Danita Estrella
is the founder and CEO of
Danita's Children,
Hope for Haiti Children's Center, Inc.
Meet Danita here...
(The following contains excerpts from an article and is used with permission from Set Apart Girl.com, by Leslie Ludy Sept/Oct 2009 issue ten.)
When did you first feel God’s call to the mission field?
When I was ten years old, I attended
a Wesleyan Church in Puerto Rico. During Vacation Bible School, our
teacher told the story of missionary Hudson Taylor. Everyday she shared a couple of
chapters with big flash cards. I rem ember enjoying story time more than
arts and crafts, snacks or games. I would sit glued to my pew hanging
onto every word. At the end of the week, she prayed for all of us.
I remember telling God that one day I wo uld be a missionary.
Years went by. I had forgotten about that prayer until I went to Haiti 23 years later as a Spanish interpreter for a team of doctors to the Dominican Republic. When the mission was over, the team decided to cross the border to visit Haiti. As I crossed the border that day, my heart began to pound and I recalled a trip I had made to Haiti with my father at the age of eleven. All my life God had been preparing me for the work I would do in Haiti.
Tell us about your early days in Haiti.
The early years were priceless. That is when I learned how to walk in the presence of God on a daily basis. I was so alone, yet His presence was so real and sweet. I had to pray about everything because I did not know where or how to begin. So much was against me; living in a foreign country, not speaking the language, being single (when everyone thought I should be married), no prior missions experience, and little income. But it did not matter at that point. The Lord had me where he wanted me-- I was empty of myself and completely surrendered to God. I would do anything. I would go anywhere, because I trusted in Him.
How has God expanded your ministry to orphans since you have arrived?
I started in 1999 with fourteen children and a rented house. In 2004, I felt really good about
how things were running in the ministry. We had approximately 40 orphans
in our care and a school with a couple hundred children. I was
comfortable where I was and did not want to receive any more children in the
orphanage at that time. But one day, I received a call shortly after a hurricane that completely devastated and flooded a town called Gonaives in
Haiti.
A group of pastors called and asked me if I could help by taking in some of the children orphaned from the hurricane. Together with my team, I took a school bus and drove
to the other side of the island to rescue these children. I returned with
26 orphans, ages 1-8. I didn't have space for them at
that time, so I placed 26 beds with mosquito nets inside of our church and we
held our church services outside under a tree. As soon as I was able to
get a doctor to check the children for any contagious diseases, I slowly moved
them in one by one into their new home. The incredible thing about this
story is God’s provision. With no advertising and only a simple newsletter,
our income doubled that year. Taking care of the orphan is truly our
Father’s heart.
Fast forward to 2010...the earthquake in Port au Prince brought 53 more orphaned children into our family.
Our motto is, "There's always room for one more."
What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced in your work?
Life on the mission field is
unpredictable. Everyday is different. The need is so great, you
quickly can become overwhe lmed thinking that it is your responsibility to meet
everyone’s need and solve everyone’s problem. There is sickness, disease,
poverty, and suffering everywhere you turn. I have had to learn to say no
at times and focus on our mission and vision which is to “rescue, love and care for
orphans and impoverished children."
At any given moment we must be
prepared to live without running water or electricity, fuel shortages, 3-5 hour
drives in an effort to attain good medical care, and political unrest.
There have been many difficult moments of uncertainty, but as we have heard it
said before – “God will never lead you where His grace cannot keep you.”
What are some of the greatest joys you have found in your work?
There is no greater feeling than waking up very morning, putting your feet on the ground, knowing that you are exactly where you are supposed to be.
I will never forget December 24, 1999. I had been in Haiti for almost one year and I had just rented a home to start an orphanage. I did not have any furniture except for 20 beds that I had prepared for the children I believed the Lord would be sending me. I used an ice cooler as a table top and sat on the floor as I ate my Christmas meal of fried chicken and plantains.
After dinner, I reached for my Bible and a candle, and I laid my hand on each bed, praying for each child that would be sleeping there.
Even though it was Christmas Eve and I was far from family and friends, I felt such joy. I was filled with anticipation for what He was going to do.
And now, years later, it is my joy to see 133 children growing up in our home and over 550 children running on our school playground.
Can you tell us of one example of experiencing God’s supernatural power in working with the children?
In April 2006, I locked myself in my room and spent the day in prayer. I remember telling the Lord that I was overwhelmed and I could not do one more thing. "Do you see me, Lord?" Later that afternoon, I decided to go downstairs for just a moment to check my emails. When I walked outside, a woman was waiting for me with a six month old baby named Lubenson. I was stunned and tried not to act shocked as I looked at a horrific tumor in this baby’s mouth the size of my fist.
Immediately, I started to think, “Who can I call?” “Who can help this woman?” It certainly would not be me. Did I not just tell the Lord that I was overwhelmed and I could not do one more thing? I decided to have one of the missionaries and my personal assistant, Karris Hudson, take him for an evaluation five hours away. While she was gone, I whispered a prayer, “Lord, I told you I could not do one more thing, but if it is your will for me to take this child to the United States for surgery, I will walk through every door you open.”
Sure enough, Karris informed me that
Lubenson’s condition was so serious, we needed to take him to the US right
away. It would take a small book to give all of the details, but
everything this child needed, God provided. A birth certificate, medical
visa, a renowned doctor to donate the surgery in Miami, nurses to take care of
him in ICU for one week, and a missionary with a change of heart. I spent
the next three months living in the US, fighting for his life, until he was able to
come back home. Meanwhile, my incredible staff , Karris Hudson and Brenda
Sapp, kept the ministry running, and the Lord taught me that it is not about
me.
Whenever I am overwhelmed and think I cannot do one more thing, I just look at Lubenson and I am reminded of God’s grace and that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
How can people help your ministry? What are your biggest needs?
People can always help through financial donations, sending supplies, or by sponsoring a child. But one of our greatest needs is
for house parents for the children. Our primary focus is loving and
discipling children. As many of our children are approaching their
teenage years, we sense the urgency for them to have a strong male presence in
their lives, especially with the older boys. Many of them have never met
their father and they long for that special relationship. 
We are also praying for missionary staff to help us run the ministry in Haiti.
We are now in the process of constructing our much needed children’s hospital that will require many more missionaries. We are praying for a hospital director, doctors, X-ray technicians, lab technicians, and cooks who can prepare nutritious meals for the children.
We are also in the planning stages
for our trade and vocational school. We desire to teach our children various
trades, which will include farming, carpentry, sewing, and iron work and to receive college educations that will prepare them to be change-makers for their country.
What encouragement would you give to a young person who feels God’s call to the mission field, but does not know where to start?
My first suggestion would be to cultivate a strong relationship with the Lord because everything He has planned for our lives is birthed out of our relationship with Him.
Despise not small beginnings. I spent years serving my pastors, teaching Sunday school, working in the nursery, sweeping floors, cleaning toilets, and wondering what any of this had to do with the desires of my heart. The Lord has taught me that long before you are entrusted, He requires that you prove your trust. He tests us to see if we will be faithful in little things and will keep us on the potter’s wheel until we are emptied out of our pride. I strongly believe that the reason the Lord has blessed me so much in Haiti is because of the years that I spent serving my pastors and other people in ministry long before I ever made it to the mission field.
Be willing to take a risk. Daniel 11:32 says, “…the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” We must remember that the surrendered Christian life includes being willing to lay down your life so that others might live. I don’t just mean physically, but putting your own personal dreams on hold. In return, God will give you more than you ever dreamed possible.
Danita Estrella heard the call of Christ
and responded more than eleven years ago.
Watch this video, titled The Call of Christ, containing narrative
excerpts by Danita from a message
she recently shared on the scripture John 12:24.
