Long Lost Sisters; Help us come together!

Saraphina Oremus Start Date: Sep 26, 2022 - End Date: Jan 25, 2023
  • Dominican Republic

My Travel Story

by: Saraphina Oremus Start Date: Sep 26, 2022 - End Date: Jan 25, 2023
Long Lost Sisters

I remember waking up like any other day and doing what most people do, check my phone. I hardly never use Facebook but on that day I noticed I received a bunch of notifications from someone with a name similar to mine. And just like that with that one click, my life changed forever. I found out I had a sister!

My name is Saraphina Oremus and my sister Sabrina Oremus is in currently in Haiti. We have different mothers but the same father. However he was murdered in the vicious streets of Haiti when I was only three and she was four before we had a chance to really know him and experience or remember his love. Nevertheless later that year I came to America with my mother while and she was still in Haiti with hers.

As we spoke and got to know each other I completely fell in love with how beautiful of a person she is. We shared the stories of losing our mothers and the pain of living as orphans. Her mother died just as young as mine from diabetes while mine from breast cancer. The Conversation continued on with her telling me about the niece and nephew that I have. I was so elated! I could hear how happy in her voice that she no longer felt that she was alone and though we were far away we would talk every day and feel as close as we could.

We shared pictures, videos, voicenotes. We talk on the phone and video chat. I know not having my parents caused a lot of issues for me. I feel that I missed out on a lot of hugs, encouragement, family vacations and just overall love not having them around. However when I think of all the things that she had to endure being in Haiti.  have been fortunate enough to be here and have opportunities to work and send over money but my help is only limited.

Haiti is suffering alarming levels of killings and kidnappings by gangs that control strategic areas of the country in a situation compounded by longstanding impunity for human rights abuses and crime amid a humanitarian crisis. The police and the criminal justice system is corrupt. The people there are barely living. I can’t imagine how’s she’s able to call me everyday and smile. But as of lately her spirits haven’t been as high & I noticed a shift. 

My sister told me In recent weeks, Over the past three weeks, thousands of people, including children, have been forced to abandon their homes and find shelter in temporary sites or host families in other areas of the country. Haitians also have struggled to find fuel which has left some unable to work. Some of the brutal violence includes beheadings, the burning and dismemberment of bodies, along with the killing of minors accused of being informants for rival gangs. 
Sexual violence, including gang rape of children as young as 10, has also been used by armed gang members to terrorize and punish people living in areas controlled by rivals

The country’s gas stocks have run low as fuel importers struggle to get paid for subsidies that keep petrol prices low in Haiti, and due to difficulties in obtaining dollars from the central bank, Dozens of schools, medical centres, businesses and markets remain closed, and many people are struggling to find basic products including food, water and medicines.

My heart really breaks every time I think about her situation and the condition she’s forced to live in. I’m deeply disturbed about the severe human rights impact of the surge in heavily armed gangs. Feeling scared for your life, hungry due to the lack of resources and overall hopeless about the future to come.  I’ve always sent money and assisted in the ways that I can but it’s just not enough.

This campaign has been created with the purpose of asking for help and donations to plan a trip for us to meet in the Dominican Republic help her get a temporary escape from hell, as well as assistance in beginning her process to coming to the United States. 

Below I have pictures of her and her children, the total prices for flights and stay as well as application and processing fees to get her here.


Thank you so much for taking the time out to read our story and considering helping to reunite long lost sisters! You are appreciated! 

















  • Dominican Republic