Baraderes, Haiti

Louisgiste Marie Therese is 23 years old and pregnant with her second child. She is married and very proud of her husband, a tailor in their village. During this pregnancy, she developed a severe vaginal infection and was treated at the clinic run by the Little Sisters of Saint Therese in Baraderes. The infection has since cleared up and she is feeling better, although she often has stomach pains, making it difficult to eat. This has weakened her during her pregnancy, and she often feels very tired. Nevertheless, she walks two hours to reach the clinic, where she receives crucial medical care and prenatal multivitamins.

Her first child, son Kervinio Senevia, is four years old. He suffered from fevers off and on, and was finally hospitalized and treated. He is doing better now and Louisgiste hopes he will be able to attend school next year. Louisgiste and her family live on a diet of bananas, beans and rice, but she enjoys vegetables on rare occasions when they can find them. She hopes her children will become doctors someday, so they can have a better life and help others in Haiti.

Our thanks to Sharon Dressen of Rainbow Light for capturing this story while on a distribution trip with Vitamin Angels.