Last week, we shared a blog post discussing our current overseas projects, particularly our project in Haiti. We have been working with various Christians and churches for several months on sending 18,000 AP books to distribute across the island nation. Our main contact, and the overseer of this project, was Ms. Roberta Edwards. 

By now, most everyone is aware of the horrible event that transpired last weekend. Ms. Roberta was taken from us (http://goo.gl/luqPQL).

Rather than focusing on the details of her death, we would like to take a moment to highlight her life, and the work that she cared so much about.

I met Ms. Roberta back in the summer of 2013. A small group of us spent a week in Haiti learning about clean water projects. The guest house where we stayed was only a couple of blocks from Ms. Roberta’s home, and we visited there each evening.

Whenever you spent time with Ms. Roberta, one thing became abundantly clear: she absolutely loved each and every one one of her children. Her sole mission in this life was to care for as many kids as she possibly could, and to ensure that they all had an opportunity to be successful—a success that was rooted in their faith in Christ.

A few months ago, we at AP reached out to Roberta to discuss our plans to send some of our books to Haiti. Thanks to the gracious support of various Christians, we had the resources to make it happen, but we still needed someone on the ground who was willing to oversee the distribution of the materials. Obviously, this was going to take a lot of work. Ms. Roberta did not hesitate to help. She was absolutely thrilled at the idea that so many children would be receiving a new book. She was almost in tears as she talked to us about how this would be the very first book that many of them would own.

Our plans were to send 3,000 copies of six different books. Ms. Roberta and her children translated five of the books for us. When we spoke with her last week, she told us that she had just finished translating the last book, and she would be getting it to us as soon as she could. That is the last time we spoke.

Though we celebrate the life of Roberta, and fully believe she is happy in Paradise, we mourn her passing. Everyone who was blessed enough to know Roberta Edwards is heartbroken at her passing, and the tragic events surrounding her death.

Eventually, a time will come when we will begin working on Ms. Roberta’s project again. We know that is what she would want. But for now, we simply want to pray — pray for Ms. Roberta’s family and friends, for the children at the Sun Light home, for the safe return of Jojo, and for all of those who are committed to spreading the Gospel in Haiti.