Devoted to Children Foundation

Kristin’s Story

On a trip to Haiti in May 2012 (I was volunteering as a midwife for 3 weeks in a birth center), I had a serendipitous encounter with a Haitian humanitarian who shared his vision of an orphanage with me. This kind man had been looking after a group of orphans since the 2010 earthquake. On his own, he had been providing these abandoned kids with a place to go for afternoon activities. These children, having either lost their parents in the earthquake or as a result of disease from the aftermath, were lucky if they had one small meal a day, clothes to wear or a piece of cloth to sleep on. Since then, this man had struggled to keep them off the streets and give them any resources that he could.

As I was told story after story of the desperate situation at hand, I realized I had been given a life-changing opportunity. I knew I had two choices; either I could return home simply thankful for my experience in Haiti, or I could take a leap of faith and help this man fulfill his vision. In that moment of truth I knew my answer… at the very least I had to try.

As a mother, wife, midwife, yoga teacher, and friend who has been fortunate to have an abundant life… how could I walk away from this situation where I knew I could make a difference? How could I abandon these children who have nothing and no one? Would you?

And so I started Devoted to Children…

~Kristin O'Connell, Founder of D2C