Library
My excitement over the completion of the new library is beyond containment. To see the teachers and students embrace this new resource is totally exhilarating! Right away, one of our high school teachers brought his class to the library to read and then have discussion about what they read. This may sound very basic to you, but it’s not the normal teaching method here. But, today is a new day in education at MOHI!!!
Asson, Stanley and Anderson are the first of many students who will sit at this table with a book.
The library is the most popular spot in the school!
Veloude hopes to study law after she graduates high school this coming June.
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Library For All
Jessica Cordero, programs and operations officer at Library For All
We had a meeting yesterday with Jessica from Library For All. This organization is partnering with publishers to create a collection of ebooks in Haitian Creole, as well as French and English. Yhese books are age appropriate and many are culturally relevent to our students here in Haiti. Library For All provides teacher training and they collect analytics data to measure impact. Creole books are particularly difficult to find, but they have over 300 of them available through their app. To help cover their costs (purchasing rights to books, administration, training, etc.) they charge $3 per student (up to $600 total) per year. We would love to hear your thoughts about this project, as we prayerfully consider moving forward.
Hurricane Joaquin
While Hurrican Joaquin did not hit Haiti directly, apparently those outer bands packed a real punch. Since we found September extremely warm this year, the cloudiness that came with Joaquin was quite welcome. We has one day of very high surf which actually brought ocean water right into our yard one morning. We had on and off rain for a couple of days, but not enough to cause flooding or crop damage. All the way on the southern tip of the southern peninsula, however, Dame Marie was not faring as well. The ocean pounded away at a sea wall, causing it to collapse into the ocean. It is my understanding that several homes were wiped out as a result. We thank God there were no injuries reported.
Hurricane Joaquin destroyed parts of this sea wall, causing several homes in Dame Marie to be swept away by the ocean.
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Medical Clinic
I remember several years ago becoming ill while we were in Massachusetts. I made a doctor’s appointment, but my regular doctor was not available. Another doctor in the same office examined me and ordered tests. All the test results came back normal. The doctor told me there was nothing wrong with me. I suppose he figured I was imagining and being dramatic. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper. A few days later, still feeling very ill, I was able to get an appointment with my regular doctor. He treated me as the “old friend” that I am, asked me lots of questions, ordered more tests and was able to give me a diagnosis of Mono the next day. Had the first doctor “known” me, he would have known that something was definitely wrong.
One of the biggest difficulties I see for people here in Haiti, is getting a diagnosis. They go from hospital to hospital, clinic to clinic, herbalist to herbalist, just hoping someone will get it right.
At the Mission of Hope International clinic, people with chronic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes and sickle cell anemia, not only have access to a clinic, but they are now KNOWN at their clinic. Our doctors know what is normal for each patient and they can more easily identify issues when they come up.
We also have incredible resources that we can call on when we see something unusual. Because we use electronic medical records, doctors and specialists from Bless Back Worldwide are able to look at a patients chart and discuss the case with our local doctors.
Our medical clinic paid and volunteer staff work well together
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The Need is Real
We are in desperate need of monthly sponsors to keep this medical facility functioning. Our partners at Bless Back Worldwide provide many of the regular medications for our patients, but salaries and internet costs still need to be paid monthly. Would you help us to fill this need? We need to raise an additional $1,675 per month in sponsorships to make this work.
Please join with us. You can help by making a monthly donation of $50, $25 or even $10. If you appreciate the ministry of the clinic, please be a part of it. We just can’t do it alone, but with the help of other compassionate people like you, this important ministry will continue.
Donations of Goods
We have some great churches and organizations that support and partner with us in the work MOHI is doing in Haiti. We are grateful for each and every one of them!!! Some of them, like World Wide Lighthouse Ministries (Manchester, CT), support not only financially, but also by shipping goods to us. They ship us 12 barrels every 3-4 months, full of items to distribute to the needy, as well as supplies to keep the mission functioning. A heartfelt thanks goes out to Pastor Kalinsky and all those who make this shipment from Manchester to Haiti possible.
Marie Ange sorting and folding donated clothing. We’re so grateful to the World Wide Lighthouse Missions for gathering and shipping supplies to us several times per year.
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Thozin Church
Sunday mornings are always great fun for me. I look forward to seeing my “babies” (like Faith, Glory, Nelthon and Jennifer to name just a few!) and getting hugs in with my “old lady” friends. (Most are my age. We’re only old in years by comparison to all the kids around us, but we remain young in mind and spirit!) I enjoy embarrassing people, too. Like this morning, when my husband was asking people to stand up and say good morning to someone, shake their hand, smile… and there are rows of people sitting with sour looks on their faces. THOSE are the people I love going to say good morning to. By the time I’m done with them, they’re ALL smiling! Obviously, I don’t care so much about my own image. I’d rather remind folks that it’s GOOD to be alive! After all, we need to encourage each other. Otherwise we’d all just sit home and listen to a good podcast!
The drummer’s perspective
Associate pastors in Thozin
Pastor Edon and the worship team praying
The worship was sweet as Pastor Lex prepared to bring this morning’s message.
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Paul
I’m sure I’ve told you about Paul before, but I’d like to tell you again. Paul has been working at MOHI since we first began in March 2000. He didn’t have the privilege of going to school. He has a LOT of children. He raises animals and crops on the side. Paul is as close to indispensable to us at MOHI as is possible. Paul works hard and doesn’t hide when the toilet is clogged or someone has strategically placed a (stinky!) dead dog near the campus. He helps out the women in the school kitchen. He serves food to the students. He makes us aware of sick people that would really benefit from some Kids Against Hunger food. He then brings it to them, prays and makes them smile. His youngest child just started first grade. She is intelligent, witty and SPUNKY! Paul loves Jesus. He is positively impacting his own children, our school children and all of us here at MOHI. We thank Jesus for Paul!!!
Each student waits patiently for their food.
Paul works hard to serve food to all of our students in Thozin.
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Preschool
Madame Jennifer works with our first year preschool students. It’s not easy to handle a bunch of three year olds who want their mommies! When the volume in her classroom starts to go up, I always expect to see a look of frustration or at least exhaustion, but I don’t know that I’ve EVER seen Jennifer like that. She so loves her students and works hard to help each one of them succeed.
Our newest preschool students (3 year olds) are trying their hands at building blocks and play dough.
Thank you for reading this update. Please remember us in prayer as we continue ministering to the needs (spirit, soul, and body) of our neighbors here in Haiti!