food, medical care, prayer and the love of Christ, is the ministry behind the Mission Emanuel’s Medical Clinic located in Cielo, Dominican Republic.
Cindy had the opportunity to be the Gospel by simply holding Vladimir while Sophie ate lunch with us.
Please pray and ask yourself, “What could my part in this life-giving ministry be?” With our whole being, we believe that providing health care for this community is part of our Biblical calling by Christ. Would you partner with us in living out the gospel in Cielo? As Jesus gives provision, He uses each of us to reach out to those in need. Prayer and financial giving are paramount to our need for this clinic!
We have received gifts totaling $16,355 toward the $40,000 goal to end the year. Would you consider a special one-time gift? Visit our DONATE page or call us at 336-794-6871.
