Eboman's Story

Eboman, as the oldest child in her family at age 12, had the job of getting water for her family at the creek. So early in the morning, she took the water containers and headed down the rocky mountain in Haiti. She was already sweating from the heat and the hard work. Her calloused hands rubbed roughly on the bucket handles.

Before she had finished her task, she heard her mother’s long echoing call from the hillside. But that was odd—why would her mother call her back before she was finished gathering water? Then Eboman thought maybe it had to do with church yesterday. After church, they had asked Pastor Pierre for a ride home because their mother was not feeling well enough to walk the four miles up the mountain back home. He drove them home and saw their village—five little grass huts on the mountainside. He saw they had no food. He also saw that Mama was not feeling well. He said he would try to help, and he left. Was Pastor coming back already? She ran all the way up the mountainside, hoping it was the help he had offered.

She made it to the village, but no one was there. She kept running to where Pastor had parked his pickup truck the day before. It was the help Pastor had promised! Pastor has brought some American doctors to treat Mama and also the sick baby in the camp! But not only that, Pastor has sent boxes and buckets of food! It was rice! They would eat tonight!

Everyone from the village helped carry the medical supplies and the boxes and buckets of rice meals. Mama carried two heavy boxes of food on her head—even though she was not feeling well. Eboman only carried one since she was still too young to carry that much weight on her head.

Everyone was so happy walking back to camp! These people had come to help! The Americans set the food and medical supplies down in the center of the village. They started giving vitamins to the children right away. They also gave each child a pill to chew—they said it was to kill any worms that may have gotten into their bodies.
Eboman watched as the nurses checked each of the 25 people in her village. Then it was her turn. She was also given vitamins and a deworming pill that did not taste much like food. They declared her strong and healthy!

Eboman walked over to Pastor. How could she ask him? She had seen the beautiful school every Sunday as they walked to church. Her heart ached to go there. Finally she managed to say, “Pastor, I would like to go to school. I would like to have an education, but I don’t have a birth certificate.”(In Haiti, you must have a birth certificate to go to school.) Pastor looked at her with kind eyes. He smiled. He said he would help.

Eboman could not believe what was happening! They received medical care! And enough food for weeks! And now, she may find a way to go to school? It was too much for one day!

Mama said to Eboman, “‘For all these Americans have done and are doing now for us, it is only God who could make them do it.” Eboman agreed.

The Americans were finished seeing all the villagers, and they packed up their medical supplies to go. Eboman did not want them to leave. But all the villagers helped the Americans carry their medical supplies to the truck. They waved and waved until the truck was out of sight.

Note from Joey: It was an honor to meet Eboman and all the people in her village. It was a true "mountain top" experience that I will never forget.