Nou swete nou yon jwaye Nowèl!
We wish you a Merry Christmas!
Dear Friends,
In two days we celebrate the biggest holiday of the year – Christmas. My thoughts go back reflecting over the year 2017 and all that has been accomplished in 2017… all the lives that have been touched because we serve a big God.
January – Joel Madson (Global Training Network) came once again to work with men in discipleship and leadership training. We also had Francy Ogle (Global Training Network) work with the women who walk down from the mountains and learn about the principles of the Bible. We sponsored our fifth outreach sharing the love of Jesus with about 2,000 people in the center of Dessalines in the park. Someone speaks each night for a week, with Jerry Prior and Joel Madson sharing also. Many come filling the large park area, worshiping together and praising our Lord Jesus. We will repeat the teaching and outreach again the second week of January 2018 with Joel and Jerry returning. We also held a medical clinic and saw hundreds of patients. Thank you Dr. Tim and team.
February/March – An adventurous team hiked once again into the mountainous area of Kawo. We updated over 200 kids pictures and information for our sponsorship program. Susie worked with women teaching them how to make a quilt, which was completed and given to a widow. This year they want to make three quilts! We hiked to another small church in Selio on Sunday morning and shared worship with them. We were the ones who were greatly blessed by their hospitality and kindness. We are looking for people to come with us again February 19-28, 2018. Interested?
April – Pastor Louinet took all the parents of the kids in the school to the beach. Can you imagine? Many had never been to the beach only 1 1/2 hours away from the school. What a treat!
June – Pastor Louinet organized the state testing of all the kids in the school. If a child doesn’t pass he doesn’t move on to the next grade. Pastor also arranged a trip to the beach for the entire school. Four large old school buses filled with boys and girls and chaperones. With over 400 kids the excitement was electric.
July – School is finished and now camp for the young people in Henri, Haiti. Young people in Haiti are from 12 years to 40 years (if not married). This was an exciting time of teaching, singing, and ga.mes. Our kids look forward to this every year.
August – Pastor Louinet begins planning for the coming year of school. This year we added 10th grade which means we bring in more teachers and the cost goes up. After 9th grade many kids quit school as their parents can’t afford a continuing education. By adding 10th grade we allow students to continue in our school if they pass their yearly exams. Scores are added up and averaged to show a passing score.
September – School began once again. This year we have over 623 children in the school in Nan wo and about 300 in the mountains in Kawo. We are bursting at the seams. Remember those new classrooms that we built? 7th grade has 134 children in their class. I’m sure no American teacher can imagine. In January we are splitting that class and hirering more teachers
November – Back to Haiti we went to update information and take pictures for 600+ kids. Thank you to a great team, as we were able to accomplish this, plus other things.
December – Jwaye Nöel! Celebration of the birth of Jesus. There will be long church services, potlucks and gatherings at our church in Nan wo celebrating together as a community.
All of this would not be possible without your help. We who volunteer and work with Hope in Haiti continue to be blessed by your generousity and faithfulness. Celebrate with us this season the gift that God gave all the world. Because of God’s love we desire to share our lives and our abundance with others. In sponsoring a child, donating money, donating gifts, coming on a trip, or praying – you are partnering with us to spread Christ’s love in rural areas of Haiti.
Jwaye Nöel
Dixie
Hope in Haiti
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