WILNER'S STORY

“Adversity is the first path to truth.” – Lord Byron

Over the past 5 months I have come to know the remarkable story of St-Fort Wilner; a Haitian street kid who has managed to survive and triumph over incredible adversity. As his English has improved (because my Creole has not) he is able to share his amazing journey with more detail and much more clarity. We are working together in hopes of shedding light on the nightmare of exploitation of Haiti's innocent children.


Wilner's Story:

My name is St-Fort Wilner and I was born December 17th, 1987 in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. When I was 2, my parents separated and from that moment, my life became one of suffering and a struggle for survival. Twenty one years later, I am still struggling but I am no longer suffering. My belief in God has grown and sustained me despite my unbelievably difficult journey. My story is not for the faint of heart but only for those who believe in the strength of the human spirit and have faith that by the grace of God, we are all capable of overcoming enormous hardship.

After my parents separated, I spent the next two years being shuffled back and forth until my father unexpectedly passed away. My mother no longer wanted me and I was taken by my uncle Jeasilus, high up into Haiti’s mountainside, to Belle Fontaine, 40 miles outside of Port-Au-Prince. For the next 7 years, I was treated like a slave. Forced to do every chore; transport water, wash dishes, clean the house, take care of all the animals (cows, chickens, horses, donkeys and goats); if my work fell short or if I missed even the smallest task, I was severely beaten. I was kept from going to school and I never had one single minute to play.

After 7 seven years I could take the abuse no longer and ran away. With no where to go, I became one of Haiti’s thousands of street kids and my suffering continued. I went for days without food and had no place to sleep. If my begging led to even a little bit of money or a crumb of food, the older and bigger street kids would come over, grab it and beat me. I always had tears in my eyes. There was no one to help me, nobody cared. But somehow God always protected me. My heart stayed open, even when someone beat me. Always humble, I never fought back. God gave me this heart and these strong feelings of compassion even when I was suffering. I now believe this is how God cultivated love in me. Maybe I was forgotten by I was never forsaken – God was always with me.

I was living on the streets for about a year and a half when I was rescued by a white man from Texas. He came to Haiti and started an orphanage. When I met him I thought my prayers were answered and my troubles were over. I thought my life of poverty and suffering would end and in fact, within six months I no longer looked like a street kid. Everything had changed and it seemed for the better. More orphans came to this man’s orphanage and he had power to truly improve the lives of many suffering Haitian children. He brought hope to those in need and smiles to the faces of those who were desperately unhappy. He brought us clothes to wear and shoes for our bare feet. But he did not do it for the love of children or to help our country. He did to swindle money out of unsuspecting Americans. He made a Web Site that showed how desperately the children of Haiti needed contributions. He showed my sweet face and used my hard story to influence and deceive people. Anyone with a heart would be moved by this heart-wrenching Web Site to send money and they did. But he hurt us. He brought men and women to the orphanage to have sex with us. He was a lion in lambs clothing. He corrupted many of the children, some ruined beyond repair. We felt so obliged and then we felt so ashamed.
...to be continued
Follow Wilner's story and see how he managed to rise above adversity, start his own orphanage and save many of Haiti's street kids from falling victim to those who would take advantage of the most vulnerable.

THE HAITI NECKLACES

High in the mountains of Haiti, there is an orphanage run by a man named Wilner St-Fort. Once an orphan himself, he began, about 3 years ago, to take care of some of Haiti’s street kids. Originally, his orphanage was in the heart of Port-Au-Prince. But when he could no longer afford the $1500 yearly rent, he remained determined to keep his kids safe and moved the orphanage to a small parcel of land in Haiti’s mountainside.

It is important for everyone to understand that a Haitian orphanage is nothing more than an open lot that may or may not be surrounded by cement walls. The children usually sleep outside on the ground, exposed to the elements. There is very little in the way of sanitation because there is no running water. Few have electricity. The advantage these orphans have over the children living in the street is a sense of belonging and a sense of security. But there is a constant struggle for survival because food is so expensive and money is so scarce. The situation was dire before the earthquake, it is unimaginable now.

While I was doing relief work in Haiti at a small NGO (MMRC), we got a call from Wilner informing us that he was out of food and supplies. We packed the truck and made the 3 ½ hour trek up the mountain to make a delivery of food and other essential items. While there, Wilner asked if I would like to buy one of the necklaces made by his wife and the kids. I asked him if the kids could make a big bunch of them, so that I could take them back to the U.S. and sell them to help raise funds for his orphanage. Later, I made the same offer to the other Haitian orphanages. All the money raised from selling these necklaces goes directly to providing food, medication, educational material and shelter for some of Haiti’s most vulnerable children.

Diana Heimann has been kind enough to show case these beautiful necklaces in her store. Please help support some of the sweetest children you will ever meet. Diana’s store is located in the lobby of The Ritz Carlton Westchester in White Plains, New York.

Diana's contact info:
http://www.dianaheimann.com
3 Renaissance Sq
White Plains, NY
914-467-5880

Thank You,

Cory Gould