Want to make a difference for Pastor Willio and the orphan kids both now and for eternity? Consider a donation specified for the Haiti project. Go to www.Hopegivers.org.
There was a time, maybe not too long ago, when Willio doubted God's love because of his intense suffering. But there was always a voice inside his head that wouldn't let him listen to those doubts for too long. It was from one who knew for certain that God loves His children and has special plans for their lives.
Willio's grandfather was a small child during the battle between the Dominicans and the Haitians on what is now the river boundary, "Rio Massacre." It was a bloody battle for land and the Dominicans had the upper hand. In one battle, 25,000 Haitians lost their lives, many of them children. According to local Haitians, the Dominicans would toss babies up in the air and catch them on their swords (or knives, not sure which).
Just like baby Moses, this certain young boy (and future grandfather to Willio) was put into a garbage sack and thrown into the river for garbage, so he would be missed by the slaughter (I suppose his parents succumbed to it). A God-fearing man pulled him from the river and took him home, raising him as his own and giving him a very strong faith in God.
Grandpa raised Willio and even though they were dirt poor, Grandpa wouldn't let Willio doubt God's love. Even though at the time, Willio didn't have any concrete evidence of it to speak of.
Willio grew up hungry, only eating every few days. He did get the miraculous opportunity to go to school. Someone gave him a scholarship to go to a local Christian school. Then, when he graduated, the school paid his way through seminary, where Willio learned English. Because of learning English, Willio was able to contact Hopegivers last spring, which has resulted in a whole new kind of hope both for Willio's family and for the orphans he's bringing into his home.
Today Willio believes what his Grandpa taught him all those years about God's love. It may have taken awhile to get in place, but now Willio can look at a whole string of events in his life where God was working toward alleviating his suffering and the suffering of many whose lives Willio would impact in the future. And perhaps the suffering in his childhood was not all bad—it gave him a great compassion and drive to alleviate the unmet needs and suffering of others—compassion he might not have otherwise.
Now Willio sees that throughout his life, God had a plan for him that was bigger than he realized. Says Willio about the recent turn of events through the ministry of Hopegivers' sponsors, "When people are suffering with no hope and God brings hope, that's proof to believe God is real. All the kids have seen God. I'm happy because I see that God didn't leave me alone with the children. He sent some angels to help us out."
I couldn't have said it any better.