Wednesday morning, April 19, 2023, began as close to normal as it could for 7-year-old Shalonia and her mom and dad.

Since gangs had attacked their neighborhood in Source Matelas the previous November, the threat of more violence loomed constantly. “Normal” life for Shalonia’s family now meant carrying on with their school and work routine despite rumors spreading daily and distant gunfire that never ceased. 

After dropping Shalonia off at her 2nd grade classroom that morning, her mom, Jocelyne, lingered nearby the school, unable to shake the feeling that it was safer to stay close to her only child.

Just before noon, gunshots shattered the morning air—too close, too loud. The attack on their village came swiftly, turning an ordinary school day into a desperate fight for survival. Chaos erupted. Some students ran outside the gate, hoping to find a ride to safety, only to be met with bullets flying by. By the grace of God, everyone eventually escaped on foot, slipping under a drainage ditch along the northern property wall and making their way to Cabaret.

Shalonia and her mom ran with them, their hearts pounding with fear. That night, they found shelter in a friend’s home. The next day, they fled even farther north, seeking refuge with family in Arcahaie.
 

Lives forever changed

Meanwhile, Shalonia’s father had been home when the gangs stormed Source Matelas. He spent the day and night in hiding, separated from his wife and daughter by 100 armed men. The next day, he tried to escape to reunite with them. 

He never made it. Shortly after leaving home, he was discovered and killed.

In a single, brutal moment, Shalonia lost her father, her protector. Jocelyne lost her best friend—the man who had been her provider. Their home, their neighborhood, their entire world was stolen. What was once a place of refuge became a memory swallowed by violence.
 

Struggling to survive

Two years of grief and struggle later, Shalonia and Jocelyne still ache for everything and everyone that was lost on that day.

“We’ve suffered a lot because Shalonia’s dad had been the provider for both of us,” said Jocelyne. “There have been days we sleep without food and many other needs that we cannot provide for ourselves.”

Back in Source Matelas, Jocelyne once ran a small store to help make ends meet. She dreams of doing so again—but today, she has no means to begin.

“Every time I run into another big problem to take care of Shalonia, I cry more,” she said. “We suffer a lot because I have no means to provide.”
 

Glimmers of provision

Yet even in the darkest nights, Jocelyne sees glimpses of God’s provision. Neighbors share what little they have. Grace Emmanuel School continues to provide a source of stability, education, and nutrition for Shalonia.

Through it all, Jocelyne holds tightly to the one thing that cannot be taken from her—her faith in Jesus Christ.

“God is the only reason for hope,” she said. “He is all I have.”

Jocelyne prays constantly—most often for protection and survival. The credible fear of further violence remains, a shadow that never lifts. She prays for her daughter’s future—that she will have the opportunity to learn, to use her gifts, and to build a life beyond the suffering of today.
 

A child’s dream

Now in 4th grade at Grace Emmanuel School, Shalonia prays for a better future, too. 

She has felt the sting of loss and the struggle of survival—but through it all, she has also known the steady faith of her mom. 

Her dream for the future isn’t typical for most 9-year-olds.

“I want to be able to work so I can always support and take care of my mom.”

School has become her refuge. She finds comfort in the familiar rhythm of the classroom, where math is her favorite subject. Her best friends, Rosethalinaida and Schnaicka, are a bright spot—reminders that joy still exists, even in the hardest seasons.

But when the school day ends, the ache returns.

“I miss my house because I was very comfortable,” she says.

More than the house, though, she misses her father.

“We always played together,” she remembers. “He always took care of us. I miss him a lot.” Her mom says she cries often for him.
 

Clinging to hope

Still, Shalonia clings to hope. She asks for prayer—not just for herself, but for everyone hurting.

“Pray that we don’t lose hope. Pray for the situation in the country to change, because many times it discourages us.”

In these two years when so much has been taken from them, pray for Shalonia and Jocelyne and countless others to hold tightly to the one thing still lavishly given to them: God’s love. 

Respond with God’s love

Shalonia and Jocelyne’s story is just one of many. For two years now, families from Source Matelas have lived displaced—struggling daily to survive after losing their homes, loved ones, and livelihoods.

On the anniversary of the darkest day in their community’s history, we invite you to respond with the light of Christ.

Your gift to Grace Emmanuel School is an act of God’s love in action, providing a lifeline for families who have lost everything else.

Grace Emmanuel School continues to provide free education, daily meals, and the unshakable truth of the gospel to kids like Shalonia who’ve already endured more than most of us can imagine.

Right now, that lifeline is only possible because of people like you.

Your gift today helps meet urgent needs and reminds children like Shalonia that God has not forgotten them—and neither have we.

Thank you for being part of giving what the enemy can never steal: God’s unfailing love.