When I first stepped off a plane in Haiti in January 2011, my heart was forever changed. I was moved by the strength of the Haitian people—and especially by the children, the heartbeat and hope of this struggling nation.

Haiti faces staggering challenges: most families live on less than $4 a day, and many children go to bed hungry. Nearly half of all children and teens live on the streets, and thousands age out of orphanages each year with no support or skills to survive.

In 2015, together with Dawn Barbour and Nicole Beal, I helped launch YES!, a ministry empowering young adults aging out of orphanages. Our mission is simple but powerful: equip, educate, and empower. We provide life skills, vocational training, and community support so young people can build meaningful lives.

In 2020, YES! expanded to include a VBS/Feeding Program, providing meals to children whose families can’t afford to feed them—helping to keep families together and prevent more children from entering orphanages.

Saying “YES!” to God’s call led me to Haiti, to my husband, and to a lifelong mission of bringing hope, love, and opportunity to this beautiful country and her people. We’ve known each other for ten years and have been joyfully married for four—partnering in life and ministry as we follow God’s call together. Haiti captured my heart—and it’s never let go.