Nora Leon and boys from the Children of Israel Orphanage in Les Cayes, Haiti

Mothers’ Day 2008 saw the unveiling of what NBC and Teleflora referred to as “America’s Favorite Mom”. Patti Patton-Bader -- founder of Soldiers’ Angels, the nation’s largest all-volunteer military support organization -- was selected. But one of her four fellow finalists, Nora Leon, also has some Lakewood ties.

Nora Leon is a missionary in Haiti, caring for children at the Children of Israel Orphanage in Les Cayes. She gave up her life in the United States to do this special work, and members of a host of Northeast Ohio Lutheran churches are witness to her life-changing work.

Since 2002, members of Gethsemane (Lakewood), Royal Redeemer (North Royalton), and Valley (Chagrin Falls) Lutheran churches have coordinated short-term mission trips to Haiti, forging long-term relationships with Nora, as well as with the orphanage, church, and communities where she lives and works. Trips have included a variety of projects, including medical and dental clinics, teaching English as a second language, construction, youth interaction, jewelry making, basketball ministry, and establishing tuition sponsorships.

The three initial churches have been joined by pastors and lay members of other local churches: Ascension Lutheran (North Olmsted); Ascension Catholic (Cleveland); Bethany Lutheran (Parma); Cleveland Baptist; Community of Hope Lutheran (Brecksville and Lakewood); Messiah Lutheran (Fairview Park); St. Mark Lutheran (Chesterland); and St. Thomas Lutheran (Rocky River). The most recent mission trip, held during Easter break 2008, was designed specifically for youth and featured students from Lutheran West High School in Rocky River.

Lynn Scheerhorn, a member of Gethsemane Lutheran Church, coordinates the ongoing mission trips to Haiti. She posted the following online comment in response to Nora Leon’s “America’s Favorite Mom” nomination: “Nora Leon is a saint! [She is] totally selfless in every way, living to help others, never thinking of herself.”

Mission trip participants voted in the nationwide contest to select “America’s Favorite Mom”, urging friends and family to do likewise. Even the Ohio District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod joined the effort. Rev. Terry Cripe, president of the Ohio District (headquartered in Olmsted Falls), recently traveled to Haiti following a personal invitation by Nora Leon. Upon returning, he urged all 169 churches within the Ohio District to take up a special Pentecost offering on behalf of the Lutheran church in Haiti.

The “America’s Favorite Mom” contest also had another Northeast Ohio connection. All video footage of Nora in Haiti was taken by Emmy Award-winning producers and Lakewood residents, Bob Becker and Luanne Bole-Becker. They gathered hours of videotape during mission trips they took as members of Gethsemane Lutheran Church between 2002 and 2006. It was that footage that enabled online voters and viewers of NBC’s "Today" show and the primetime "America’s Favorite Mom" finale to catch a glimpse of Nora’s life in Haiti.

As a finalist, Nora Leon will receive a $25,000 cash prize, which she plans to donate toward her work in Haiti. In addition to sharing the stage with Donnie and Marie Osmond, producers surprised her on Mothers’ Day by flying her husband Leon in from Haiti to join her in Los Angeles at the live extravaganza.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, and has been hit hard by the staggering rise in food prices this year. Nora’s work is making a difference, but more help is always needed. You can read more about Nora’s life and work in Haiti at www.norainhaiti.spaces.live.com/. In addition, charitable donations for the orphanage or for appeasing the severe food shortage in and near Les Cayes, Haiti can be made to: Haiti Mission Fund, c/o Gethsemane Lutheran Church, 14560 Madison Avenue, Lakewood, OH, 44107.