Tended in the Testing
“My children are always singing…”
Family and friends often describe me as deeply curious—endlessly fascinated by the human heart, our behaviors, and, most of all, our incredible capacity to love. I’m known for asking big questions: What are your current challenges? If you could change anything in your life right now, what would it be? But the question I ask most often is, “What is your favorite sound in the world?” For me, it’s the sound of children singing. There’s simply nothing else like it—a pure melody of hope and possibility.
This month, I was privileged to return to the extraordinary nation of Haiti—this time as Executive Director of Hands & Feet Project. My mission? To expand our vision and test our resolve. No small feat, but a journey filled with purpose.
Haiti is an island abundant in beauty and resilience, yet also marked by profound poverty. UNICEF has declared it a state of polycrisis—where hardship touches nearly every aspect of life. Extreme humanitarian crises, food scarcity, lack of clean water, and inadequate sanitation challenge this garden isle daily.
This is what families face across much of Haiti.
Yet as I visited our communities in Grand Goâve, I witnessed glimmers of hope shining through even the darkest circumstances. In a place where despair would be understandable, hope persists—and it is powerful.
The Hands & Feet Project team bravely steps into the most challenging places—muddy, rocky, and unsanitary terrain—to visit families, assess their living conditions, and deliver hope where it’s needed most. Walking alongside our remarkable social workers, I saw extraordinary courage and compassion in action.
One family we served was living in what could only be described as a dire crisis. Their children weren’t in school and faced malnutrition, even unable to play. Every parent dreams of providing their children with everything they need. But for this family, it felt impossible—until our faithful supporters and social workers intervened and transformed their future.
I accompanied our team on the journey to this family’s home, driving a mile from our Grand Goâve campus, then trekking deep into a forest community. We crossed creeks and passed families living in hand-built homes, their strength evident in every step. At the top of the hill stood the family’s former home: a fragile structure built of sticks and tarps, carefully assembled with the materials available to them, barely holding out against the elements.
The moment I laid eyes on it, I was reminded of how vulnerable a home can be when resources are scarce. This was where a family of five lived? It was a powerful reminder of both their need and their resilience.
Walking up another small hill, we saw the family’s new home. It was concrete, sturdy, and safe. While the mother had gone to pick up her daughters from school, the father waited at home and welcomed us into the yard. After visiting for a short while, we asked how his children are today—now that they attend school, have enough to eat, friends to play with, and a safe place to call home. With a bright smile, he beamed, “My children are always singing.”
Visiting the families we serve moved me deeply, but what impressed me most was our team. Day after day, they bring light, life, and hope into the darkest places. By standing together and stewarding this ministry, we strengthen their work and preserve families. United, we are truly stronger together.
This is the Hands & Feet Project—deeply rooted in Haiti, sowing hope for today and for generations to come. As long as our community of supporters stands with us, the song of hope will continue to rise in the voices of its children.
And speaking of songs, there is one song that reminds me of this moment. These lyrics resemble our spirit in this season of testing.
In the landscape of my life
You don’t rush through any season
You always take Your time
A careful hand, a gentle guide
You take what’s dead away
And You prune what’s running wild
So be the gardner of my heart
Tend the soil of my soul
Break up the fallow ground
Cut back the overgrown
And I won’t shy away
I will let the branches fall
So what You want can stay
And what You love can grow
– Tend
How about you? What is your favorite sound in the world?