Mother’s Day: Jacqueline’s Story

2020 was an incredibly challenging year for families around the world, and this included Jacqueline and her husband, Ednar. Both lost their jobs as a result of the economic impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ednar was employed making passports. His work came to a sudden stop with the dramatic decrease in travel in and out of Haiti. Jacqueline also found herself looking for a job due to cuts as well. 

Their first child, a son, Samuel Dennis, was born at a hospital on Cite Soleil’s outskirts eight years earlier. Around the age of one, Samuel began experiencing seizures. Tragically, these seizures caused a significant amount of brain damage, and today, Samuel Dennis is unable to talk or feed himself. His parents have been seeking answers for Samuel’s brain damage for years, but access to quality care and reliable information is complex, costly, and far too rare in Haiti. 

In 2019, Jacqueline discovered the Heartline Maternity Center when she suspected she might be pregnant again. She came for a test which Heartline’s Clinical Director, KJ, administered. It was negative, but her visit established a relationship, and Jacqueline knew that she would return to Heartline when the time came.

A while later, she returned to discover she was 13 weeks along, and there was a spot available for her to join the program! She was thankful to participate in the program and learn new skills in the pre-natal, birthing, and post-partum classes offered at the maternity center.

Jacqueline tells us she loves Heartline and that she’ll never forget her time spent with us. She shares, “Katie gave me such good care and helped me have hope when I felt I didn’t have the energy to push any longer.” After a challenging experience with breastfeeding with her first child, Jacqueline cites the breastfeeding education she received with baby Neyila as the most impactful. She quickly added, “I love the whole program, though!”

“I could pay thousands at another hospital and still not find the care and support I received at the Heartline Maternity Center.”

Jacqueline and Ednar continue to seek answers for Samuel Dennis and options for his growth and development. As parents, the idea of a second child and a dismal job market can be overwhelming. For families in Haiti, these challenges compound due to extreme poverty, civil and political unrest, and an economy in turmoil – the reality of another mouth to feed can even drive families to surrender their children. Thankfully, their experience with Neyila’s birth has been a journey of love, respect, quality care, and education. Their time at the Maternity Center has given them hope for the future and an outlook that all things are possible with God.

We envision a world…

…where all women (regardless of their wealth, privilege, or location) and their children are loved and supported with respectful, high-quality care during pregnancy, childbirth, and early motherhood. 

…where all moms and their babies flourish together for the long haul. 

…where moms and their children are empowered to change not only their story but the stories of their communities and their nation for good. 

Built on an orphan prevention model, Heartline provided a haven, a community of learning, and an affordable option for high-quality, dignified maternal healthcare for Jacqueline to deliver Neyila. At Heartline, one of our core values is shalom which can be defined as an all-encompassing, active peace that is more than the absence of conflict, but is the life-giving presence of justice, wholeness, and flourishing. In the midst of a storm, Jacqueline and Ednar found shalom at the Heartline Maternity Center. When you invest in families with Heartline, you invest in orphan prevention, family preservation, and much more.

This Mother’s Day, we celebrate the love, sacrifice, and courage of mothers around the world. Will you honor a special woman in your life by caring for Haitian mothers who mean so much to their families?

This Mother’s Day, give a special gift to the Heartline Maternity Center in honor of a courageous woman in your life and make a lasting impact for mamas and babies in Haiti. 

Donate to the Maternity Center, and we’ll send a personalized Mother’s Day ecard to the woman you wish to honor. Your thoughtful gift will ensure that Haitian women and babies receive the highly skilled and compassionate care they deserve.

New this year! Shop for beautiful gifts and support moms at the Starting Place and Heartline!

We’re excited to share that a gift for mom purchased from our friends at Deux Mains is twice as powerful this Mother’s Day! A brand inspired by the strength of the Haitian people and created to share their beauty with the world. From now until May 8th, Deux Mains will be donating 25% of its sales to the Starting Place Birth and Wellness Center! Thank you Deux Mains! Shop Deux Mains by checking out the link below!