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An update on the works of the Haiti Education Foundation, Inc.
in St. Matthias Parish, Haiti |
|
Volume 12 No. 2 |
Homepage: www.haitifoundation.org |
Email: franland@ipa.net |
September 2004 |
School in St. Matthias Parish Begins September 6
This is an exciting time in St. Matthias Parish. Children will leave home at 4 a.m. September 6 to arrive at
school in time to enroll for the fall term. YOUR GIFTS are THERE!! They greet these children with the message, "GOD
has NOT FORGOTTEN YOU!!"
[Photo Caption:] Julianie will attend the first grade because a friend in Brooklyn, NY gave a scholarship and paid all extra
expenses for the school year. A friend in Hot Springs Village gave $10, which will provide her a glass of milk each morning
during the school year.
[Photo Caption:] Raymond will attend high school at St. Joseph D'Aramate. He hopes to attend college in Port-au-Prince
after graduation.
Faith Mountain
Goal: 12,750 scholarships at $55 per child per year
Education has opened the door for more than 12,000 children living in St. Matthias Parish of Haiti. YOU
continue to open this door each year as you provide scholarships for children seeking an education.
Thanks for making a difference!
Frances Landers
School = Hope
Thank You
A Hand Up — Not a Hand Out
The Story of Nicolas Michael
By Pere Albert
Nicolas Michael is from a poor family in Cherident Grande-Colline. His mother's name is Amarante and his father's name
is Elarion Nicolas. He has four brothers and two sisters. His parents were so poor that they could not afford to send him
to a good school. There was at that time a little school in St. Matthias Parish which was not a good one. They put him there
because it was not expensive. The principal of that school didn't know how to teach kids. The teachers were so
unqualified that they didn't know how to follow the national education program.
There was much confusion at that school when I came to the parish in 1989. I gave all the kids an exam to show where
they needed to be placed in school. Michael was placed in a third grade class. He had spent six years in that school and
couldn't say what grade he was in. At that time, Michael was 12 years old. If I didn't happen upon him, he would finish
grammar school at a time that nobody knows.
Thanks to God, after I placed him in third grade, he finished grammar school at age 15. He spent six years in high
school at Cherident Grande-Colline and one year in Port-au-Prince to finish high school in 2000. With the help of the Haiti
Education Foundation, he has already spent four years in college studying Agronomy. He will receive his diploma next year.
He plans to spend some time working with Floresta in Cherident. That is what we would like to realize in our education
program. Educate the kids until they are able to come back to work for the improvement of their village.
Many thanks to you who have given! Please ask yourselves this question: If God didn't put that love in your heart to
be able to do what you are doing in Haiti, what kind of man would Michael be? Maybe a hopeless one using drugs to forget
his sins. Only God knows.
Operation: Reaching Higher
Dear Ones,
The story on the previous page is shared with you to illustrate the need in Ste. Matthias Parish, Haiti, for a college
support program called OPERATION: REACHING HIGHER.
For the past 14 years, HEF has established and supported a total of 38 schools. These facilities provide education
from kindergarten through high school and also vocational training for their students. Many of the high school graduates
wish to continue their education at the universities located in Port-au-Prince. Support has been provided for some of these
young people in order for them to gain an education and then return to their homes and work for the improvement of their
village.
Fortunately, the numbers of graduates desiring to reach higher is increasing. Père Albert says, "We have so
many teenagers waiting for help to go to college - and they seem not to tire of bothering me for 'assistance'." How
exciting!
Père Albert and I have developed a plan to provide educational opportunities to these young people:
Operation: Reaching Higher.
- Tuition: $2,000/student/year
This includes books and materials
- Shelter: $35,000 dorm in Léogane
Construction will begin this school year. $30,000 has been obtained through a grant
- Transportation: $31,500 for purchase of TAP-TAP to provide transportation to and from Port-au-Prince. This Tap-Tap
will also be used for public transportation to generate income for food, dorm upkeep and maintenance.
The success of Operation: Reaching Higher depends on all of us. Stand with us as we give a hand up to these young
people. Let us work together to support them so they may return to their villages and make a difference.
Frances
Inspiration of the Spirit
Dear Mrs. Landers,
My husband and I are the Jr. High Sunday School teachers at Southminster Presbyterian Church. You came and spoke with
us a few years ago, and I have not been able to get those pictures of the children in Haiti out of my head since.
Last fall, when I became the Jr. High teacher (it was my first time teaching), I wanted to do something with the kids
that they would remember for the rest of their lives. I wanted to teach them about discipleship. One night as I lay in bed
praying for inspiration, your visit popped into my mind. I knew I had found the project for my class.
The next four months, the eight students in Jr. High worked like I never expected. We set our goal at $500. The kids
had bake sales, washed cars, sold donuts and put up donation jars all around town. In the end, we came up just short of our
goal but we learned the joy of working hard for a cause we believe in.
We are sending this money with our prayers and gratitude to you and your organization. I will always treasure the year
I spent on this project and, most importantly, I know the kids will too.
Sincerely,
Julie Anderson
Helping Hands Produce Smiles of Hope
Severe flooding in Haiti not only left many without homes, crops, or animals, but destroyed two schools. Learning of
the devastation to more than 100 families in St. Matthias Parish, a newsletter was immediately assembled and mailed. WOW!
What a great response! How wonderful to see the power of Almighty God work through so many across the United States. Your
willingness to help has restored hope to 100+ families. Père Albert says, "We praise the Lord for the work he does
through you to bring love to His lambs in distress."
Haiti Education Foundation was able to immediately send the money you sent to help the families in distress. Père
Albert relays this story:
The money sent to help some people who were victims of the floods in the southeastern part of Haiti is history to
tell. The last time I had a meeting with 100 families to discuss with them how we were going to share the $3,000 and how
they were going to spend what they would be receiving was a real dilemma for each one of them. In the mountains, there are
two activities people would like to do to be able to gain their life: growing crops and raising animals. They couldn't do
both with $30 and both had been damaged by the flood. I told them at that time that I didn't have more money, try to choose
one and leave the other in God's hands. I didn't know you were going to send the other $3,000 for them. When I did receive
it, I was very glad and I praised the Lord. You can't imagine how those people were happy when they were aware of that gift
which had been sent for them. They took the decision to complete their activity. Only God knows how to reward all of you
for what He is doing through you for all his lambs in Haiti.
Note: Additional Disaster Relief Funds are being used for further restoration projects.
Got Milk?
Goal: Daily milk for 3,500 kindergarten - second graders
Cost: $10 per year per student
Frances Landers' Schedule
October 2 - Camp Alabama
Pres. Women of the Pines - Fall Gathering
December 8 - The Presbyterian Church
New Braunfels, Texas
December 14 - Spring River Presbyterian Church
Hardy, Arkansas
February 4 - 5 - First P.C., Gainesville, GA
Dear Brothers & Sisters
We in Haiti, we praise the Lord for the tremendous work he does through you for his lambs in the southeastern
part of Haiti. The last school year, we had almost 13,000 kids at grammar school and high school, 10 finishing high school
in Port-au-Prince, and more than 20 in college. That miracle God does through you in Haiti has convinced us of his presence
and his love for you in the U.S. and for us in Haiti. I would like all of you to be happy for your sensitiveness to respond
to God's appeal to your heart. Even though we are pleased with what He can do through you, we would do more if you could
respond to his appeal. On this earth, many trust Him, they listen to Him and want to do His will. Many have nothing to do
with Him. As you know, it is Him who chooses His servants to do His work. In John 3:27, John the Baptist said, "A man
can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven." God knows all those who will be happy to do his will.
In Matthew 4:18-19, it is said, "And as he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was
entreating him that he may accompany him. And he didn't let him, 'Go home to your people and report to them what great
things the Lord has done for you, and how he had mercy on you.'" God knows who all of you are. That is why he picks up
all of you to do that tremendous work in Haiti. Be happy not only for being chosen to do that work, but because your names
are recorded in heaven. He loves you in the U.S. and loves us too, in Haiti. He loves His world.
Shalom!
Jean-Wilfrid Albert
Building on Hope - God's Hand at Work
[Photo Caption:] Young boy at market
[Photo Caption:] Ready for church to begin
[Photo Caption:] Frances Landers enjoys being with a group of children in Feb. '04
[Photo Caption:] Fourth graders enjoying lunch
[Photo Caption:] Kindergarteners lining up for class
[Photo Caption:] Reading from a Bible
TEAMS TO HAITI
October 1 - 8, 2004
Cathedral Church of the Advent
Birmingham, Alabama
November 13 - 20, 2004
Windy Cove Presbyterian Church Quilters
Millboro, Virginia
The guest house awaits your visit. Père Albert encourages all to come and STAND beside our Haitian brothers and
sisters in Christ and SEE God's hand at work.
For information, contact Frances Landers.
T-Shirt Competition
We would like to have an "official" Haiti Education Foundation t-shirt. Send us your ideas for a design
that you would like to see on our shirt. Mail to:
Susan Turbeville
300 Caden Springs Road
El Dorado, AR 71730
Your donations are NOT
spent on:
Postage
Office supplies / equipment
Travel
Administrative Salaries
100% of your donation is used as designated by YOU - the donor! |
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
300 East Main Street
El Dorado, AR 71730
"Your generosity brings God's people from darkness to light. Light shines in the darkness and the darkness
did not overcome it. Thank you for being His light in Haiti."
Père Albert
| TUITION: |
| One School Year |
$55 |
| OTHER NEEDS: |
| Shoes |
$10 |
| School Uniform |
$7 |
| School Textbook |
$5 |
| Creole Bible |
$4 |
| Milk (One Year) |
$10 |
HAITI EDUCATION FOUNDATION
| ©
Haiti Education Foundation, Inc. E-mail:
franland@ipa.net.
Photos courtesy of Frances Landers and visiting mission teams. |
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