Ministry Spotlight # 4: Nanny Program at Life is Wealth Orphanage

The story:  As we have gotten to know the Pastor, his family & staff, and the children better at Life is Wealth (LIW) we have come to realize that there is a need for more stable caregivers- ones who really pour into the girls and work with them but also become trusted influences in their lives.  We have offered to send missionaries to the Orphanage and have come up with other solutions but for one reason or another they have all been dismissed by Pastor Yves.  UNTIL he started having some trouble with some of the girls now that they are feeling more comfortable and now that they are getting older and hormones are kicking in so they are becoming a bit more difficult to monitor- at least for him and his existing staff.

So, we proposed a solution.  We offered to assist with hiring 10 women and give them training from an American Social Worker who lives and works in Haiti.  This formal training included teaching them how children grow and develop emotionally and how abuse can influence, damage and even retard this process.  They also learned strategies for disciplining children who have come from abusive backgrounds (because most of the children currently at LIW have been restaveks- domestic servants for a family other than their own- and have been abused/beaten).  A normal child who grows up in a nuclear family knows the idea of consequences for behavior.  They know the family "rules" so to speak and the appropriate discipline for breaking them.  But, a child who has been abused or has grown up being beaten (sometimes just for sitting in a chair that an adult felt was "theirs" as one little one reported) doesn't know appropriate behavior, consequences or boundaries.  Therefore, these hired women (Nannies) will work with the children to help them feel safe, loved and valued.

Pastor agreed to give it a try this past fall!  So, in October 2014 Redgi and the social worker participated in the hiring process and ten women were hired and trained.  Since that time we have seen a DRAMATIC difference in the children- especially the little ones!  They are cleaner (someone to remind them to care for themselves- hard to do with 70 children and only a few staff in the past), more are going to school, their hair is done, clothing and other items are better cared for, and we have seen very positive interactions with the children.  The orphans are no longer running to us when something happens when we are there, they are turning to the Nannies which is EXACTLY what it should be.  They realize that we will leave but the Nannies will be constant.  It is working beautifully and will continue to do so if those women are encouraged and empowered in their jobs.

To be honest, God has shown us that only a few trips with groups to visit the children per year (listed as "Sponsor trips" or "Orphan Care trips" on our website) should happen in the future.  There are many studies that show the negative impact of bringing a constant string of visitors in and out of  orphanages.  Though Pastor Yves has others he works with and some do not agree with this philosophy, we are called to follow God and his leading for US and for the CHILDREN so we truly believe that, for Hearts United, those types of trips could be hurting the emotional well-being of the very children we are trying to help.  Sometimes the bigger picture or what is best for someone isn't what your heart wants.  We would love to spend as much time as possible loving on the children and playing with them, but when that interrupts the structure and dynamics of those already in place; when it undermines (though not intended to) their authority when we allow something they normally do not; or when it causes the children to behave badly each time we leave, then we need to put their needs before our own and trust in HIS solution which we believe is this program.  So far, He is showing us that this is a great program for all involved.  We see our future as as ministry as one that works to support the Nannies--working to continue training and encouraging them.  We see less personal interaction with the children but when we do go, to do so intentionally and with a purpose that works along with the Pastor, Nannies and staff to bless all involved.

**Note: since the start of the program, Pastor Yves has decided to restructure the schedule so we only have six Nannies left (and he hired one of his own- someone he knew that needed a job)  So, there are seven women there regularly.  Only one of those lives there with the children.  The rest have regular hours they come to work.  This has some "bumps" to iron out, but is working very well.

The vision:   (oops- again, I kind of put that in the above as part of the story) Basically, God has given us a vision of seeing these girls (and a few boys) grow and develop as the women He has created them to be, with self worth and a full understanding of the fact that they are special and have a purpose for their lives.  We have always said, "We can feed them, clothe them, educate them and give them medical care, but ultimately, they are just going to be heavier, cleaner, smarter, and healthier. However, some day they will die as we all will.  Where will they spend eternity?  That decision is theirs to make, but they deserve to know who they are in Christ - beautiful women who are dearly loved and created special and with a purpose. Then, when the time is right, they can make their own personal decision regarding Him."  The Nanny program will help because the nannies can insure that the orphans understand the truth about their worth DAILY- something we can never do with short visits.  (note:  Yes, Jesus met physical needs too and we believe we are certainly called to do that as well- He healed the sick, fed the hungry, etc... but He also taught us MUCH about God and His purpose for our lives as Christians)

The needs:  Of course as with anything, there is a financial need associated with the Nanny program.  We had funding to do the training, and to pay for the first two months of the program.  That time has now passed.  We have two of the Nannies funded (their salaries) monthly but for this program to continue we will need financial support.  Each Nanny is now paid the equivalent of $110 per month so that brings the total to $770 for salaries.  We are praying for churches, Bible Study groups, or others to pledge monthly support for this worthwhile program.  It is an amazing way to help these children immediately, but also to help future generations because we are working with girls who will then be mommies of their own and will be able to pass along the values they learn to their own children.  

In addition to financial assistance, we always welcome your prayers.  For this program to be successful we need prayers that the current staff and Pastor will continue to see it's value and will support the Nannies as they do their jobs, discipline with love/compassion, work to heal physical and emotional wounds, and train/mentor the children.  Pray for the Nannies too.  Some of the techniques they learned are not traditional in Haiti, so the women are putting new parenting skills into practice- some that they, honestly, are not too sure will work but are doing because they have been instructed to do so.  Pray that they will begin to see the benefits of their training and the new techniques and maybe they can even begin to use those in their own homes since many are mothers themselves. Pray for financial support to come in for this program as well because if we do not have that support the program will need to be stopped and we are really seeing benefits already so it would be so difficult to lose all the children have gained.

Note:  As always if you have read this blog and feel led by God to contribute to this (or any of our other programs) you can do so through our website.  www.heartsunitedwithhaiti.org   We have a "donate" page with instructions or you can send a check made to Hearts United with Haiti  to this address:  PO Box 55  Morgantown, PA 19543.  Mark the donation for the Nanny Program and we will allocate those funds to be used to pay salaries or for other expenses associated with this program (training for the women, etc).  THANK YOU in advance for your generosity and for following God's direction.  

Here are some photos of the Nannies at work...

Totally candid photo of Ketlie (one of the Nannies) helping Elena dry her tears after she got something in her eye while playing.  This made me happy because it showed that the children run to the Nannies to help fix their "boo boos" like a child would to their mother.  

Here is a photo of two of the Nannies in with a group of children- watching and talking to them as we brought a few scooters and skateboards for the chldren to play with.  

Another photo of the two Nannies discussing rules for using the scooters/skateboards (ie:  "should we limit the area the children can use them because we do not want cuts/scrapes?";  or "how do we teach the children to share/take turns?")  We let the Nannies decide the rules along with Madame Pastor (Pastor was not there that day)

More of the children are going to school now that we have the program AND the Nannies have even started a small tutoring session for those that feel behind or unable to go to school because they have no basic knowledge or have never been before.  

The name tags we had made for the Nannies.  

Here is Jasmine doing Dejna's hair.  This is one of the first photos I have of the Nannies.  I took it their fist week.  Nothing like a little personal attention to build relationship and get to know the girls better.  She talked to each one as she did their hair- asking questions to get to know each girl personally.  :)  

Ministry Spotlight #3: Life is Wealth Orphanage.....

***** Note:  This will be a general introduction to the orphanage, but since our ministry there is so vast we will do a few other posts about our work there. (ie:  child sponsorship, Nanny program, Clean water outreach, etc...)

The story:  Wow!  Where to begin?  I guess I will paraphrase the story I tell groups that come to visit the orphanage.  This story begins in the summer of 2010- long before Hearts United with Haiti was formed.  My daughter, Emily, and I were in Haiti working with another organization by leading short term mission groups.  During that first summer in Haiti Emily met and quickly bonded with two children at an orphanage in Carrefour- a little girl named Sarafina and a boy named James.  Many of her teams visited this orphanage and she got to see the children often during that summer in Haiti, but when she was stateside again she longed to know how they were doing.  At the same time, we had formed Hearts United with Haiti and during my many trips to Haiti in the fall of 2010 and/or spring of 2011, I promised to visit the orphanage and check on the children for her when in the country and able to do so.  It was just a short walk from the home where we would stay when in Carrefour.  Anyway, during that time we discovered that there were other groups involved in helping this orphanage- donating food, clothing, providing medical care, etc. yet the children were always dirty, sick and malnourished.  Since we were friends with some of the translators that were used by many of these groups (the common denominator for all were the children, the orphanage, and the many of the same translators) we were able to connect with others around the country and hear their stories and suspicions about what was really going on at this orphanage when no teams were in town.  As we all compared stories and information it became evident that this orphanage was, in fact, a front for child trafficking among other things.  The children were being exploited and sold for profit, their belongings that were donated by us and others were sold as well and so was much of the food/water/medicine that was provided for their care.  So, through a series of events, risk-taking, and working together with authorities a group of God-connected missionaries (each had their role- whether praying, passing along info, or physically participating in gathering evidence and/or setting up a sting operation that resulted in some of the staff being arrested) the orphanage was closed in the end of October 2011.  This is where Emily and I actively stepped back into the picture.

As we knew more and more about the eminent closing of the orphanage in Carrefour, both Emily and I offered to come help the children transition to whatever new place they were taken.  We knew the children and had relationship with them which would help ease their young, vulnerable, scared minds and make the transition a little less traumatic.  Only by God's guidance was our offer accepted and with a day's notice we flew off to Haiti to be with the children.  At the time we thought we would be with ALL of the children, however, that was not the case.  Instead of the children being moved to a safe house that had already been arranged in advance of the orphanage closing, they were split up by Haitian Social Services:  boys to a facility in Carrefour and girls to Life is Wealth Orphanage in Port au Prince.  Though both directors were warned by Haitian authorities to be wary of "the foreigners", Pastor Yves (the director of Life is Wealth) readily opened his home to Emily and me and let us stay for about 2 weeks (at first) with the girls.  Our days were filled with administering medical care (almost all the children had scabies, respiratory infections, and were extremely malnourished), and comforting the girls who were, understandably, distressed by this move and the closing of the orphanage they considered home prior to Life is Wealth.  Add to that the fact that Life is Wealth already had 37 girls and 3 boys when these new girls (37 total) arrived.  This literally doubled the size of Life is Wealth- with no assistance from the Haitian authorities to feed, clothe, provide medicine for, or otherwise help cover expenses for these children.

Those first days turned into weeks and then months spent with the children.  I would often stay in the guest quarters of the orphanage and since not all my time was spent with the girls, I spent countless hours getting to know Pastor Yves and his wife, Anne-Rose.  They are wonderful people with a great heart for children and, though the orphanage is run as a Haitian orphanage, they truly care for the children and treat them well.  Life is Wealth was running well prior to the introduction of these 37 new girls, but with this transition came lots of struggle. First, we were blessed to have assistance during transition from some wonderful churches- especially one in Colorado that really came alongside Pastor Yves and his family financially.  They were able to purchase duffle bags/clothes for each new child, provide a freezer for Pastor Yves to keep the extra food, and provide for most of the initial medical care (and there was a LOT).  We also got a lot of assistance from an organization in Haiti who provided protein powder, vitamins, clothing, etc..  They were also the ones who assisted Emily and me physically with transportation, lodging (when not at the orphanage), in-country contacts for items needed and translation assistance (though I learned a LOT of my Creole there from the children).  Besides the physical needs of the children, there were emotional ones.  We spent MANY hours letting them cry or dealing with angry outbursts because they didn't know another way to show their frustration. Altercations were common between the original Life is Wealth girls and these new ones who were brought in (and getting so much attention from us).  We really got to know all the girls well during our initial days/weeks living there and believe that this really aids us now because they trust us and know we are committed to helping- not with THINGS, but with the LOVE of Christ.  (note:  In the first two months we were able to go home for about 2 weeks when another acquaintance of mine covered their care and came to stay, then I returned alone- Emily had other commitments in the USA)

We have been involved with Life is Wealth Orphanage since November 2011 and pray that God will allow us to stay for many years to come.  What a blessing it is to watch these women of His grow and understand that they are loved and special.

The vision:  God has given us a vision for these girls/young women.  He has showed us over and over how precious they are to Him and has challenged us to show and teach THEM that fact.  We have set up a sponsorship program (more info. in another post coming) where the main purpose is not to provide financially (though there is a financial commitment) but to provide friendship, encouragement and support for each girl.  We have done countless Bible lessons with them and have formed a group of leadership girls whom we instruct/mentor so they can instruct/mentor the others.  Together with Pastor Yves and his staff we have helped with food, clothing, education, and clean water for the children.  We have also held parties, taken the children on outings, taught classes/skills, etc. with the children at Life is Wealth.  We recently started a Nanny program after realizing that the children need more constant care-givers than just Pastor Yves and his wife.  The Nannies were trained first by a social worker living in Haiti- about the needs children who have experienced abuse have and how to minister to these needs.  Though the program is only in it's infancy, we have already seen AMAZING results (more about the Nanny program in another post soon coming too).  It is good to know there are women who are there regularly building relationships with the children.  Our vision with this program is to pour into the Nannies more and the children less (directly) since the Nannies are the constant in the lives of the children.  Therefore, we have been meeting with the Nannies, hearing their concerns/thoughts/ideas about the children and then trying to support those in a manner we all agree upon. To be honest, He has shown more and more the harm that bringing groups over and over to the orphanage can cause.  Many of these children have been abandoned there by their families that love them but can not provide, so to bring others only to build/break relationships over and over may cause harm emotionally. We believe that it may just be better to visit a few times per year (or not really bring groups at all) and in the meantime really invest in the Nannies so THEY can invest in the children.  This is tougher for us, but the best needs (emotionally) of the children are what needs to be most important- not our selfish desires.  We ask you to pray for guidance for this since we are still not sure what is best overall for the children.  One thing we are certain of though:  God has so much more for these children than to just live at Life is Wealth.  He wants them to have abundant life- not an abundance of things, but an abundance of HIM!  (His love, His forgiveness, His healing)

The needs:  As always- we need your prayers.  Pray that we would continue to follow His lead.  This is an area where emotion can take over.  We need to stay rooted in His truths and desires for the children- not our own emotional ones.  It is easy to become overwhelmed with the stories of abuse from the children or with the many needs WE see at the orphanage (bathrooms, cleaner facilities, more play areas/toys, etc) but honestly, though it is hard to understand and embrace sometimes, THINGS are not going to change Life is Wealth.  In fact, as we often see in Haiti, THINGS can make it worse.  The more they have and the nicer the place is, the more people could want to send their children- thus creating yet more economic orphans.  We must, instead, spend our time on what really matters to these children- their emotional/spiritual needs.  So, we ask for your prayers as we constantly battle between what the children NEED and what we THINK they need.

That being said, there are physical and financial needs at Life is Wealth.  To care for about 70 children requires a lot of funding.  Food is bought regularly and taken to the orphanage (and they are getting food from organizations we have gotten them contracts with) but each load costs about $250 US.  This gets about 2 bags of rice, spaghetti, oil, flour, milk, sugar, beans, etc. (see photo below for a sample).  Twice a month fruit/milk is provided by donations from individuals/groups.  This costs $75 US per delivery and includes a fresh piece of fruit from the market and a large glass of milk. (the children LOVE this day and look forward to it).  We pay the salaries of the Nannies (about $770 per month) and have paid for training for them too.  We also give personal products (especially feminine hygiene products) as they are donated to us along with sheets, towels, clothing, school supplies, etc.... We try to buy as much as possible locally.  First of all, it keeps us from having to ship it to Haiti and secondly, it provides income to those who sell it- thus helping two people (the one selling and the one receiving) so funds are always welcome.

Note:  If you have been moved by this story and feel God asking you to donate toward any of the needs at Life is Wealth, please feel free to do so via our website (www.heartsunitedwithhaiti.org) or send checks to Hearts United with Haiti  PO Box 55  Morgantown, PA 19543.  Mark the donation for Life is Wealth and we will use it accordingly (if you would like it for something specific, mark that as well- ie:  Fruit/Milk, or  Nanny Salary).  Thank you in advance for your generosity to help these children.

PS-- Update on Sarafina and James:  Sarafina is at Life is Wealth, doing well and growing. She was able to reconnect with Emily just this past December after three years apart. James is back with family members in Haiti and awaiting adoption by some great people from California who also met him that summer of 2010 and fell in love with him and another child at that original orphanage.  I got to see him in November and he looks great!  They hope to bring their children home soon.

Here are some random photos of Life is Wealth....

The gate to enter the orphanage dorms.

Me with some of the girls... they LOVE to see photos of my family (or the girls from Mirebalais who used to live with them)

Some of the girls from Life is Wealth

The roof is always a great spot to go and take photos- the view is amazing!

One of the many meals we have provided over the years- always such fun!

Berlando enjoying his fruit - this month:  Mango (he got milk too)

Here is a photo to show the amount of food $250 US will buy- not much for that many children!  Not all food is pictured but a lot of the expense is in those striped bags behind the girls- they contain beans which are more expensive.
  (Also shows some of the girls in uniform.  School/education is provided to all sponsored children)

Another delivery (not all food was shown in the photo with the children above).... this order cost about $220 US 

Some of them LOVE to write to their sponsors (or draw photos)

Ministry Spotlight # 2: Bas-Citronniers....

The story:  Last summer I spoke with a friend of mine who was a builder/architect working in Haiti as he was planning to leave the country and return to the USA (after living in rural Haiti for a few years).  We had casually known one another for about 2.5 years.  During that time, I followed his facebook posts and photos as he worked with local Haitians to build a school and medical center for Respire Haiti as well as a school in a remote area outside Leogane for another organization.  He was finished with building the school and had formed some great friendships with the locals in the year or so it had taken to complete the project so it concerned him that the organization responsible for the project was having some internal struggles and was basically dissolving.  Their main supporter (both financially and personally) was still committed to the people in the community and the recently-built school and was looking for an organization to come alongside as that organization provided in-country mentoring, contacts, and assistance to this community as it began it's walk toward self-sufficiency with the school and future plans they have for themselves.  You see, the school building was complete, the children/teachers were in place and holding classes for a few years, and all was well, BUT when the former organization withdrew their financial resources the community would have been left with no way to sustain what they had worked so diligently to create together.

My friend, Kyle, asked if we would be interested in seeing the community and praying about getting involved with them to walk together toward their goal of independence.  It seemed the perfect fit- especially given our prior involvement in Chaveneau and the lessons we had learned there a few years ago.  Finally a way to use those hurts and lessons to benefit another community!  So, in July 2014, Redgi, Kyle and I went to meet the 3-man committee of local men who have helped design and build the facility that is composed of a school (with 9 classrooms), a storage depot, a general use building (they call it the medical center and hope to offer medical clinics and outreach to their surrounding community in the future), a kitchen (to feed the children of the school), and a building to house the generator/water cistern & pump/etc.

Though you have to drive up a river bed (you hope it is dry at the time or relatively low) for about 30 min. or so to reach this isolated community at the foot of some HUGE mountains because there are no roads into the area, the school and other buildings are very well constructed and modern.  There is a great amount of pride from those who were responsible for design and construction as there should be!  One of the men has even used some of the techniques he learned when working on his own house this past spring and was quick to show off his work!  This community is a perfect example of TEACHING a community and them grasping that teaching to move forward.

So, ...... our role?  We have been blessed with financial backing (in the form of a grant from that supporter committed to seeing this community move forward) for this school year to cover the operating costs- teacher salaries, food for the children (one meal daily), school supplies, etc.  During that time we have been working with the community leaders to develop a business plan.  The goal is that they form some sort of business that will be able to use the profits to off-set the operating costs for the school.  This way they can continue to offer education to the community at a very low fee since most of the area is extremely poor and can not afford to educate their children. Of course, a side benefit would be job creation- not only for the teachers but others in the community as this business grows in the future.  So, we have been meeting monthly (at least) to brainstorm ideas for how they can start a business, what that looks like legally in Haiti, what the market is for items they would like to sell among other logistics for the business, etc.  These are VERY motivated community leaders and they have already proven to Kyle (and now to us) that they are willing to put in the work/effort to make this successful.

We are halfway through the school year and already they have had meetings with the Dept. of Education in Haiti to get the school registered and official.  They are just waiting on some papers and official notification.  They have modified the old school budget to work with the amount of money we were granted- having to make some difficult choices about items NEEDED vs. items WANTED.  They have done research on feasibility of a business they are thinking about starting, the market for that "product", what expenses they would have, etc. and they are soon ready to make a formal proposal so that we can assist them as they seek financial backing.  And, they have dealt with remaining issues regarding land deeds, foundation status in Haiti, etc.  We have all grown and learned many lessons already together about what a "well-intentioned project poorly managed" can look like.

We believe very strongly in this community and the success of this project and are very excited to see where the future leads them.  They, themselves, have stated that they "want to be an example to other communities in Haiti that it IS POSSIBLE to be independent of foreign assistance".

The vision:  This was pretty much stated in the summary above, however, I must confess that I am very excited too that the area is virtually unchurched.  Voodou is practiced openly but when asked about a church in the area the committee told me that there are none nearby.  So, part of the vision includes introducing these wonderful people to Jesus Christ which we were able to do a bit on Dec. 19th when we attended their school Christmas/Holiday party.  I was able to pass out candy canes and tell the story of Jesus through them by reading a book about the candy cane (ie:  shaped like a "J" for Jesus,  red/white because through his blood/red we are forgiven/white,  etc...).  We are so excited to continue building relationships with those in the community who are fast becoming friends.

The needs:  First of all, we welcome your prayers as we proceed.  Starting a business in Haiti is challenging and the market is difficult for products unless you can find a niche not being served.  The committee is having difficulty coming up with any unique ideas but instead keeps coming up with ideas for things that have already been done by others in the area so we are not sure their market analysis is very accurate.  This is typical in Haiti and is seen even among the street vendors who all paint the same paintings (because they have seen a certain style sell in the past) or the many people that start "professional schools" because others have been successful but now there is virtually one on every corner in Carrefour so attendance is very low.

Secondly, when a business is decided upon we will need to help the committee secure financial backing.  They have the motivation.  They have the work ethic.  By then, they will have the business plan.  BUT, they do not have capital or connections with those who do.  We are not sure whether this will be in the form of grants to them or loans but probably will be a mixture of both.  It would be difficult for them to form a new business and expect profits to both support a school and repay loans.  There simply won't be that much profit margin at first.  So, we would like to help them start the business, get them going  and then let them manage it.

** Though we were not looking for "one more ministry" to add to our list, we truly believe God brought this to us and so far it is seeming like the perfect fit for all parties involved.  Here are some photos from this amazing community.  Again, if you were touched by this idea or would like to support this ministry, you can send donations through our website (there is a donate page) or via regular mail.  Donations are tax-deductible.  Mark the donation for Bas-Citronniers and spread the word about the wonderful things going on in Haiti.

The school and other buildings - seen in the distance as you drive up the river

The committee of men committed to this project.  

The kitchen where a meal is made for all 120 children daily by a staff (paid) of two women- providing jobs!  

The opposite view as the first photo- from the top of the mountain looking toward the river we drive up to access the community.  The roof and building were all done under Kyle's direction and teaching, but used mostly local materials and labor.  

A view of the "medical center".... 

The school building- all the classrooms but the office open into this courtyard.  Future plans include leveling this area so the children can play here.  

The side of the school (kitchen in the front-right and school behind that)

Ministry Spotlight # 1: Mirebalais....

So, as we begin a new year I am going to try to highlight the different ministries God has called us to in Haiti and tell a little about each one.  (the story, the vision, the needs)

MIREBALAIS-

The story:  When Son of God orphanage was closed down the orphans were split (boys/girls) by Haitian Social Services (IBESR).  Their goal besides moving them to safe locations was to find their families because many were obtained by illegal means and, if possible, work toward reunification.  Of the 37 girls who were originally sent to Life is Wealth Orphanage in Port au Prince they were able to relocate 17 of them with family members.  Five of these girls were members of the Marcial family, were cousins of one another and lived in the mountains outside Mirebalais.  In the summer of 2012 they were moved back home and IBESR paid for schooling and gave a food stipend for the first year. The girls themselves contacted us to let us know of their relocation and during that first year we just visited a few times and got to know the families well (two different families). When IBESR stopped visiting we used some of our "orphan feeding" funds and the donations of others to continue ministry with them- committing to paying their school fees as long as they progress, working on a merit program so they could earn goats for each family (which both did) and currently, working with the girls themselves to help them earn money (both for spending and saving).  Over the past two years we have traveled to visit them many times and built quite a relationship with the families there and the girls.  Some of them have taken advantage of what we have offered (a "hand up") and are really doing well.  Others have chosen to reject our involvement because they were only looking for a "hand out" which we do not do.  We will not be part of the ongoing cycle of dependency many have created in Haiti, so though we remain friendly with those few, we no longer offer them any incentives or assistance.  Though this type of "tough love" is difficult, it is necessary and they totally understand.  That is not to say that they are exempt from future incentives and they are quickly learning that involvement with us will require work, but will be beneficial as one of the girls has not only raised her initial goat (for the family) but has bred it twice now and has FIVE goats currently.  She has also used funds earned from the bracelet program to purchase 10 chickens for the family.  They get eggs from the chickens- a great source of much-needed protein.

Many of you have followed the story of these girls from the beginning.  Their lives are a true reflection of resilience and perseverance through very difficult circumstances.  They are thriving and growing and two of them were soooo excited this past summer to present their certificates proving that they passed the Haitian National Exam given at the end of 6th grade.  MANY in the countryside never make it to this point in their education- especially girls.  What a milestone!!  And, their teachers say that they are doing really well in 7th grade now too.

Spiritually, they are strong women of faith.  We always get to share how God is working in their lives, pray with them and spend time in fellowship together.  It is always a time I cherish and I do my best to get to see them EVERY trip.  I honestly see some of them working with our ministry some day in some capacity.  For now, they are "my Haitian daughters" and I couldn't be more proud of the women they are growing to be!

The vision:  God has given us the vision to see these girls all the way through their schooling and to continue to provide the funds to pay for books, uniforms, tuition, exams, school supplies, backpacks, shoes, etc..... God has also given us the vision for starting (and now continuing) the "Bracelets of Promise" program where they make friendship bracelets to sell to foreigners- thus earning some spending money and starting a savings plan.  They currently have between $50 and $150 US in their savings accounts- depending on the girl.

One of the girls is a mother now and has had to drop out of school.  We are praying she can return but for now we are working with her on parenting and teaching her skills/tips that will, hopefully, break the cycle of creating economic orphans. She now has the opportunity to provide for her daughter through bracelet making (and hopefully other means in the future).

We also believe we can provide consistency in their lives, expose them to things they would perhaps not have the opportunity to experience, and to continue to pour into their lives spiritually.  We have taken a few groups out to meet them and all agree that the love of Jesus SHINES in these young women.

The needs:  The needs for this ministry we have are mostly financial, however, we are also potentially looking to help with a construction project in the future (not yet sure what that looks like- we are still praying).  We use funds in this category mostly for school needs/expenses but sometimes purchase food or other items for the homes.  This spring/summer we are planning to provide some seeds for gardening and, hopefully, teach canning so that they can preserve some of the vegetables/fruits when in season.  We also need people to promote the sale of bracelets (take a bunch to sell to family/friends) which, in turn, will help them raise more money for themselves and help them become more independent.

If this is a ministry that appeals to your heart and you would like to invest your support in this ministry, you can donate funds online from our website (www.heartsunitedwithhaiti.org-  "donate" page) or you can send a check/money order to Hearts United with Haiti  PO Box 55, Morgantown, PA 19543.  Mark your donation for "Mirebalais" and we will put it with the donations of others.  When needs arise we will draw from this account to keep this worthwhile and life-changing ministry moving forward.  Thank you!

(here are some photos from the past year or so- of the girls, their houses, the goats, the baby, etc)

The momma goat with her second set of babies!  (just born the beginning of January 2015)

Baby Melantchy- born Sept. 18, 2014

Marie-Joline standing outside their home in the mountainside.  

Me with three of the older girls....

Some of the first bracelets. They have gotten MUCH better since then, but they are still pretty here.  

More bracelets from the first batch

Mimose showing off her certificate.  We even got them laminated for the girls so they will never get ruined from the weather since the houses are mud.  Something to keep and be proud of for sure!

My special Christmas gift...

Sooooo I am REALLY late posting this (and a lot of things since I was in Haiti the past month) but I wanted to sincerely THANK everyone who contributed a letter/note to put into the amazing book that Ally Weaver & Jenny Freebern presented to me this past Christmas in Haiti. It seriously took me days to read it because of all the emotions each letter and kind word evoked. Many of you know I have been personally struggling  lately emotionally so your kind words and encouragement were like medicine to my heart and my soul. The physical and emotional toll of the ministry from the past five years has been catching up with me and I am hoping to soon take a much needed respite. 

God has truly blessed me through the people I have met through Hearts United and I am humbled beyond belief by this incredible outpouring of love from so many of you. (even if you were unable to personally contribute know that I appreciate the prayers and encouragement many of you have given me the past few months and over the years)

The book created will be cherished and read for years to come!! Thank you just doesnt seem adequate but it is very sincere. God bless and thanks again to Ally/Jenny for putting this surprise together. It was the perfect idea and I love you both beyond words!!

The front cover of the book-a collection of notes/letters from a random sampling of past trip participants with Hearts United! 

Inside of the book-a sample of a two page spread. 

Another sample of the inside pages. They did SUCH a great job selecting just the right photos to go with each note/letter. 

Baby Girl

One of the ministries we often do with teams is go to the Pediatric ward of the General Hospital in Port au Prince and pray with the parents/children there.  Though it is not the best medical care in Haiti, the hospital itself (and the care of the doctors) is free so it is usually full of people who are desperate for medical care yet financially in a very tough situation.  Sure, there are better medical facilities in Port au Prince- especially ones with more resources available to patients, but they are often costly which means unavailable to many people in need of quality care. Patients at the General Hospital must provide EVERYTHING needed for care- IV's, needles, bandages, antiseptic, medicine, testing (often outside the hospital), food, sheets for the bed, etc....  so parents often welcome the distraction we bring when we play with the children or hold them.  We have built relationships with some children/families there (some up to 2 years in the hospital) and the staff too.  

Back on Friday, January 3rd we went with a team to the ward. We stayed about 2 hours and as we were leaving a mother was admitting a baby.  She was one of the tiniest babies I had ever seen but had a HUGE belly.  She was obviously dehydrated with wrinkled skin that you could almost see through.  Though the care at General is the best they can do with limited funding and resources we knew instantly that the chances for survival of this baby would be greatly increased if we were to get her to a place that could offer her better medical care.  So, we prayed with the mother and left her there - with no promises to return or assist in any way yet immediately I began to call a few people I know (or know of) to see where we could get the baby seen.  After a few places connecting me with others we were able to call the mother and offer to help by moving the baby to a better hospital across town where we had a doctor waiting to admit her and do an evaluation.  We also have a nutrition clinic (Real Hope for Haiti) willing to take her later when her medical issues are under control.

So..... off we went!  An entire team in the bus with the mother (once we tracked her down- another story) off to Bernard Mevs hospital which is the University of Miami field hospital I was able to take someone to in July 2010.  It is a small (50 beds) hospital and offers better care than most in the area- often with visiting physicians or teams from the USA.

To keep this short, let's just say that the baby was evaluated and admitted.  They said she had severe anemia, dehydration and malnutrition.  The plan is to get her stable medically (hydrated, blood transfusion, etc),find why the belly is so distended, and then deal with whatever is needed to fix the problem causing the medical issues.  We have kept in touch with the medical staff at the hospital as well as the mom and so far they were able to get the swelling in the belly to go down off and on, able to get her better hydrated, and now (today) Redgi and I will take her to get an ultrasound.  Tuesday morning he took them for bloodwork.  The hospital doesn't have the lab or an ultrasound machine so this means taking the mom/baby and driving them to a clinic, waiting in a LONG line (most likely) and then getting the testing done.

We have committed to helping with the medical bills for this little one- knowing that God doesn't make mistakes and that we were there at the hospital for a reason (which we believe was to help her find better medical care and to give her a better chance for survival).  So far the total has been about $75 US but the hospital is keeping a "tab" that we will receive once treatment is completed.  We are setting up a fund for donations toward these expenses and will keep you all posted as she progresses or as we get a plan together for care.  If you feel led to give toward the expenses for this mom/baby you can go online and donate from our website (there's a donate tab on the home page- www.heartsunitedwithhaiti.org) or you can send checks to Hearts United with Haiti  PO Box 55 Morgantown, PA 19543.  All donations are tax deductible since we are a registered 501c3 organization with the IRS.

Here are some photos of little "Baby Girl" (she does not yet have a name from her parents)  She is one month old- born Dec. 3, 2014.  Mom is 43 years old and it is her third child. They live in Fontamara which is not far from our mission base. Baby Girl weighed about 4 pounds when admitted and is a little fighter.  Prayers for this sweet little one are much appreciated.  These photos are some of the more mild ones but you can clearly see how sick she is.

When admitted- this shows her belly a bit and how wrinkled/dehydrated she was.

Close up upon admission....

Five days later- still very serious but a little "plumper" from being re-hydrated.  The belly has gone down a lot but from what the mom/doctor said it goes up and down intermittently.  

Close up of her sweet face. She still has a LONG way to go!  (By the way- not sure about the spots on her face.  Her mom thinks they are mosquito bites but I think they are little bruises from holding her head when they were trying to get an IV into her at the general hospital)

Photos from Jan 6

Here are a few photos from Yesterday. The girls went to the maternity hospital while the guys stayed back to paint another coat at the old base and put together another bunk bed here at the base. In the afternoon it was a return visit to the pediatric wing of the general hospitsl and to the orphanage. Had final debrief last night too-always sad. 

First Osei tried on a donated skirt-lol (a little morning entertainment)

We took a public tap tap to the hospital with Astreede. 

Hannah got to do wound care and dressing changes--so did some others with no medical training. But, they were more than willing to pitch in and assist. 

Examining an x-ray at the general hospital...

Praying with patients...

Pediatric ward....

Fun times in the car...

The new idea in action... Handptints on a board so they can come with us wherever we go in the future!! (the board will be screwed into the wall later and at the end of 2015 we will varnish to protect it or something)

God's been doing work...

     This morning we went to the Maternity Hospital.  Last year, and this year I’ve avoided going out with the med. students. I worried that I wouldn’t be able to contribute much in a hospital environment, so this was my first visit to the Maternity Hospital. We started by walking through and praying with some of the new mothers and some who were going into labor. It was awesome to spend time talking to God with the new moms, they were just beaming with joy for their new babies. One of the women we met there had just become an aunt. She was so excited for her sister and her new niece that she went up and down the halls proclaiming “God is good!” She even stopped to pray with different families and helped some of the moms in labor. It was really encouraging to see.

     We went down to the first floor, where there was a small urgent care room. Hannah put on some gloves and began working with some of the other nurses while Kelsey and I sat down to watch. After a few minutes a head nurse snapped her fingers at us and told us to get to work. We tried explaining to her that we weren’t med. students but I don’t think she understood because she handed us a box of gloves.       

     Kelsey and I looked at each other like “oh my gosh! I have no idea what I’m about to do!” but we got in there and tried to help as much as we could! I helped change some bandages and cleaned some cuts. Then a little girl with a big gash on her head came in. A nurse handed me some gauze and something to clean the wound. Thankfully I wasn’t asked to help with stitches, but I held her hands as they sewed her up. The poor girl was so scared, she had a death grip! I’m really thankful that I decided to go to the hospital today. It reminded me how important it is to be willing to go when God calls. Even when I doubt myself, if I can trust in God, he will use me.

     Over this last year, I feel like I have hardened my heart towards people. I’ve had a hard time allowing myself to let my heart be open to loving. I think that God started working on opening it up this week. We went to the Pediatric Hospital again today. Here, it isn’t uncommon for children to be abandoned at the hospital because parents can’t afford to take care of them. We spent a lot of time with those kids today. We also got to go to the Life is Wealth Orphanage again.  I genuinely fell in love with these kids. I was compelled to let some of my walls down and just give as much as I could. I know that that might not seem like much, since I won’t see them for another year and it might not be hard to love a bunch a kids. For me though, spending this week with them has been such a great reminder to me that giving myself can be one of the greatest blessings that God has for us.

     God has worked on all of us in many more ways this week, and in ways I’m sure we’re all still processing. Osei is telling me that since I’m writing the last blog, that I have to summarize the whole trip. That’s just too much… but I am really thankful for God’s presence here. I can see so much progress in this city, over just a year. It’s awesome to be back here again and continue building relationships in different parts of the community. God is working here and I’m so thankful that he has allowed me and the team to be a small part of his work.

       -Renee Wubbenhorst

                Hebrews 12:1-2 

Monday (Jan. 5) ministry

Today, our team had the opportunity to observe a children’s clinic. This organization reaches out to local communities and provides nutrition for malnourished children. Crystal and Hannah stayed and helped, while a group of us went on a prayer walk in the community. A prayer walk really creates opportunities to encourage leaders and many others. God really does work through these encounters; there are no accidents or coincidences. This forced me out of my comfort zone, but the people we asked to pray with were so receptive. My group spent time talking to a handful of children; who mostly asked for us to pray for good grades in school and after sang Papa Abraham to us. It was a really sweet experience. This trip has been a turning point for me in my life. Having ten days completely devoted to serving others and spending time with the Lord has really shown me that He has to be my top priority. I’ve been distracted and I have been placing my relationship with God on the backburner, but no relationship can grow if you’re not putting forth an effort I’ve learned. I’m so grateful to have met such wonderful people. Absolutely love Haiti!  - Amanda

Monday...

We will blog later today but today the group went to a medical clinic (nutrition). Some did a prayer walk by the clinic snd then went back to the base to paint at our old base. It was a great day!! Now they are out at the grocery store shopping for items to bring home. 

Nutrition clinic

Weighing children on a scale suspended from the rafters. 

So sad to see the handprints go at the old base.