So Good to be Home!

Hi all,

It is good to be home at HATS-Haiti. It feels good to be in my office, in the admin building, using my laptop to write this blog. It is good to be back with the children. It is good to not be living out of suitcases. It is good to see Ti Luc running around with his brothers and sisters here. It is great to see him back in his private classroom here in the admin building with professor Joan doing his schooling in English. It is good.

Thank you to everyone in various places in Canada who made our time there during the summer and early fall so special. We made a lot of precious memories.

Orphanage Sponsoring

At the mission we have a sponsor for each of the children who live here onsite with us. The monthly amount is used towards the needs of the child.

Due to a death and unforseen circumstances we have two children with us who now need a sponsor – Dickieson, age 2 1/2 and Dieunel, age 10 (doing grade 5). If anyone is interested in sponsoring one of these wonderful boys please let us know. The sponsors for children in full time care in the orphanage is $35 monthly or $420 annually. The sponsors may pay however is best for them.

I am including a photo of Dickieson (age 1 1/2) with his older brother (age 4) the day we accepted them into the orphanage, September 2015. I am also including a photo of Dickieson, hugging Magdala, taken one year later, this September 2016. What a huge difference in this precious boy, from a year ago. Yesterday, after church, I took another photo of Dickieson which I will also include.

Dickieson and big Brother Markenson the day we accepted them into the orphanage 1 yr ago

Dickieson hugging sister Magdala in September 2016

Dickieson November 2016

Matthew Disaster Relief

On November 2nd Joan wrote a blog with an update on the disaster relief going on in our area for those in one of the decimated areas.

Another update today. The plan was for two trucks, a very large one to transport the donated supplies, and small one for the community workers who were going to deliver the supplies, to leave here on Friday Nov 4th. The delivery day has been postponed. Hopefully it will happen soon. Luckner was contacted by the magistrate and mayor, waiting to receive all the goods for their people, asking that we sit on it until they ask for it to be delivered. It was explained that there has been some problems on the route to get the supplies to them. We will be notified when they feel it should head their way.

On the weekend Luckner received a substantial donation of rice and oil which will be delivered along with the rest of it.

A portion of the disaster relief supplies

It is awesome to see the Haitian people, who have so very little for their own families, generously donating everything they can to help their people in great need.

I want to share two stories of children helping that caused me to have wet eyes.

Our children love almonds. We have a tree in our yard, and when the almonds are ready they love to remove them, break them open with a rock and enjoy munching. Our own Dieunel, age 10, removed almonds from our tree, and carried it to the committee working on donations at our school. He did so as he wanted some hungry children in the disaster area to have the almonds to eat.

A young boy approximately the same age as Dieunel was given $1 to take to school to purchase something for a snack. This boy attends a school a fair distance from our HATS school. He hopped on someone’s bike and rode to our school and gave Luckner the $1 to send to the children in the disaster area.

This is giving at its best. I pray these two boys will grow up to continue to give of whatever they have to help those in need.

? Haitians helping Haitians. Children helping children. This is love!! ?

Josiah is a Huge Help!

All of us here at the mission are glad to have Josiah here with us. He is willing to do whatever we need done. Too, he is funny and makes our children laugh a lot.

He was a tremendous help on our travel from Calgary to the mission site. He continues to be a big help daily.

Josiah having fun with some of our kids

Josiah with Magdala

Josiah with Dickieson who was not feeling well

Today something wonderful happened for Josiah. He met his biological sister, Bernadette, for the first time. Luckner arranged for her to come here to meet him. Wow, I was teary eyed just seeing this and taking photos. Tomorrow Bernadette plans to return here with her two boys, Josiah’s nephews, and a brother to her and Josiah. Happy times.