An American author once wrote, “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” Like all kids, our boys are changing. It’s fun to watch how their personalities, strengths and passions continue to evolve. Much like our own children, we are not sure exactly what God has planned, but we remain excited and optimistic for their future. It is a future that is only possible through your gracious love and support. On behalf of the Haiti Orphan Foundation, we thank you for making a difference in all those at the Grace Children’s Home.
We just returned from visiting and I wanted to share how pleased we were. All the children looked great. They were all healthy, thriving and happy. Our smiles were only topped by their warm embrace and genuine excitement to see us. It was a strong reminder of how God continues to bless much more than we give.
Fortunately, there was minimal damage to the orphanage from Hurricane Matthew. We only lost razor wire that customarily surrounds the property that will need to be replaced. No further structural damage was done, but most importantly no one was injured. Fortunately, our location helps shield us from storms because of the surrounding mountains.
Probably the most notable change since our last visit is the newly found leadership roles some of the boys now possess. Pastor Lesly has allowed the older boys to run errands in the neighborhood and take on more responsibility in the home. Additionally, we were encouraged to see more boys visiting and hanging out from the neighborhood. They like to play soccer and other games. It was good to see them become more integrated in the community.
School is going well for all the boys. We recently added another after-school helper to help maintain the positivity. We will have some decisions to make next year as two of the boys, Enockson and Faby, will be finishing primary school. We plan to send them to what is known in Haiti as secondary school (comparable to middle and High school in the US–grades 7-13).
We are weighing options to send them to either public or private. The additional cost will be $1-1.50 / day for transportation for each. Public school is free in Haiti; however, they often miss large gaps of time due to teachers not receiving a salary. We are currently looking into the additional cost for better, more consistent private school. We welcome your prayers and support as we prepare for this exciting new chapter.
Our mission remains unwavering-to help raise strong Christian children to effect positive change for a darkened Haiti. Education is the cornerstone in this pursuit. We ask for your help.
We welcome your prayers and support as we prepare for this exciting new chapter!
With growth come challenges, and we have opportunity for more people to become involved through sponsoring one of our two new boys. Please pray for our boys and the continued impact HOF might make for all those in Haiti. God bless you as you continue help us bring hope and provision to the children of Haiti through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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