In past blogs, I have focused a lot of attention on mission leaders. But I would be remiss if I didn’t take the time to call out the unsung heroes I meet in my travels – the dedicated servants of Christ who you don’t often hear about, but who are known and loved by all – especially by the poor.
One individual I’d like to honor is Willy Rocha, a program facilitator and caseworker with the MEBSH restavek schools in Haiti. These schools serve the country’s most vulnerable children, including many who work as indentured servants for host families because their own families are too poor to support them.
Willy is an incredible man of God who serves as a liaison between the MEBSH program and the community. A former teacher himself, Willy is responsible for going out into the community and surveying the restavek population – making sure the right kids are placed in the schools, so they can receive a proper education. Willy is also responsible for identifying other at-risk children, so the program can work toward preventing restavek situations before they begin. He is one of those “go-to” individuals who is also extremely humble and unassuming. A true unsung hero.