Woldison John and his twin brother were just babies when
their mother died from malaria.
Devastated and unable to support his family alone, their father
attempted to illegally immigrate to the Bahamas. He had hoped to find stable employment, but
instead he met with misfortune. The
overcrowded boat sank in the middle of the voyage, and Woldison’s father
drowned. Orphaned by the time they were
a year old, Woldison and his brother were taken in by their extended
family. They joined the nine other
family members already living in a tiny, two-room shack made of mud bricks and
topped with a tin roof. Rain and rodents
entered the small structure at will, while the adults took turns sleeping
outside on the porch because there was simply not enough room inside for all of
the bodies. It was difficult enough
finding money for food and clean drinking water, there
was certainly not enough to afford school tuition, books, and uniforms. Everyone had to do their part for the family
to survive. Woldison helped out by
gathering firewood, collecting water, and washing dishes.
At the age of 7, Woldison came to live at the H.E.R.O.
Residence for Orphans. Now, he sleeps
well in a comfortable bed with a full belly.
He no longer has to worry about the rain or rats disturbing his
sleep. Woldison is excited to start
first grade in the fall and looks forward to learning how to read. During his free time, Woldison can often be
found playing catch with his brother or constructing houses and cars with
Legos. Someday Woldison would like to
become an engineer and build strong houses for the people of Haiti.
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