Monday, June 27, 2016

Say a Prayer

Good Morning!  Just a quick note to ask you to pray for our young people and friends who are writing the difficult government exams to finish High School this week.  They have studied hard -- now it's time to write.  They have several difficult days ahead of them and I know they'd really appreciate your prayers.  Here's the list... Rosnel, Joseph, Stevenson, Dieujuste, Obed, Wilkens, Junior, Marie Claire, Dada and Manno.

Continue to pray for Lyse who is not doing well.  They took her to Port-au-Prince to have more tests done, but it doesn't look like anything can be done for her in Haiti.  They suggested that maybe in the US she could be helped.  I hope to find out more details on my trip down in a couple of weeks.

We appreciate your support in so many ways -- thank you for your prayers.  Have a great week!

Wednesday, June 01, 2016

Mother's day Appreciation Party

Mother's Day in Haiti is on the last Sunday of the month of May, and our kids just love putting on an appreciation party for all their "mom's".  Linda always works very hard teaching the kids songs and helping them prepare food. a program and gifts to make them feel special.  This year the kids made up some special T-shirts to give them...
 
 The "Mom's" of the HOH
These ladies all work in different capacities to assure that our children and young people are well taken care of.  From cooking, to laundry to child care they work have worked for many years to make the HOH a home for the kids.  Some of these ladies have been working at the HOH for over 30 years! We are very thankful for the work these ladies do; they are an important part of our team.

On days like today we are reminded of just how crucial the work of the HOH is and how essential it is to have all of the staff involved.  Early this morning an 11 year old boy named Simon was brought to us.  Once you see his picture, I know you are going to say to yourselves, Jenny has made a big typing error in the actual age of this child.  But Linda says he talks like an 11 year old and that is indeed the age given us by his family.
When we say family we mean his siblings.  They have lost both of their parents and are left to fend for themselves while living as extras at an uncle's house who barely gets by with his own family. This  picture is just a glimpse of what that has meant over the years.  Long-term malnutrition, stunted growth and now an amputated arm.  

A month ago, it was mango season in his area of Haiti and often during that season; mangoes are the only food children like Simon get to eat.  Sometimes you can wait for them to fall out of the tree -- but not most times.  Hunger drove Simon to decide to climb up to get a mango but he slipped and fell out of the tree.  In the fall, he broke his arm; having no money to take him to the hospital, his family wrapped it in banana leaves left it to heal on it's own.  

But it didn't.  Infection set in, and in the end had to be amputated to save his life.

The trauma has been very difficult for Simon and he is having a hard time accepting this most recent crisis in his life.  He begged the doctors to not cut off his arm.  He cried and said he knew how difficult life was with two hands, how could he survive with one.

Enter the HOH.  We've been here many times before.  At the HOH Simon can learn how to accept,  live with and even thrive in spit of his disabilities.  Here he can find hope, love, learn to smile again and hear the Good News of hope in Jesus.  Stay tuned for some dramatically different pictures in the weeks and months ahead.  

We know we are able to bring hope to kids like Simon only with the help of partners like you who help out in so many different ways.  Your financial and material donations together with your prayers on our behalf enable us to care for these children with whatever needs they might have.  

A big thank you to everyone who answered our call for some clothes, we look forward to getting them down to the kids and being used.  Please continue to pray for:
  • Lyse, she is once again not doing well at all.  This long journey is taking a toll on her little body and on the spirits of her mom and dad.  Please keep them in your prayers.
  • Our students will soon be writing their final exams and preparing for the government exams.  They'd really appreciate your prayers for them.
  • Linda always has many things happening all at the same time.  She could use your prayers for wisdom and health for the everyday events that can bring her stress.  Lately, with major rains it's been difficult for her to find charcoal to make the food, food prices continue to rise as the rains make the roads difficult to travel on, and the boat that often brings in food donations from Miami has been in dry dock!  So she's had to be creative in keeping things going -- she does a great job and your prayers and encouragement would make a big difference.
  • Finances as always are a big stress point for us.  Pray for this provision for us.
  • I am working on the camp lessons, projects and activities for this coming summer.  I plan to head to Haiti in July and spend a couple of weeks at the HOH.  I'd love your prayers for all these little details to come together.
Thanks for the part you play in this special place!