Heartline Runners: Running for Haitian Women

By Heather ...

2011-11-29T11:14:00.000-05:00

Where there is faith, there is love;
Where there is love, there is peace;
Where there is peace, there is God;
And where there is God; there is no need.

I love this quote by Leo Tolstoy. It describes the heart behind all that Heartline Ministries does in Haiti. Did you know that because Heartline operates on so much volunteer ministry that 90% of what you give is spent on the ground in Haiti?

Amy and Heather are running the Topeka to Auburn half marathon (January 21, 2012) again this year to provide housing for one year to a young Haitian mother. It is amazing to know that for $800-$1,000 dollars we could provide a home to a mother like this one http://livesayhaiti.blogspot.com/2011/11/hold-me-god.html This half marathon is the one in our area that is always nearest the anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. The day of the half marathon is most likely going to be cold and windy and, as always, very hilly, but last year none of that mattered. It was an amazing experience to run knowing that it meant money was heading toward giving babies and families in Haiti the best start possible in life. And that it was going not to just deal with the orphan crisis but to prevent it.

Please consider donating any amount by using the Chip-In widget on this page. This insures that your donation goes straight to Heartline. If each friend of mine on facebook donated just $5 we would be providing housing for a year to 3 young mothers. The cost of one grande vanilla mocha could combine with others to give a young mother and her baby a place to live safely for an entire year.

Thank you for your consideration,

Heather and Amy

Introducing: Starr, Diamond, Janell, Lisa, Charmaine

2010-12-11T14:38:00.000-05:00

Hello Friends!

Thank you for taking the time to come to this web site and read about what we’re doing here. We (Team 2) are currently training for the Disney Princess ½ Marathon. We are so excited about this race! Running a 13.1 mile race is not easy but it’s exhilarating! Pulling together to help women in a 3^rd world nation isn’t easy but it too is exhilarating!

Can you imagine what it would be like to go through 9 months of pregnancy and not have the adequate nutrition for you and your growing baby? Then going into difficult labor and delivery on a dirt floor all by yourself? No electricity. No clean water. No midwife. No doctor. Imagine if there was a complication. These are everyday things for some women in Haiti and many of them lose their babies because of these circumstances. BUT we can help! All of us together pulling our resources can help women have healthy pregnancies, labors, and deliveries. That’s exciting!

ALL of team 2 has personally been to or lived in Haiti. We’ve have worked in the facilities that help the woman of Haiti. We’ve held their healthy babies, handed out pre-natal vitamins, and nutritious food and even assisted in classes to teach these amazing woman how to be healthier moms and care for their sweet, tiny babies. We have seen where your hard earned money goes and how it makes a difference. While we train for our ½ marathon we will be focusing our thoughts and prayers to this effort. Please help us raise the funds to keep Heartline going. We ask that you give whatever monetary donation you can to help us reach the goal. Every amount you give goes to help a mother and baby in need. For those of you who have ever given birth KNOW how hard it is, even in perfect conditions. For more info on the women’s program at heartline please go to- www.heartlineministries.org or you can search the archives of this blog.

With 5 of us running our goal is only $6,500- That’s only $100 per mile per person. WE can do it! It’s a small goal that will go a long way. Thank you so much for your support!

(From the Princess ½ Marathon website- http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/princess-half-marathon/)-
“There comes a time in every woman's life when she must blaze her own trail. A time when she has to run, not from an evil stepmother, but to her moment of glory. A day when the true princess inside of her shines through. The time has come for you!”

How better to raise funds To empower women than a race that supports it? Get excited! This is going to ROCK!

Introducing Team: Amy and Heather

2010-12-06T00:15:00.000-05:00

We, Amy and Heather, are running the Topeka to Auburn half marathon January 15, 2010 to raise money for the Heartline Teen Mother's Home. We hope you'll support us and help this effort be a success!

Click here to see this post to learn more about the young women the Teen Mom's home is serving. Read through the posts on this blog to read more about the lives of women in Haiti.

The official website for the half marathon reads:
'The first eight miles of the course are on paved asphalt streets and roads; the next four miles are on country roads and the last mile plus is back on asphalt. The course start is at an elevation of 1013 feet and the finish is at 1084 feet, but with continuous ups and downs throughout most of the route the elevation difference seems greater...If the course is not daunting enough, the conditions the day of the race may be. The unpredictability of Kansas’s weather is a certainty, even during the middle of winter. With the course traversing mainly north to south and with a predominately north or northwesterly wind, there is usually a tail or side wind...Paved roads are generally manageable, but the country roads can often become a sloppy mess or may be mostly ice covered.'

And can you believe we are both SO excited for this!

We encourage you to share this - link to this on facebook - or email it to friends and family with personal words of encouragement to pray for the run and/or sponsor us (per mile or a set amount). A half marathon is a little over 13 miles. Knowing that the few girls at the home now are a pilot project for bigger and better things, think of what you could help instigate with just a few moments of your time.

Heartline is an amazing ministry. When the earthquake hit last January, my missionary friends who had lived for years in Haiti were quick to recommend Heartline as a trustworthy ministry.

The Chip-In widget will insure that your sponsorship goes directly to their organization- it is on the right side of this blog and is noted as Amy and Heather's Chip-in. Heartline Ministries will receipt you for your gift. This organization is one that pours all resources back into the Haitian people, economy and infrastructure."

Please sponsor us today!

Amy & Heather

To our support-team:

2010-01-05T08:32:00.000-05:00

We are approaching race day and we are ready! Thanks to you supporters we have reached and surpassed our $60,000 goal and we are ready to run! So many of you trusted us, believe in the women's program and gave money toward our ambulance. We thank you!

Most women in Haiti deliver their babies at home without a skilled attendant. Many moms and babies die because no one was there to get them life saving help. Our program seeks to educate women, give them prenatal care and prepare them for the safest birth possible. In an emergency situation we will be able to get them to a hospital quickly. As you read in one of our earliest posts we had a mom who delivered her baby in the dirt while trying to get to us. At night there is no public transportation so women deliver at home. What a difference having an ambulance vehicle will make!

If you visit Haiti you will be amazed at the number of overcrowded orphanages. Many of these kids are from moms who died in or around the weeks of childbirth. Our program aims to change that. Our goal is safe pregnancies, safe birth and intact families!

Thank you for trusting us! We runners thank you and we will be thinking of your donations as the miles pile up and we are hurting! Your donations will help us to make it to the finish line! Thank you for giving to a program which aims to help women who are powerless to help themselves. Thank you for caring! Thank you for investing in a runner and investing in the women of Heartline!

You gave for them - we will run for them! We all cross the finish line and win!

Beth McHoul

To the Runners

2010-01-05T08:27:00.002-05:00

Here we are runners, just a few days from the race. You did it! Your training is done, you're tapering down and you've gone beyond what you thought possible! Some of you are first time marathoners. When you cross that finish line you will be part of an elite group of people who have run 26.2 miles. Very few people can run a marathon or a half marathon but you can! Most amazing to me is that you are doing it for someone else. Women who are poor, powerless, and don't have a voice. You are running so that they are guaranteed a safer birth, a ride to the hospital if necessary, a ride to and from home.

There are no words enough to thank you. You are making all this possible. People have supported you, given money and are cheering you on to the finish line. Crossing the finish line at a marathon is a life changing event! You will be stiff, sore and beyond happy!

Thank you for reaching out to your communities, friends, churches and family to support us. As I look over the list of supporters I marvel at how many names I do not recognize. That's because so many of us reached into our communities and got support from other folks. Folks we don't know who are now a part of our success in Haiti! I am amazed!

Thank you for running and making this real! Our women would thank you but most of them don't even realize what a marathon is. They are running one of their own daily just trying to survive and get through the day. For the women of our program - their lives just got a little easier! We owe you a huge thank you!!

Run well!

Beth McHoul

Our Program is for Admarie, Fenise, & Jina

2009-12-22T08:53:00.003-05:00

We're waiting anxiously with Admarie (first photo) and Jina (last photo) for the arrivals of their babies. Both of these beautiful ladies are due at the end of December. Please be praying for safe deliveries of their little ones.

Fenise (middle photo) had a healthy baby boy on Thursday, December 10th. She named him Stevenson. Mom and baby are doing great. Due to her involvement in our program Fenise is receiving life-saving medical attention that she would have been unaware she needed had she not joined the Prenatal program.

Because Fenise will now be in the Early Childhood Development class, her spot in the Prenatal program has opened for a woman on our waitlist. We're excited to have an opportunity to meet and serve another woman this coming Thursday.

We are also so thrilled to share that we are only approximately $5,000 away from the $60,000 goal. With your help, we will soon be able to go to the dealership and order our emergency transport vehicle.

Please consider sponsoring any one of the runners for $1 per mile ($26) or $3 per mile ($78) or $5 per mile ($130) as a year end gift to Heartline Ministries ... in reality it will be a gift to a Haitian woman who will be cared for and loved by our team on the ground in Haiti. Thank you so much.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas from Port au Prince.

The Heartline Team

Update

2009-12-18T21:13:00.003-05:00

We have received the $10,000 matching grant from the Texas college graduate. We have also been promised $20,000 from one donor toward the transport vehicle. This puts us at $49,292.20 as of this moment. (The meter reflects the current goal.)

This is exciting news! It puts us over 65% of goal with 21 days until the marathon weekend and 30 days left to reach our goal by January 18th, 2010.

We hope that you'll share this site with others and let them know how they can help. We only have 10K left to go! Thank you for your concern for the women of Haiti and for getting involved and helping us reach our goal.

The Heartline Team

2009-12-15T10:44:00.003-05:00

Pictured above is the most common mode of transportation in Haiti. These trucks run all over the city and countryside and are called - kamyonnet or tap-taps. The system works well - if you're not in a hurry. When a woman is in labor she needs to flag down one of these trucks and hope that she gets to her destination in time. If you are looking for a ride after a certain time of day it may be impossible to find one. The truck stops very frequently and the time it takes to get from point A to point B can vary greatly. Can you imagine being in pain and riding in this for an hour or more?

We are very pleased to share that the 10K matching grant from the anonymous college graduate has been received. Thank you to each of you that have given and helped us get to this point. The meter does not reflect $11,200 in donations. We will update the totals soon and let you know where things stand. We have not yet reached the 60K necessary to move forward and purchase the ambulance vehicle. We have a month left to raise the funds before the group of 15 runs the races in Florida. Please consider helping us by sponsoring a runner. Please pass this on to your friends and family who might be looking to give a charitable donation (to a GREAT cause) at the end of the year.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

This story is not uncommon in Haiti, we thought you might like to read about life in Haiti from the perspective of another ministry doing work here. We hope our efforts and our birthing center will reduce situations like the one described in this story.

Our Program is for RoseMarie

2009-12-09T13:04:00.001-05:00

With a smile like this, it is tempting to believe that life is happy and easy for Rose Marie. She is generally cheery despite many challenges. Lately, things have gotten pretty tough. Her smile is not shared nearly as frequently as it was when we first met her.

Rose Marie has faced many obstacles in recent months. Her pregnancy has been precarious and her living situation has become worse than that.

For the last six weeks Rose Marie has been coming each day to eat at the Women's Program house. We started doing this after her blood pressure began to climb. It is not uncommon to take her BP and find it 170/100 and sometimes higher. The goal has been to help her get enough protein in her diet to avoid preeclampsia.

She has faithfully made her way to the house each day to eat boiled eggs and a vitamin fortified rice mixture. She is checked every couple of days for other signs and symptoms. She has been referred to Doctors without Borders, they sent her home until she goes into labor. We're doing everything we know to do ... especially praying.

Rose Marie has two other children that live with her mother in Mirebelais, about two hours north of Port au Prince. In Haitian culture it is very common for children to be raised by relatives and for families to split up. Rose Marie's sisters no longer offer her a place to sleep, there are problems between them that they seem unwilling to work out. Their small houses are already over-crowded.

Rose Marie finds herself without a permanent home and no plan for caring for herself or her baby. Each night she hopes a friend will let her sleep under their roof. Her pregnancy is so high risk that the very few jobs that she might be able to find are dangerous to her health at this time.

This week Rose Marie shared with us that the father of her baby lives in the USA. He was here for a brief visit earlier this year. He might come back to visit again in late December. She is not sure. His sisters don't want him to care for Rose Marie or the baby. They are trying to convince him that this is not his child. They don't want her to move in with them at the house he provides for them.

She went on to tell us that she just wants to "give him the baby", and that if he is not going to help her she won't be able to keep the baby. Her mother has all that she can handle caring for the other two children. This week there was a fight that led to her getting punched in the face. The people holding her belongings threaten to throw them in the street, the friends say she can only stay a few more nights. She is trapped and feels alone.

As she explained the situation further she began to cry. She wants her baby to be born healthy, but she feels uncertain of everything, including her ability to provide for herself or the child due in January.
Rose Marie's situation is especially difficult in that there are not a lot of great options or solutions. Many women end up having their baby without the help of the father, but most are not homeless. Our program exists to love the women and meet them right where they are. We know we cannot provide housing, food and clothing for every woman in need. But we can provide vitamins, education, counseling, encouragement, a listening ear, moral support, a kind word, a hug, some food, some medical care ... and prayers.

Please pray with us for Rose Marie and her unborn baby.

(Written By T.Livesay)

Serving in Simone Pele

2009-12-07T12:47:00.003-05:00

These little girls stand in the doorway of an average looking home in Simone Pele.

Heartline Ministries began going into this community last summer and started doing prenatal class in September. We are now committed to doing a monthly outreach to the pregnant women of this community. Our goal is to offer teaching that may make a difference in their lives and the lives of their babies and to spend just a few minutes each month giving them the love and attention they so need.

Meet Heartline Runner, Tara Livesay

2009-12-07T12:38:00.004-05:00

The Disney Marathon is the second marathon in just a few months for Tara. It will be her fourth total. She ran the Twin Cities Marathon in October raising money for Medika Mamba, a high protein food for malnourished kids in Haiti.

Tara went from training for one marathon to training for another without skipping a beat. She is energetic, takes care of 7 children, works in the Heartline Women's Program and works for World Wide Village. Tara is known for her open and honest blog about the Christian experience and life in Haiti.

Tara is passionate about life and the women and children of Haiti. She and her husband Troy have 3 Haitian adopted children, 4 bio-children and are taking care of their Haitian niece until she goes to her home to her adoptive family in MN. Busy does not begin to describe her day-to-day life.

Tara trains on the roads of Port-au-Prince. She is a committed runner who runs under extreme circumstances. Not even malaria kept her from training. Tara cares about the women we serve in Haiti and wants the best for them. Like many of them, Tara was a teen mom who relates to these women and wants better for them.

Running a marathon is one way we can serve the women of Haiti. Help us help them! Please sponsor Tara Livesay today!

Our Program is for Nicole

2009-12-03T08:21:00.003-05:00

Nicole is in our program for the second time. We love her, but she is work. Although she is in her early twenties she is more like a teenager. She is always needing attention and finding new ways to get it from us. If she doesn't have an ailment she'll think of one. She reminds us to pray for her in case we forgot.While everyone else sits nicely in their chair Nicole lies on the floor during class. Her drama keeps us rolling our eyes and laughing. We do love her and are disappointed that she cannot deliver with us due to a previous c/section with complications. She is more than disappointed. She asked us over and over again to change our minds.

Nicole agrees wholeheartedly with us on the benefits of breastfeeding and brags that her little guy is smarter because of it. Since she is second time around in the program she knows the score.

Nicole was not happy when she got pregnant for the second time and begs us to pray for her husband to get a job. She and her little family live on the edge. They are in an intact family, the husband clearly cares for his family but has no work and little hope of finding one. Nicole took the entrance exam for our sewing program but failed.

Pray for Nicole as she is in the hospital for her second c/section today. We will celebrate with her when she returns with her new baby. A baby born into a family with so little. A baby whose mom is almost a baby herself. But, our program is for Nicole, our program provides her some love and attention. When Nicole comes with her baby in a few days we will do a newborn exam, offer support and encouragement and send her home with a gift bag of baby goodies. But not until we pray for her and her family.

Please help us reach the goal and chip in ... for Nicole and others like her.

BY Beth McHoul

Teaching on Breastfeeding, by Esther D.

2009-12-02T22:48:00.000-05:00

Simone Pele December

2009-12-02T21:44:00.000-05:00

Updates

2009-11-30T19:52:00.004-05:00

We have 18 days left to meet the generous match offer made by college graduate from Texas. Thank you so much for giving! We have $3,508 left to raise to receive her 10K match. PLEASE share this with your Sunday School class, your Bible study, your friends and co-workers. We are anxious to help our anonymous friend in Texas be able to give her match. What a blessing!

Please be praying for the ladies in our program. We have one young mom with HIV that is due in the coming week, prayers for a safe delivery of a healthy baby are appreciated. We have another mom that is too high risk and probably needs a C-section, she is especially "needy" and not very happy about the c-section. We also have a mom of 4 who had a blood pressure of 172/128 last week - and is only 32 weeks along. She was told to go straight to a hospital after she left us. Someday soon we hope and pray we can give them a ride when we send them for emergency care.

To pray for them by name: Fenise - Nicole - RoseMarie

Our Program is for Natacha

2009-11-27T05:00:00.001-05:00

By Beth McHoul

Natacha has been in our lives for a long time. She was orphaned at the age of 10 when her dad drowned. He was one of the many victims on the commuter Jeremie boat that sank several years ago. (Click here to read about that tragedy.) Natacha's mom died prior to her father but Natacha isn't clear on what happened. "It was voodoo powder", she says.

After their father died, Natacha and her little sister Nedeje went to live in an orphanage in Port-au-Prince. As a troubled teen Tachi was asked to leave the orphanage. Not unlike other troubled teens here and in the USA, she got pregnant.

Natacha delivered her baby girl in a small hut without a skilled attendant. She really loved her little girl but as a teen without support or teachers, she had no parenting skills and no way to provide for her daughter. She first came to us asking us to take her daughter into the adoption program. Her daughter was placed into the children's home and Natacha ended up staying with us and has never really left.

Tachi and my daughter Morgan became best friends over the years. They mixed their conversations with Creole and English giggling and acting like teenagers together. They love each other still and look forward to visits in Haiti a couple of times each year. Natacha has been employed at our boys house as a night nanny for a number of years.

About a year ago Natasha announced that she had a boyfriend. I gave her the purity lectures and warnings. I am a mother figure in her life. I hoped she could be spared more disappointment. I prayed she would make wise choices.

Here is an orphaned girl with huge losses in her life. She lost both parents, grew up in an overcrowded understaffed orphanage, gave up her first born child, lost her best friend to the States, and is not on speaking terms with her little sister. After such losses - of course she would be victim to a smooth talking boyfriend who said he wanted a family. He told her he would marry her but he wanted her to have "his" child first. She caved. She believed him.Our daughter Morgan came home for a visit earlier this year. Tachi whispered to Morgan that she might be pregnant. Morgan cautioned her to get married, do things right, it would pay off later. But it was too late. The pregnancy test came back positive. Natacha was full of hope, full of thoughts of family, being a wife, being a mother, making up for past losses.

Week by week we took care of Tachi in our program. Because she is fluent in English and works at the boy's home she is well known by many and a favorite of a lot of the Americans. People care about her.

As we feared, her boyfriend tired of her and found a new girl. He didn't even wait till the baby was born. At her last prenatal appointment she sat looking at her round belly and said, "He has a new girl. I hate him now." We felt that anger, disappointment, and hurt with her.

Early Wednesday morning Natasha called me from the boy's home to tell me she was in labor. Five hours later she was holding a 8 pound 8 ounce baby girl she named Esther Jane. Esther is Morgan's middle name.

We can only imagine her struggles. She's older now, she's 23, she is capable of raising this child.

In a life full of losses may little Esther help heal a wounded heart.Men are not dependable in this culture. Although this particular dad has a job it is unlikely he will be involved or help. Natasha will do this alone. But, she does have us, a community that loves her and will help her. And we will continue to point her to the one who is are true source of help and love. Our true help comes from Jesus Christ!

Please give a gift today. We need your help. Your donation allows us to grant these women a hand up, some dignity, and specifically allows us to offer them a safer option should they need emergency help. Thank you for helping us help them.

Meet Heartline Runner, Kim Rhodes

2009-11-26T05:15:00.001-05:00

When asked about herself Kim wrote:

"I'm 33, From Greenville, SC. I have been married for 12 years to my husband Dave. I am a mother to Emma who is 7 and Izzie who is 3 and Frankie who is 2. We (with other people) run a ministry called- www.wayfarer.tv

The reasons I am running this: In high school I took a trip to Haiti that changed my life. I've always wanted to return. In May of 2008 I returned with a team and met Troy and Tara Livesay who then introduced our family to Heartline and to Maranatha Childrens home. We are now adopting our son Frankie from Heartline.

I'm just a normal mom who's heart beats for our local ministry here in Greenville, for Haiti, for adoption. This is just one way I can help support some fabulous people in Haiti who are doing amazing Kingdom work and having impact. So often I feel like "what can I do to help?" and well, sometimes you just get hit in the face and realize there are so many things you can do. This is one of them. And in the process this allows me to be part of something bigger than myself."

Kim ran the 200 and 400 m dash in high school but had never been a distance runner. This last January a friend asked her to train for and attempt a half marathon. Kim agreed because she just finished having children and had not gotten her heart rate up in over 10 years. She wanted to do it for herself. Kim said, "Training for it was hard but we did it and in April I completed my first ever Half Marathon. I never thought I could run that far." Kim went on to say, "After that one another friend asked if I would train and run one with her. In a lapse of insanity and forgetfulness I agreed. This time I wanted to do it for SOMEONE ELSE I really struggled training for this one. A few times I did not think I would live up to my commitment to her. I'm so not a natural runner and it's hard for me to train. But in the end we did it. Never thought I would do one half marathon let alone 2 in one year."

Kim said she had all but retired her running shoes when she heard that a bunch of folks were running for Haitian women and Heartline Ministries. Kim said, "This time I am running for a PURPOSE. So I will humbly join the current list of marathoners and attempt one last push for a half marathon. To help raise money for a VERY GOOD cause and bring awareness to a ministry that is changing the lives of woman in Haiti. Now that is something to run for."

Kim hopes to run a strong half marathon and beat her personal-best time and then be the biggest fan cheering on all those running the full marathon.

PLEASE sponsor Kim Rhodes ~ Thank You for your consideration!

Meet Heartline Runner, Shelley Tlucek

2009-11-26T05:00:00.001-05:00

Shelley Tlucek was asked to share a little bit about herself ...

"I am 43 years old and live in Tabarre, Haiti, with Byron and our five youngest children. Our two oldest children are in college in the U.S.

Beth helped ease me into running when we arrived in Haiti 3 1/2 years ago. I have been following Jeff Galloway's 32 week program in preparation for the Disney World Marathon, and plan to complete the marathon through running/walking intervals. The favorite part of my training has been the 'alone' time which it has given me with Byron.

Beth, Tara, and Lisa have committed their time, energy, and compassion to the women of Haiti - and I am honored to support them as they endeavor to change Haiti one family at a time."

This will be Shelley's first marathon. Please help us reach our goal and sponsor her by chipping in!

Meet Heartline Runner, Lisa Hojara

2009-11-25T04:30:00.000-05:00

Lisa Hojara is 46 years old, married to Ted, and has four children. Her hometown is Fort Lauderdale FL ... with a very worn path to Haiti. The Hojaras lived in Haiti helping with two ministries for much of 2008 and 2009.

Lisa says,
" There is only one explanation to do something so crazy at this age, as my son has reminded me... it is my passion to make a difference in the lives of Haitian women....and children....
I never ran more than 4 miles before July of this year.....I am living proof anybody can do anything they set there hearts and minds to. And of course if Beth says I can do it!! I believe it...she has been my inspirtation, my mentor and my good friend"

Lisa is setting her sights and goals to conquer this marathon. She is running with a purpose....remembering every step, is one step further in changing a life. She is excited to be a part of the running team, she believes that together, we can make a difference.

Please sponsor Lisa Hojara for her first Marathon this January, and help her show love to a Haitian woman.

Our Program is for Angena

2009-11-24T18:09:00.009-05:00

Written by T. Livesay

Recently I wrote the following:

We're hoping to raise money for the vehicle that we so desperately need, we're hoping to bring attention to some of the needs in Haiti. But more than that we are hoping and praying that along the way many of you will begin to follow these stories of strength, endurance and redemption - each woman we serve has a story to tell - each woman needs our love and prayers.

Sometimes when working in a place like Haiti, it can be easy to get overwhelmed by the needs. This is especially true when so many of the people we meet share a similar story and a similar LARGE need.

It has been our goal to get to know each woman in our program and to glean a little bit of her story - to take the time to understand specific details about her life and her situation. We want to know more about them than, "they are poor". Whether we can help in each situation or not - we truly desire to know about the ladies and their lives.

Today I want to share Angena's story of strength and perseverance under difficult circumstances.

Angena is 28 years old and has four children. They are Angelo, 6 years old, Erna, 5 years old, Woodson, 22 months, and Rose Gerlande, 5 months.

Angena first entered our prenatal program in late 2007. At that time we were still very young and in a development stage. She was given prenatal vitamins for a couple of months and her baby boy was born healthy at home in February of 2008.

Angena had attempted to benefit from our sewing school but unfortunately she was unable to keep up with the requirements. It was very difficult for the sewing school director to make a decision to remove her from that class.

After that, Sheila (sewing director at the time) took a special interest in looking out for Angena and attempting to find ways to support her. Angena continued coming to the Early Childhood development classes with her new son, Woodson.

In our program we cover many topics. Some of the topics we teach about are: parenting, bonding, public health, hygiene, breastfeeding, STDs, birth control, and first aid. Some of the teaching is fairly basic and aimed at changing long-held cultural beliefs, and misconceptions due to rumor and superstition or lack of education. (For instance, most Haitians believe if the mother has a cold, she can pass it to the baby through nursing and she will not nurse her baby while she has a common cold.)

Many (if not most) women do not have a lot of power when it comes to choosing to say no to intercourse. Because of this lack of power women find themselves pregnant over and over at a young age. Often times by the time the baby is born the father of the baby has moved on to a new relationship - leaving the woman to fend for herself and her baby without help.

Teaching about birth-control is very important for this reason. We hope to empower the women by giving them at least a few options to try to reduce unplanned (and mostly unwanted) multiple pregnancies. We cover the health benefits for spacing children and we offer them a couple of family planning/birth control methods.

Despite our best efforts and Angena's plan to use birthcontrol, she found herself pregnant again just 8 months after Woodson was born. Angena was devastated. She told us that her husband lives and works in Santo Domingo and just comes home occasionally. He sends money from his job when he can. She is left in Port au Prince to handle the children alone.

Angena desperately needed our encouragement and support. We encouraged her to start coming to prenatal class again . She re-entered the prenatal program in November of 2008. For the next 27 weeks we were able to see her on Thursdays. Each week were able to remind her that she was not alone and that we cared for her. Angena was able to receive prenatal vitamins that allowed her better health throughout the pregnancy.

At times Angena was very depressed, and understandably so. During those low times we were careful to pray for her even more and to remind her that we care and will continue to help her whenever possible.

On June 13 Angena delivered a healthy baby girl. She had her baby with the help of a friend in her small home. The father of the baby was still out of the country, as he was for the entire pregnancy.

Since late June she has been back in the Tuesday Early Childhood Development Class. The benefit for her is to meet other Moms and to learn better ways to raise her kids. She is supported by people who love her. She is able to have her kids looked at by a missionary nurse when they are sick. This saves her a lot of money that the "village doctor" might charge to guess at what is wrong with her child.

I think it is easy to fall into thinking, "Why did she get pregnant again? Doesn't she learn?" Some might even think, "Well she got pregnant - it is her fault she is so poor." While a small portion of her situation *might* be a direct result of her own choices, the fact is MOST of her life circumstances have much more to do with the culture and country she was born into.

Our program does not exist to fix Haiti or change Haiti's culture. We won't do that successfully no matter how hard we try. We can change a few misconceptions. We can make a dent here and a dent there in long-held incorrect beliefs. But we won't always succeed in convincing our Moms to use birth control or to plan ahead or to breastfeed their newborn.

Our program exists to love and serve ladies that "don't learn" and that have incredibly hard challenges with very little hope for an improved living/financial situation. Our program exists to show mercy and grace and love to the forgotten and to be to them a little bit of Heaven on Earth. We hope that by feeling unconditional love, they might desire to know the unconditional love of the Father. We pray to that end.

Jesus came not only for me and for you, but for Angena. He loved the prostitute, the unclean, and the serial mistake-makers. He did not give up on them or turn away. It is for this reason that we won't turn Angena away. We hope and pray she does not have another pregnancy again in 2010 - we're doing what we can to educate her about that - but if she returns to us, we will love her and serve her and see her through another pregnancy.
In January, fifteen of us will run with endurance for the women of Haiti who live every day with great courage and endurance.

Please help us share their stories by passing this blog address to your friends. Because - we are hoping and praying that along the way many of you will begin to follow these stories of strength, endurance and redemption - each woman we serve has a story to tell - each woman needs our love and prayers.

Meet Heartline Runner, Kristen Howerton

2009-11-23T12:17:00.010-05:00

Kristen Howerton is 34 and lives in Orange County, California.

When asked to tell us a little about herself, Kristen wrote, "I am married and I have three kids: Jafta (4), India (3), and Karis (6 months). I spend most of my days chasing them around. We are in the process of adopting #4 (a son) from Heartline. I am an adjunct professor of psychology at Vanguard University, and on extended maternity leave from my job as a marriage and family therapist. When my kids are sleeping I waste a lot of time blogging. I am also a big fan of musical theater."

Kristen considers herself a new runner. This will be her first half marathon. She said, "I am a new runner, or not really even a runner at all. I'm hoping to pull this thing off with a mix of walking and jogging. So I guess I'm a wogger. I've been wogging for about six months. Prior to that I was pregnant. At that point, I was a waddler. So I guess wogging is an improvement."

Kristen decided to run the half marathon because the 5k was full and she really wanted to help raise money for Heartline's Prenatal Program. Kristen said, "I am a big fan of the work Heartline is doing and more than anything I want to support them."

When asked about her personal goals for the half marathon, Kristen replied, "To stay upright."

Please sponsor Kristen Howerton for her 13.1 mile race in January, she need your support!

Update on Matching $

2009-11-23T07:57:00.003-05:00

We have $8,201 more to raise to receive a generous donation of 10K, made by a 22 year old college graduate in Texas.

36: Amount of chip in donations since the $10k matching challenge over 4 days
333: Average needed per day over the 30 day challenge.
449.67: Average received
1798.67: Amount received since the 10k challenge was made

If you have questions about our ministry or programs please leave a comment or email:

bethmchoul@yahoo.com or tl7inhaiti@yahoo.com

We are looking forward to another great week with the ladies in our program. Tuesday we will work with approximately 35 ladies with babies 12 months and younger. Each and every one of these ladies came through our prenatal program in the last year and they are now working hard to care for their baby and make wise choices. The ladies are being given encouragement, acceptance, teaching and love - all things that are hard to come by in their culture.

Check back on Tuesday evening to meet one of the young mothers in our Tuesday Early Childhood Development Program.

Please consider chipping in!

Meet Heartline Runners, Nydia & David Miller

2009-11-22T21:36:00.002-05:00

Nydia Miller is a wife, a mother and a runner. She is 43 years old and resides in Pennsylvania. Her husband Jon was introduced earlier, in this post.

Nydia has been running for many years but joined a running group seven years ago. She has run one half marathon in September 2009. This will be her first full marathon. Nydia said, "The reason I decided to run the marathon is to expose more people to the amazing work that Heartline Ministries does in Haiti."

Nydia and Jon have 5 children; two Haitian born children that joined their family through the blessing of adoption. Nydia is a full time student studying Elementary Education and a work at home mom. She says that with distance running, school, and raising five children - the only other hobby she has time for is "Watching our children enjoy life. That "fills me up" like nothing else".

Regarding her personal goals for the marathon, Nydia says, "My goal is to cross the finish line with my wonderful husband Jon by my side. It is going to be a blessing knowing that every mile we complete is to help the women and children in the Women's Program. How much more encouragement could we ask for?"

Jon and Nydia's son David is running the Disney Half Marathon on Saturday, January 9, 2009.

David is 15 years old. He decided to run the half because he knew that he and his parents were doing it to benefit Haiti.

David is newer runner. This will be his first half marathon.

David is a sophomore in high school. He enjoys playing basketball and is also very involved in his church and youth group. He said he likes going to the local Good Will store and shopping for crazy tee shirts.

David is anxious to raise money and awareness for Heartline Ministries and the women of Haiti and to travel to Florida with his family to compete together and cheer one another on. David would like to finish his half marathon around 2 hours, give or take a few minutes.

Please consider sponsoring one of the Millers running for Haiti this January.

Our Program Seeks to Serve and Love

2009-11-19T19:27:00.005-05:00

We are running for them:

This photo above was taken before today's class. 17 of 20 women had arrived when we took the picture. We have ladies ranging in age from 15 to 40, giving birth to their first , and all the way up to their 8th child.

At the end of our appointment with the women we always pray for/with them. If we forget, they remind us. The last photo of the girl in the white dress is Nicole. She came in today and plopped herself down and said "You guys need to pray for me every day." We laughed and agreed with her and got busy doing that.
They need our prayers and we are constantly asking the Lord how to show them His love in every decision we make and every action we take.

We will continue to share our experiences with these beautiful ladies and tell their stories.

Thank you for reading, praying, and giving.

The Heartline Team

Also, check back here to meet the last five runners that have not yet been introduced.

Please Help us - December 18th we need to be at $18,052 to receive 10K more

2009-11-18T17:38:00.000-05:00

Hi Heartline Team,

I want to offer a $10,000 match towards the Heartline ambulance. I am so excited about what y'all are doing in the women's program. Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus to these women. I love y'all's unique approach and the way you love the women and serve them. And more than anything I love the women of Haiti and agree that they deserve the best care that can be provided to them!

I graduate from Texas A&M University on December 18th and my Dad offered to get me a car as a grad gift. I have a perfectly good and actually really nice car so I asked instead if I could have the equivalent amount of money to donate to the causes of my choice. My Dad said yes but only if I took time to really pray about where God wanted that money to go and where it would most glorify Him. I have prayed about donating to the purchase of the ambulance for a few weeks now and after reading the last few posts I know this is exactly where God wants this money to go to glorify Him.

I am so excited for all that Heartline is doing right now and can't wait to continue to follow the journey on the blogs! So, I will match up to $10,000 raised by my graduation date of December 18th when I receive the money. I mean honestly I want to send the check no matter what but I want to motivate others to give also! I so badly want y'all to reach that goal!!! The ambulance is such a necessity and I know God will provide!

love in Him,
Anonymous Graduate from Texas

Our Program is for Joranne

2009-11-16T18:45:00.001-05:00

Labor and Delivery
Joranne is a vibrant, beautiful, spunky 21 year old woman. From the first day she joined the program she became one of the "stand-out" ladies. She always has a great smile and peppy attitude when she comes for prenatal class.

We all agreed that being able to see her baby come into the world and help her with it would be an amazing privilege. We were happy to look ahead on the calendar and know that by November when she was due, we would likely be able to deliver her baby.

Joranne has never been pregnant before. Unlike the vast majority of first-time moms in Haiti, Joranne received consistent pre-natal care and lots of attention through 7 months of her pregnancy.

On Saturday evening she called Beth to let her know she had been having contractions for three hours and was getting a ride over to us. She arrived and Jonna, a midwife staying in Haiti to work with us for 8 months, began to assess things and help Joranne get settled in for a night of laboring.

Lisa and Beth and others that were there to support took turns sleeping. Vivien (an EMT living in Haiti for 9 months) and Jonna handled all of Joranne's needs during the night.

Morning came and people who had not yet slept got a nap while others jumped in to help. We continued to help her through each contraction, to encourage, to pray, and to monitor.

Giving a Haitian woman an opportunity to labor while surrounded by love and help (and great back rubs) is an important part of what we offer. This experience is nothing like what they would experience elsewhere in Haiti. It is truly unique.

Around 10am Joranne's baby started showing a few signs of distress. The baby's heartrate decelerated and the midwives began to be a little bit concerned, but they also knew she was close to delivering.

At 10:35 Jonna, the midwife acting as primary for this delivery, told Joranne that she could push. A few minutes passed and Joranne was able to begin pushing with each contraction. At that point Lisa, another midwife, was getting fetal heart rates of about 70-80 beats per minute.

Lisa told Vivien to be ready for a baby that might need resuscitation. It was calm but incredibly intense for the next six minutes. We could see the head and we knew she was just a push or two away from delivering, but we did not know how the baby would fare. We prayed aloud and individually as Joranne pushed.

At 10:45 Joranne's 7 pound 7 ounce son was delivered and he started crying instantly. A collective sigh of relief was breathed by all in the room. Thank God for another safe delivery.

In this case, we were blessed with a healthy baby. Had he come out needing more medical attention than we could provide it would have been our responsibility to find him help. If you read the post prior to this one, you know that medical emergencies are extra difficult in Haiti. The roads are bad, the traffic is worse, and there is no "911" option. In emergencies (and there will be emergencies) we need to be ready to move and we need to be ready to move fast. We need a vehicle ready for use at all times that is equipped with oxygen, IV fluids and other life saving medical supplies. We need to be ready to give these women the best care possible.

Not to be ready - is to offer them less than they deserve. And that is wrong.

We cannot fix the lack of infrastructure in Haiti. We cannot make most things better for them. We cannot control a lot of things. But we can be prepared to take really good care of women while they are in labor and delivering their babies. We SHOULD be prepared to do that.

More on Vehicles
On Sunday there were 6 at the Buxman house, 11 at the Livesay house, 5 at the McHoul house, 11 plus at the Tlucek house ... all needing to get to church about 40 minutes from the area we all live. (These are the four households that work with Heartline full or part time.)

We were already begging for rides and trying to find vehicles to pick a few up and help out. We all usually have one working vehicle (per family) and we're always stretched to figure out transportation. We swap and trade and jockey to make it work.

On Sunday we needed a vehicle to stay at the Women's Center and ready to make a hospital run if need be. This meant a large group of people needed to stay home so that the vehicle could stay ready for emergency transport. The vehicle that was there was not sufficient. It was not outfitted with medical devices - it was better than nothing, and all we had.

If the question has crossed your mind, "Why do they need such an expensive vehicle?" I want to address that. I am a frugal person by nature and I get why you might wonder that.

We (our family) bought a vehicle 16 months ago. It is a 2005 with few miles on it. It has had three major issues, all three related to the fact that it is not a sturdy enough vehicle with high enough clearance for the roads that Haiti offers. Each time there are issues it takes about two to four weeks to locate parts and another week or two to get it fixed. At this moment Beth has been without her truck for 12 weeks due to issues finding parts. I don't share this to whine about it, I share it to explain the reality of vehicle maintenance in Haiti. Nothing is convenient or easy here.

We need a very reliable, sturdy, high-clearance, totally outfitted vehicle that we can count on. We truly never want to find ourselves in a situation where we lose a lady because we were not as prepared as possible to deal with a problem.

I know if someone I love had a major medical emergency, I would want more than a half broken down jalopy to get them to the hospital, if at all possible. The lives of these women are every bit as important as the lives of the people I love. A reliable vehicle that will serve 100's of women for years to come is a necessity.

We're so hopeful that we'll receive the funds to both buy and outfit the vehicle (60K does both) - we're available to answer your questions.

Please help us reach the goal by sponsoring our efforts. The Chip In button on the right is one way to donate, you can also mail a check to Heartline in Washington.

Thank you for helping us help them!The Heartline Team

(Written by T. Livesay)

Linking You

2009-11-16T15:24:00.002-05:00

A long-time friend of Heartline Ministries wrote a post sharing a little bit about the reality of emergencies in an undeveloped country, like Haiti. Please go here to read it. Also, please check back this week for many new stories here.

Run well,

The Heartline Team

Our Program is for Marie Lucie

2009-11-15T18:33:00.003-05:00

Marie Lucie is 22, poor, single and without resources. She has been faithful to our program for months now. She arrived Thursday morning in labor. Like most first time moms she was sure she was almost at the end and the contractions surely couldn't get any worse. We knew we were in for a long day and night when we saw that in reality she was not very far along.

Thursdays are always busy with 20 prenatal women, women wanting pregnancy tests and anyone else who shows up at the gate. We leave exhausted on Thursday late afternoons. When Marie Lucie came in in labor at 9:00 AM we knew we were in for an extra busy day.

A 15 year old pregnant girl from Simone Pele showed up wanting to get into the program. Another lady wanting to give her baby for adoption. Another with a four day old who she hadn't breastfed at all since birth. This gal had delivered at home since her labor went quickly so she was not with us for us to instill in her the things she had been learning in our program. Breastfeed right after the baby is born, we teach and teach and teach that. We were all burdened with heaviness at the sight of a failing baby and a mom who didn't seem to understand that baby needed to eat - continuously! We have taught this a hundred different ways! How could this mom have missed the message? Discouragement filled the room. A visitor, Gaylene, sat with mom for hours teaching her to breastfeed and how to care for her baby.

Our attention was now elsewhere. Women needing prenatals. Busy midwives, Staff doing their jobs, filling in paperwork, feeding moms to be, checking vitals, making sure women had their vitamins. Dealing with the heartbreaking issues that face these women daily.

Marie Lucie labored through the day. Women with bellies almost as big as hers poked their heads in to offer encouragement and check out their future! Marie Lucie informed me when her labor was taking hours too long and that all our other women had delivered quickly. She wondered aloud why she was different? False rumor!

Finally the house emptied except for the several of us involved in the birth. What a team this young girl had. We labored with her, walked with her, prayed with her, helped her and finally caught her baby. Her family could be heard praising Jesus from where they waited on the front patio of the house when they heard a healthy baby had been delivered. It was our own little cheering section. As if in direct contrast of the morning's event when her baby was born she declared "I have to breastfeed him right away like Madame John taught us!" We all cheered and the discouragement of the non-compliant mom in the morning lifted. This girl listened in class and put it to action. A baby boy off to a healthy start!

Several hours later Marie Lucie left for home with a 7 pound 4 ounce baby boy. A victorious event for us all. In January many of us will be running for Marie Lucie and many more like her.

We Run for Women That Need Love

2009-11-11T14:09:00.005-05:00

HEARTLINE BIRTH
Written by Beth McHoul in September on the day David was born.

Today was the end of a long journey. It ended with a beginning. The beginning of a life that almost wasn't.

Mom isn't educated, she's poor, she has a hard life, she has been pregnant 6 times and is only raising two of her children. Men have used and abused her, other women have belittled her. She came to us pretty broken. She came wanting birth control.

We gave her a pregnancy test first and it was positive. She melted down at the news. She wanted the easy way out - a very dangerous route in Haiti. We begged, pleaded, and prayed with her. We found sponsors to pay for her housing and food. We offered to take the baby once born if she would follow through with the pregnancy. Finally, through lots of rocky emotions she agreed it was best not to end the pregnancy.

Then came more news. News that no one on this planet wants to hear. We do routine labs and HIV is the first result we look for on the page of results. Positive. Can't this woman get a break?

Extremely poor, very vulnerable, not skilled and now HIV positive. But like in all God stories through the ages - hope makes an appearance. Love shines through the darkness. God shows up.

Today this woman was surrounded by loving midwives who helped her cope through labor and brought an incredibly beautiful boy into the world. He cried only to let us know all was well and then he sucked his thumb and melted into the arms of each midwife. A peaceful baby. An unusually peaceful baby.

He will go to adoptive parents. A Christian family will love him and cherish him. Bio-mom insisted that she did not want to hold him or keep him but smiled in his direction and named him David. David it is.

She goes home to a one room cement hut with her two little girls. She continues on her antiviral drugs and may live a long life in spite of HIV. David will go to our children's home and on to his adoptive home.

Our lady knows she is loved. She will continue to be part of our program although she is no longer pregnant nor will she have an infant at child development. Some ladies are meant to stay in our lives, know our love, continue in our care. We pray she sees the love of the Savior in our love. We pray she sees the hands of Christ in our hands.

It is so like Jesus to lift up the hurting, the lost, the outcast. It is so like Him to love the unlovely, touch the untouchable and I am humbled and honored today to be His hands extended.

Today, I caught a baby - the mom caught grace.

~~~~~~~~~

In January many of us will meet in Orlando, Florida to run 13 or 26 miles. We are blessed to be able to do this. What an honor. Truthfully, it will be a fun time for us to meet up with others who love Haiti and have a connection to this beautiful country. We're excited to do it.

But we're hoping that it will be more than just fun and fellowship and running.

We're hoping to raise money for the vehicle that we so desperately need, we're hoping to bring attention to some of the needs in Haiti. But more than that we are hoping and praying that along the way many of you will begin to follow these stories of strength, endurance and redemption - each women we serve has a story to tell - each woman needs our love and prayers.

In January we will run for David's mother and many others like her.

Meet Heartline Runner, Corey Waters

2009-11-11T03:59:00.001-05:00

Corey Waters is 37, she grew up in rural NH, She and her family recently moved to VA. She is a wife, a mother of 6, and a runner.

When asked why she is running this January, Corey said, "In July 2008, Jennifer Jablunosky, a Heartline adoptive parent, said to me, "So, a bunch of us are running the Disney Marathon in January 2010, and we want you to run it with us. What do you think?"

"And I thought, I can't do that! That was 40 lbs and 5 kids and 10 years ago and I have not run in YEARS and that sounds so AWESOME and perfectly self-indulgent and challenging and JUST what I need and...") "Yes," I said, "That would be awesome."

When Corey learned that the marathon would benefit Haitian women she was even more anxious to get involved. Corey cares deeply for Haiti and desires to raise money and awareness about the needs of the women of Haiti.

Corey has completed two marathons, both ten years ago. The first one was in Wisconsin. Shortly after that she ran the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. She ran that one to prove the first one wasn't a fluke. Corey said, "Then I sat down on the couch for ten years."

If Corey is not running, taking care of her large crew of kids, or blogging, she is sleeping. ("There are only so many hours in a day", Waters added.)

Corey says, "My personal goal for the Disney Marathon is to finish it. Preferably on the same day I start it, but I'm not overly particular. I would love to get Ben & Jerry to sponsor me. I would wear their name across my butt, since they are personally responsible for the size of it."

Please consider sponsoring Corey Waters for her January 10, 2010 marathon. She is not only running for herself, she is running for the women of Haiti. She needs your support.

Meet Heartline Runner, Jaeda Buxman

2009-11-09T13:58:00.003-05:00

An interview with Jaeda Buxman

What is your age, your hometown, the reason you've decided to run this marathon?

I’m 23 - currently living in Gilbert Arizona. Good question, I can’t remember why I decided to run this marathon (*sarcasm* as I ice my cramping calves). I think it was back in January '09 after watching my mom, sister, Tara, and Beth run a half marathon and feeling like I wanted to accomplish something like that. I love Disneyworld so when my mom asked me if I was interested in helping with a group fundraising project I hastily agreed. I am excited to accomplish a goal and who knows what is next after 26.2, ultra marathons anyone?!

How many other half or full marathons have your run prior to this one? New or experienced runner?

I have completed one half marathon, I did that in August. I am definitely a new runner.

What do you do for a living, what are your hobbies besides running, are you married or single? Tell us anything interesting or unique about you.

I work Nevada bodily injury auto accident claims for State Farm Insurance, so helping people get the vehicle repairs and then assist in the settlement of their injury claims. Besides working and running, I am also in school full time to finish up my BS in Business Communication. I love to read when I have time and I kinda am obsessed with Harry Potter. Oh ya, single and ready to mingle. Kidding. Well I am single but no mingling please.

Any personal goals for the marathon come January?

Besides survival? I am attempting to finish under 5 hours with my sister Paige and have as much fun as we did while running a half marathon in August.

Jaeda would love if all of her relatives, friends, and co-workers would sponsor her for the January 2010 race - and help the Heartline Team of runners reach their goal. Please sponsor Jaeda Buxman today!

Women & Health

2009-11-09T13:32:00.002-05:00

DESPITE LIVING LONGER - WOMEN GET LESSER CARE - WHO
Reuters
09 November, 2009

Excerpt from above linked article - WHO (World Health Organization)

"Poverty also plays an important role. Some 99 percent of the estimated 500,000 women who die every year giving birth are in developing countries where medical supplies and skilled workers are in short supply, the WHO said. Low-income nations also have minimal screening and treatment services for cervical cancer, the second-most common type of cancer in women, according to the WHO, which stressed that even within individual countries, women from rich families tend to have better health outcomes than those with poorer means."

Training and Matching Funds

2009-11-07T20:31:00.003-05:00

We are 60 days from race-weekend. The runners are plugging along with their training. Some train in 88 degree heat and humidity and others train in cool air that causes their sweat to turn into icicles. The miles each week are steadily increasing. We're all training. We're all preparing.

We are so grateful to report that $4,086 has already come in. We are thankful for each gift.

Right now we need to get serious about raising these funds. We are hoping you'll ask your friends and relatives to check the ministry out and consider a gift this holiday season.

The cause is incredibly important and the women the program serves will benefit greatly.

A match of $250 has been offered . If $250 comes in by the end of the day Sunday (11.8.09 @ 11:59pm) - the donor will chip-in his $250.

Photos from Simone Pele - September & October

2009-11-06T21:26:00.004-05:00

We Run for the Women of Simone Pele

2009-11-06T04:47:00.001-05:00

As we've shared, each week 20 women come to the Women's Program in Tabarre (an area right next to Port au Prince) to receive care and education. More wait on a list to get into the Thursday Prenatal program. We keep our numbers smaller to offer a high quality of care and to have an opportunity to get to know each woman. We want to build strong relationships and really have a chance to be love to each and every woman we serve.

Because we've made this conscious choice to structure our program this way we wanted to offer a second level of care that would still be beneficial to pregnant women, but would not be exactly what we're able to offer the ladies who get into the program in Tabarre.

That idea/desire led to the program that started in September in Simone Pele. The first Wednesday of every month we pack up our gear and as many helpers and midwives as we're able to bring, and we head to an area just outside of Cite Soleil. We have a contact there that helps us get in and out without too much trouble and helps us secure a place each month to do a teaching, hand out a month supply of vitamins and do prenatal checks. The ladies in Simon Pele are living in tougher and rougher conditions and seem to have even less access to the money it would take to receive minimal prenatal care.During our time this month one of the midwives taught on the importance of water and drinking enough while you're pregnant and nursing. That may seem like a simple concept to you, but these ladies often don't know some of the most basic ways to stay healthy and feel good. Stephanie taught the ladies WHY drinking water is important, HOW much water they should be drinking, WHAT sorts of things it will prevent, and WHERE they could get clean and safe drinking water.After the teaching the ladies wait to be called while three or four stations are set up to do a condensed but thorough check on them. Blood pressure is taken, weight, fundal measurements, and problems are discussed. Many times after these interviews and exams we can treat them for common problems such as yeast infections, UTI's, and dangerous STD's. We may see a spike in Blood Pressure and be able to catch early warning signs of pre-eclampsia. We are also able to spend that time doing quick bits of education.Most of all, we are taking ten to twenty minutes offering the ladies our attention and our love. Many of them are quite young, all of them are quite poor, most of them are a little afraid. While we are only able to do this program for them once monthly, we can tell by the way it has grown in the three months we've been going to Simone Pele, that it is something they need and enjoy.

In January we will run for the women of Simone Pele. Will you help us?

Please sponsor a runner today.

Meet Heartline Runner, Erin Lancer

2009-11-05T07:16:00.000-05:00

Erin Lancer is a wife, mother, teacher and runner. She resides in Buffalo, NY.

Erin has have been married to her husband, Michael, for 17 years. He is extremely supportive of her running. He helps her plan long runs,
calls to check up on her and brings drinks and snacks. The Lancers have two biological children, a son, 15 and a daughter who is 12. They anxiously await the arrival of their three year old son from Haiti.

Erin teaches music at the elementary school level and loves her work. When asked about her interest in Haiti Erin shared, "Not too long ago two students changed my life. I had two boys enter my school mid-year and into my 1st grade music class. They had just been adopted from Haiti. I fell in love with those boys and it started us down a path to adopting our little boy. Up until that point, I had never considered adoption. It has been a long road, but I am truly looking forward to being a mom again."

This will be Erin's 4th full marathon. Erin still considers herself to be a newbie runner. She started running seriously back in 2005.

Erin said:

"I had thought about running the Disney Marathon before, but it wasn't at the top of my list. Sometime this winter I caught wind of the fact that a group of moms adopting from Haiti were planning to run Disney. It sounded like an opportunity that I did not want to miss. Waiting
for our adoption to come through has been a very difficult time. Running helps me stay sane as I am waiting for our son to come home."

Recently Erin wrote and said : "I've been thinking about what we're running for. One thing that I keep thinking about ... As an American living in the US I am constantly thinking about all that we have here. I take so much for granted. Before traveling to Haiti I would never have thought about not having the help when I need it. I had two healthy childbirth experiences and treasure them. They were amazing experiences. I am so proud to be working with Heartline to be raising money for something as basic as emergency transportation. These women will not have the same birthing experience that we are fortunate to have here in the US. However, the ladies in the program with Heartline will have caring, compassionate women around them. If they run into complications it is the RIGHT THING for them to have reliable transportation to a hospital. I am glad to be able to help raise money for Heartline. I hope that people will continue to be generous. It is such a worthy organization and has the most caring people working for the women and children of Haiti."

Erin does not have any personal goals for the marathon. She simply hopes to run
strong and have fun!

Erin and the entire Heartline Team need you! Will you sponsor Erin Lancer for her January 2010 Marathon and help the women of Haiti?

Meet Heartline Runners, Lisa & Shane Buxman

2009-11-03T20:45:00.000-05:00

Lisa Buxman is a mother of seven and grandmother of three. She is a missionary Midwife (CPM) with Heartline Ministries. The Buxman family returned to Haiti on a full-time basis last month.

Lisa hails from Greeley, Colorado where she lived most of her life. Lisa and Don will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary next year.

Lisa will be running the Disney Marathon in January, it will be her first full marathon. She ran one half marathon in celebration of her 50th birthday with friends and family in January 2009.

Lisa says, "I have run off and on for 29 years but got more serious three years ago. Running is my time alone with God, and as my kids will tell you I am a happier mom when I have had a good run."

Lisa is hoping for many to hear about the ministry of the Heartline Prenatal Program. She hopes that this group effort will bring attention to Haiti, the beautiful women the program serves, and God-willing, a lot of money will be raised.

Lisa's goal on Marathon day is to finish. She said, "Beth said I should run the full 26.2 - so here I am!"

Lisa will be joined in Florida by her two adult daughters, Paige Greiner and Jaeda Buxman and her son Shane. The three ladies are all running the full marathon and Shane plans to run the half.

Shane is 16 and decided to run the half-marathon because he wanted to go to Disney and thought raising money for Heartline sounded like a great idea. Shane has run several 5ks but he considers himself a new runner. Shane says, "I love to read, write, play saxophone, and act on stage. One of my dreams is to act on Broadway. I am planning to go to college to be a History teacher. I am one of 7 children."

Please consider sponsoring Lisa or Shane for their races in January. Every sponsorship dollar will be used to help Haitian women. Thank you!

By Beth McHoul

2009-11-02T19:46:00.000-05:00

It's a national holiday today - "The Day of the Dead".

Not much traffic on the Day of the Dead so I got up thinking it would be a great day to run hills. Not as much foot traffic and vehicles to navigate around would make for a better run.

Just as I was crawling to the coffee pot and swallowing Excedrin for a brewing headache I noticed John had visitors. One of them was Oriel, a guard at the girl's home. He is our contact into Simone Pele where we do monthly prenatals.

Simone Pele is an inner-city ghetto. From time to time folks from this area connect with us and we have had several adoptive kids from that area and a few that come for an occasional clinic we have.

One little guy and his mom that showed up at a clinic was 9 month old Jean Peter and his mom Eugenie. He was skin and bones, failure to thrive and in respiratory distress. We had 3 doctors on site that gave him wonderful care. Mom and baby would come back and forth to our child development clinic and each week he would have another infection of some sort. Troy and Tara got him on Medika Mamba - which in his case did not help. Even with instruction, Mom did not seem to be consistent in giving it to him. He did not gain weight. Mom just didn't know how to parent. A few weeks passed and Jean Peter ended up at Sisters of Charity. I searched for him there hoping to get him one on one care in a family situation. The sisters told me he had been discharged and was on outpatient care for Tuberculosis.

Good I thought - he is getting care. I'll see mom at Simon Pele and work out a plan.This morning, around my table, Oriel said "Ti Swazo" (Little Bird) had died. Matter of fact, such is life and death in a country that celebrates the "Day of the Dead". A baby gone. A teen mom who never knew how to be a mom.

This is why our child development program is crucial. We teach moms to breastfeed, get medical care early, feed their families nutritious foods on their budgets, hygiene, and so on.

Jean-Peter was cute, he responded to love, he hung on but died shortly after his first birthday. I cried through much of my run. I counted 13 trash piles on my run, a few of them had grown men picking through them.

Our ambulance vehicle will take us into Simone Pele monthly. We will continue to teach pregnant women and young women how to better care for their bodies and families. We want to work to prevent these kinds of situations where babies end up dying after being sick for most of their short lives.

Jean Peter, "Ti Swazo" touched several lives but in the end he died. We loved him, we tried to make a difference but it wasn't enough. We'll keep trying, we'll keep teaching, maybe preventing the next death. That's why we are here.

Our Program is for Mirlande

2009-11-01T02:12:00.000-05:00

(Photo Oct 17, 2009)

Mirlande is a beautiful 33 year old woman from Croix des Bouquets. She incredibly soft-spoken and calm and rarely draws attention to herself. You are most likely to remember her by the shy way she tips her head down when she speaks.

We first met Mirlande in March 2008 when our prenatal program was just one year old. She came to us the mother of just one child, she had her first son in January 2002. She joined the Prenatal program about 14 weeks into her second pregnancy.

In 2008 we were not yet set up to offer the ladies a place to deliver their babies. We were offering weekly classes, prenatal vitamins, and monthly check-ups but we were still fairly new at it. At that time we would talk to the ladies late in their pregnancies about their plans for delivering. Many would attempt to get into area hospitals, just as many would choose to deliver at home.

Mirlande delivered her baby in late Sept 2008. We're uncertain of the details surrounding that birth because she chose to go to the village to deliver with family. Just five weeks later on Novebmer 3, 2008 Mirlande came to us to tell us her son had passed away. She told us he had been vomiting and had a fever. Other than that she did not know exactly what had gone wrong or what he might have been suffering from. Those of us that were there the day she came to tell us remember it well. As you can imagine, she was profoundly sad and experiencing great grief over her loss.

Photo Oct 22, 2008 - less than two weeks before she lost her baby.

We were surprised earlier this year, in June 2009, when Mirlande came back to tell us she thought she might be pregnant again. We did a test and confirmed for her that she had another baby due in the fall. Mirlande seemed surprised and happy to be pregnant again.

There are so many challenges for the women of Haiti. One more serious than the next it seems. Mirlande suffers from an incurable liver disease, Hepatitis B. With both of her pregnancies we sent her for routine lab work and were aware that we needed to pay special attention to her situation. We researched and learned that infected mothers can pass the disease to their babies during childbirth but that giving the first dose of the vaccine within 12 hours of birth will greatly reduce (90%) the chances.

In Haiti, solving these sorts of problems can be complicated. We hoped and prayed that by the time her baby was born we would be able to deliver her baby and in-turn assure that the baby would be vaccinated in time. If she were forced to deliver at home or at a hospital the chances of the vaccine getting to baby in time were very slim. The programs we attempted to work with on the Hep B issue all failed at offering answers or giving Mirlande an option for delivery or a vaccine.

As the pregnancy went on we searched for the vaccine and found a Doctor to write us a prescription for it. We found it, bought it, and put in in the fridge and told Mirlande the midwives were ready whenever she was. We could deliver her baby!

On October 17th, with her mother helping her, Mirlande started looking for transportation to the Women's Center around 4pm. Her labor had just begun. She needed to get from Croix des Bouquets to Tabarre, about a 30 minute drive. There were no tap-taps available and she started walking while looking for a ride. She did not find a tap-tap. Shortly after 6pm she gave birth on the side of the road. A truck/tap-tap arrived soon after and she came immediately to the Birthing Center.

Mirlande and her Mother showed up at the gate of the Women's Center at 6:50pm. It was already dark when there was pounding on the gate. Mirlande held her baby in her arms but the cord had not yet been cut and the placenta was not yet delivered.

Joanna and Stephanie, both certified midwives, were there and both of them worked hard to clamp and cut the cord and deliver the placenta. They then got Mirlande inside and comfortable and began to clean the dirt off of the baby. Beth arrived and helped with Baby Woodmier's newborn exam.

Photos taken on birthday,
Oct 17, 2009
Woodmier
6lbs 4 ounces
20 inches

It is difficult for us to put ourselves in Mirlande's shoes. When we had our babies we had vehicles, hospitals, great roads, and supportive spouses. Not one of us left on foot while in labor to try to flag down a ride. We were allowed dignity and privacy for our deliveries. We were surrounded by people who could help us.

We desire the same thing for every woman in our program.

Finding transportation is a major obstacle for the ladies in our program. Unfortunately, it is just one of many. Those of us living here often swap, share, trade, borrow and beg for use of an operational vehicle to make sure everything gets done.

The need for a vehicle that is dedicated for use in the Women's Program is so important. While we know that we cannot remove every last challenge from the lives of these ladies, we are excited to offer them a better option when they are in labor. If a tap tap is not available, our ladies should not deliver in the street.

We want to give them dignity and love ... sometimes that will come in the form of a ride.

Photos October 22, 2009

In January we will run for Mirlande and many more like her. Will you sponsor us?

A Few Business Items

2009-10-31T10:56:00.000-04:00

Heartline Ministries has been working in Haiti for 20 years.
Heartline is a registered 501C3 in the state of Washington.
All donations are tax-deductible. Receipts will be mailed to each donor.
If you have questions about Heartline or about this particular program/project please feel free to contact us at: tl7inhaiti@yahoo.com or on internet phone line 612-355-7620
If you would like, you can make a note of which runner you're sponsoring on the Chip In meter or by sending an email.
If you prefer not to give on-line, checks with a note indicating it is for a runner can be sent to: Heartline Ministries
PO Box 898
Sunnyside, WA 98944

Thank you for your prayers for both the runners and the Haitian women they are running for, your support is invaluable to all of them.

The Heartline Team

Meet Heartline runner, Jon Miller

2009-10-30T19:36:00.000-04:00

Jon Miller is a 38 year old husband, father to five, and a police officer. He resides in Pennsylvania.

He is also a new, self proclaimed "jogger". Jon started to run more consistently in January 2009, in an attempt to slowly build up to training for this January 2010 marathon. Jon says, "Sometimes I like to pretend in my mind that I'm an elite runner...like Ryan Hall or Marc Spencer. But my legs and lungs know that I'm a jogger."

This will be Jon's first marathon. He completed his first half-marathon this past September, along side his lovely wife (who he says could have beaten him...but she was nice and stayed with him, so they finished together).

Jon is running for one reason only, to support Heartline Ministries. The marathon training experience, so far, has been rewarding. Jon said, "It is a reminder to me how similar physical training and spiritual training are. I want to run this marathon. But it doesn't "just happen". It takes training, and effort, and sacrifice, and a whole lot of God's grace. And I want to grow spiritually; to know God more and to make him known to others. And that doesn't "just happen" either. It takes training, and effort, and sacrifice, and a whole lot of God's grace."

Jon's personal goals for Disney... (1) FINISH, (2) Raise as many dollars and cents as possible, (3) Enjoy the whole experience, and (4) Do it all in a God-honoring way.

Jon will be joined by his bride, Nydia for the full marathon and they will also cheer their children on for the many events their family will participate in over the race-weekend. Their son David is competing in the half marathon and their other four children are registered for either the 5K or the 1 mile races.

Please sponsor Jon Miller for his January 10, 2010 marathon. Your support means a lot to him and it also means a hand up to a beautiful Haitian woman.

Encouraging Words from the field ...

2009-10-30T19:29:00.000-04:00

"This is a wonderful thing that you are doing! Most of the babies who come to me for help lost their mothers in childbirth. God is doing great things thru all who support this ministry. I'm sure He's cheering every runner! God bless!"

-Dorothy Pearce, Missionary to Haiti since 2004

Our Program is for Jenette

2009-10-28T08:24:00.001-04:00

By Beth McHoul -
The call came right as we were finishing supper. A 38 year old woman, Jenette, was in labor. Her husband called saying they would meet us at the women's center. She was in early labor but she knew she couldn't get public transportation if she waited until late at night.

Jenette is a lovely, quiet woman who has faithfully attended our program. She has four other children.
Her cute, little husband left his large wife in our care and went home to watch after the other children. An intact family is not the norm here. After he called my cell phone three times (including 5:00 AM) we got the drift that we had an involved dad here. Nice to see.

Jenette labored like the pro she is. She was very in tune with her body and delivered a 7 pound boy while squatting. The power had gone out so we were depending on batteries which failed us at about 9:00 PM. We scurried around for candles and lap tops to provide light. Maybe at a home birth in the States candles would have been the perfect touch. I found it aggravating. Cut the cord - I can't see it! Fumbling around in the darkness made for an interesting birth but we made it through and by the time the city power came back on the baby had been born and was breast feeding. Mom, who has lived her whole life in blackouts never even mentioned the darkness.

Getting public transportation at night can be tricky. Last week Myrlande delivered her baby in the street trying to get to us. He was covered with dirt and mom arrived with baby out and placenta in. Jenette came early knowing that in Haiti late at night a machine can not be found.

These are the the times the ambulance vehicle will be used. Yes, it will be used to rush through traffic to speed a woman in distress to a hospital but it will also be used to pick up women in their neighborhoods. It will be used to drive mom and baby back home again. It will be used in the middle of the night when other vehicles are not on the road. It will provide safe transportation when nothing else is available. It will not be an idle machine.

This vehicle will be one more way to give women what they deserve. A safe birth. A ride home. A speedy ride to the hospital if it is necessary. This vehicle says these women matter and their lives are important. This vehicle says something can be better for them in a very hard life.
In January we will run for Jenette and many more just like her. Will you sponsor us?

Grateful,

The Heartline Team

Meet Heartline Runner, Paige Greiner

2009-10-24T21:03:00.001-04:00

Paige Greiner is a runner, a daughter, a sister, a mother, and wife. She is 25 years old and lives in Littleton, Colorado.

Paige describes herself as a newer runner. She has been running for approximately 18 months.

Paige has completed two half marathons this year. She said, "After the first I finished and swore I would never run that far again. Then a few weeks later, when the pain went away and the sense of accomplishment had sunk in, I signed up for another and actually enjoyed it!"

For Paige running the full 26.2 just seemed to be the next natural step. Paige said, "It is almost like I couldn't be satisfied unless I at least gave it a try."

Paige is stay at home mom during the week and a CNA (Cert. Nurse. Aide) on weekends at a local hospital. She loves to cook and bake. Her latest baking endeavor has been attempting to create the perfect cinnamon roll. Lucky for Paige, she runs enough miles training to indulge herself and enjoy the fruits of her labor. When her schedule allows she also enjoys reading, describing herself as a bit of a book worm. Paige has been married to David for 6 years and they have a son, Kreed, who is three.

Paige will be running the January 10, 2010 marathon with her mother, Lisa Buxman, a missionary to Haiti, and her sister Jaeda Buxman. Together this awesome trio hope to raise a lot of money and awareness for the Heartline Women's Program.

Paige is looking forward to running across the finish line with her sister Jaeda.

Please sponsor Paige Greiner for her marathon and in turn help a Haitian woman with your sponsorship.

Our Program is for Malange

2009-10-23T16:37:00.000-04:00

As mentioned in a previous post, the women we serve are strong and resilient and have overcome many challenges.

One such young woman is Malange.Malange came to us early in her pregnancy. Due to her history she was fast-tracked to the top of the wait list.

At 16 Malange lost a baby to pre-eclampsia. During that pregnancy she received no prenatal care. She never fully understood exactly why her baby died. Sadly, it is not uncommon for medical situations to go completely unaddressed. Often times when a Doctor is involved the patient is not respected enough for the information to be passed along. Over and over again we've had women tell us that the Doctor did not tell her what he did or what was wrong.

Malange came to the Women's Center at 4am on October 13th. She was in labor and looking for help. She has been faithful to the program for months and was healthy enough to deliver her baby with the Heartline midwives in attendance.

Malange labored most of the morning. During her labor she was in a clean, quiet room. She was checked on repeatedly. There was a doula there to speak in her native language and tell her what was going on with her labor. She was fed and cared for, loved and respected.Malange delivered a healthy baby boy late morning. She spent the afternoon recovering and resting. She was offered encouragement and assistance with nursing her new baby boy. Around 5pm her family came to pick her and her son up and bring them home.

This week Tuesday Malange came with her son for a follow up appointment. The midwives checked Malange and her son and offered continued support and encouragement. Malange will now enter the Early Childhood Development program. Each Tuesday for a year she will be surrounded by women who love her and desire to see her succeed. She will be given tools and teaching that will help her be the best mom she can be.

In January we will run for Malange and many more just like her.

Please check back on Monday to meet the next runner. Consider sponsoring a runner. Your sponsorship means the world to women like Malange.

The Heartline Team

Change:
We will be introducing TWO runners and TWO Heartline Women each week. Keep checking back and feel free to ask questions in the comments section.

Meet Heartline Runner, Beth McHoul

2009-10-21T11:22:00.000-04:00

Beth McHoul is a runner, a wife, a mother of two and a grandmother of three. Beth, originally from Boston, moved to Haiti 20 years ago.

During her many years working and raising her family in Port au Prince she has experienced both great joy and deep sorrow. Through both good and bad times Beth and her husband John kept pressing on and trusting God with their work in Haiti and their lives.

For Beth running has been an escape, a way to spend time alone with God and begin her day with Him. Beth began running on the hills of Delmas when she was forty. Beth has been running for about 14 years and has no plans to stop.

The 2010 Disney Marathon will be Beth's 7th marathon. In years past she has completed the following marathons:
Disney ~ Boston ~ Dublin ~ LA ~ Miami ~ Boston

Beth says, "Running keeps me healthy, centered and sane in a very busy and unpredictable life and is a daily time of reflection and prayer."

For those of us working along side Beth in Haiti, she has inspired us to have the courage to face the more difficult running conditions. Beth is the ultimate cheerleader and encourager and her perseverance in her work in Haiti and in running is an inspiration to us all.

Please sponsor Beth McHoul for her January 10, 2010 marathon.

************

Check back Friday for a story on one of the women the Prenatal program serves. Also, be sure to check back next Wednesday to meet another Heartline runner.

If you choose to sponsor a runner, you can note which runner you are sponsoring in the "instructions" line of the PayPal form. You might also consider writing to your runner and letting them know you've made a choice to support them and the cause of Haitian women.

Twelve Week Countdown

2009-10-17T10:00:00.000-04:00

All of the runners involved in this project are currently doing the hard work of training. Race weekend is just 12 weeks from now and proper training is key to completing the task on race-day.

Please consider donating $25, $50, $100 or more to sponsor a runner or two. Together we hope to finish the race - and with your support - we hope that 100% of the money needed will be raised by the time we cross the finish line on January 10, 2010.

We will be spotlighting Haitian women in the program each week. We will also spotlight one runner each week. Check here each Wednesday to read about a runner and each Friday to read about one of the Haitian ladies in our pre-natal program.

Tell your friends about this site, ask them to sponsor a runner, ask them to pray about how they might get involved. If you have Facebook or a blog please ask people to visit www.heartlinerunners.blogspot.com

Training,

The Heartline Team

Our Specific Goal

2009-10-14T11:57:00.000-04:00

Each week the Heartline Pre-natal program sees twenty pregnant women. They come from the surrounding area and are anxious to join our program. Most of them have never received pre-natal care. Our program has been consistently full for two years with a wait list of twenty women desiring to get into the program.

In the USA or other developed countries each of these woman's pregnancies would be considered "high risk". We are seeing and working with ladies that are malnourished, anemic, and suffering from diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis.

These situations mean that we need to work with them and monitor their pregnancies very closely. We check their vitals and offer them vitamins and pre-natal/health education each Thursday. On a rotating schedule and when extra attention is needed they are seen in the exam room for a full pre-natal check at least once a month. At the end of their pregnancy we see them in the clinic room weekly.

When it comes time to deliver their babies the women can come to the Women's Center to have their baby delivered under the care of a Certified Professional Midwife. Most women in Haiti will deliver at home without the help of a medical professional. Often times women will attempt to get into a hospital to deliver, only to find out that the hospital is full or to learn that the expense is too great. Over and over again we've seen horrible outcomes for women who could not get help when they were in labor and needed immediate medical attention. Haitian women have very few choices.

This is where we come in ... Heartline offers the women in our program a safe, clean, peaceful and loving place to experience labor and delivery with trained Midwives to assist the ladies throughout their labor and delivery. There is no cost to the woman. We are here to serve them.

The difficult reality is that because these pregnancies are high risk, often times women will need to be transported to a hospital in order to receive emergency-level care.

The chief goal is to deliver a healthy baby to a healthy mom. When that becomes impossible we will be transporting our women to a local hospital. We are responsible to help them get the care they need and will get them to the hospital and act as advocates for them until they are checked in and being cared for by hospital staff.

The money being raised by the multiple men and women running the Marathon for The Heartline Women's Program will be used to purchase a make-shift ambulance. It will not be a traditional Western ambulance, but instead will be a sturdy utility vehicle that will be transformed into an ambulance and outfitted with necessary medical equipment. Our goal is to purchase a Land Cruiser similar to the one pictured below.
This vehicle will be used to save lives and to offer Haitian women better options for delivering their babies into the world safely. We want to be prepared to offer them the level of care they need and deserve. As you consider sponsoring your favorite runner please keep in mind that your dollars will be used to bless Haitian women and to save lives.

Thank you so much for caring.(Praying with Gina after her prenatal check-up.)

With Thanks,
The Heartline Team

The Heartline Women's Program

2009-10-12T23:00:00.000-04:00

Heartline Ministries has been working in Haiti for twenty years. In recent years a program for women has been started and has grown quickly. The program teaches literacy, sewing, pre-natal classes and early childhood development classes. Over 90 women are currently being served in our various programs.

During the coming weeks we will share stories about these ladies. We want all of you who choose to sponsor a runner in the Disney marathons to see and know where your dollars are going. The money you pledge will be used to help the beautiful and hardworking women of Haiti.

Please consider sponsoring one of the runners today!