Recent Trip to Haiti

We had a great trip to Haiti in October and it was really exciting to see all the progress that has been made on the chicken coop. I never thought I would be excited about chickens but it is true, the chicken coop was very exciting. We started out with an idea, that grew into planning and fund raising for our chicken coop. It was a long process but with the help of some generous donors we were able to get the coop built and completed by the end of the summer.

We were now ready for the chickens, all 150 of them.  They came to the coop as little baby chicks. They needed lots of love and attention, food and water. They had a team of people watching over them and making sure they had all that they needed, every day.

They were fed around the clock. These chicks were meat birds and they started growing fast. It took about 45 days to reach maturity and then they were ready to start selling.

By the time we arrived in Haiti at the beginning of October to see the coop and the chickens there were only about 50 chickens in the coop. We asked about the chickens and we were told that they had been sold, that the 50 chickens left would be sold as soon as we left they just wanted us to be able to see them, and sure enough the next day they were gone. With the profits from the chickens we were able to give some of the money to the school for improvements, we were able to buy 200 baby chicks and all the feed needed for those new chicks. Our little chicken farm is making money. This was a gamble we were not sure how this would turn out but I was really excited to be a part of this little micro-business that was created in Haiti to help the school, and the families that go to the school. This business will continue to grow. We are already coming up with the next phase of the project. Our partners in Haiti are so grateful for the faith and trust placed in them to be able to create something that they can turn into a business and be self-supporting. They do not want the handouts they want a hand up. They want to be productive and given the opportunity to take care of their families.

For me, I was excited to see this project go from an idea to reality and then to success. I had to trust my partner in Haiti that he would do what he said he would do, and he did. He was accountable for all the money that was sent. He kept records of all expenses and up-dated us on the progress all along the away. I am really excited to see where the next phase takes us.

But we could not have done any of this without our friends and family supporting and donating to make this happen. Cynthia and I were talking about chickens and coops to everyone we came in contact with, some were excited to help, others thought we were crazy. But what I have learned through all of this is to never give up. There were times we were very discouraged, felt like no one even cared, that is was some crazy idea that we were being taken advantage of. This could not be further from the truth. We created a business, we are helping over 90 children go to school and get an education, and we are giving hope and opportunity that would not have been possible otherwise.

I keep going back to the thought that I was born in a country that offers opportunity, where education is a right not a privilege. Where hard work pays off, most of the time.  I don’t have to worry about my basic needs, food, shelter and clothing. If I fail at everything there is a safety net to help me out. My Haitian friends, because of where they were born, do not automatically have these same opportunities. So in my mind it is my duty to do what I can, to help when I can, to always be a voice for them because their voice is not being heard.

So thank you to all that have contributed to this project, we have more chickens coming, we have bunnies producing more bunnies, we have kids going to school and getting an education when they would not otherwise have that opportunity, with your help we are changing lives!

The Cathlin's Hutch Project!

It’s been almost two weeks since we got the bunnies for "Cathlin Hutch for the children of CCA" going. Since then not a day has passed without having some of the kids come over after school to clean their cages, feed them and play with them. Celia, Joana, Smarty, Natasha and Pepito are the five cute bunnies that are bringing a lot of joy and hope to these kids.
Through this program, we are teaching them the benefits of working hard and giving them the opportunity to make something better of their life and time, they are working on being economically self sufficient. It’s a real pleasure to see them happily working around the hutch and to hear them talking about how they will love and take good care of their own bunnies, when the time comes. Also it makes me understand that sometimes it is just a small effort that can change things and make the world better for someone else. Teaching them to work, to get what they need and want, is the best thing we can be doing for them, besides giving them an education.
In Haiti, we have a quote that says: Instead of giving me a fish everyday just teach me how to fish and I will feed myself. we are so thankful to you, those who are contributing with your time, money and knowledge to the achievement and success of that initiative, while their destinies were so tight and unsure. You are saving lives by helping these kids today, for they will be the men and women of tomorrow.

Natasha

Joana

Smarty

Celia

Pepito

Never Taking School for Granted

This post is from Michelle one of the board of directors for the school:

My daughter Destina was adopted from Haiti when she was six years old, she came home right after the earthquake. Today she is a bubbly, fun teenager, and just an all around sweet girl. Over the weekend she had to write an essay about what she enjoyed most about school. As I was helping her edit the paper I loved reading her story. She talked about how she struggled in math but has worked really hard this year and now math is one of her favorite subjects. She talked about being at the orphanage in Haiti watching all the kids go off to school in their uniforms and laughing and how she longed to go to school laughing with friends. She talked about when she first came home and told me that she wanted to go to school, she had only been home for about 3 weeks before she went to school for the first time. She told about how she was bullied in school for being different and not speaking the language, and how she overcame the bulling by turning those bullies into her friends. She said she will never take school for granted because she knows how important an education is and how close she came to never having one.

That is part of the reason I am helping with Carrefour Children's Academy, this school was created to help those children that couldn't afford to go to school have an education. The parents are asked to help out with a small fee or donate time to the school. They want their children to have an education and we want to help. Please consider sponsoring a child to go to school. $20.00 a month is not much to most of us, yet that small amount can change the world for a child.

The real purpose of helping

I was there, alone sitting in my corner, my head bent and my eyes closed, plunged into my reflections because I was crossed and adsorbed by various thoughts, some deeper than others. When suddenly my mind froze on this thought or rather this question, pertinent enough  but also profound: "Why help these children?" It was quite confusing in my head because there were so many possibilities. So many reasons for someone to help others, that I decided to take a bit of my time, to find myself in all these answers. But this was an important war because the answer had already reached me.
And yes, all I had to do was to remind me of these words written in John 3 verse 16 : "For God so loved the world that he gave his only son so that whoever believes in him will not perish but he has eternal life." And also of the second commandment in Matthew 22 verse 39 :"You will love your neighbor as yourself." Or, to my aunt Myrtha who raised me and educated me as if I were her own son.  Or to those people who contribute and participate in the improvement of the lives of children and needy people, without asking them in return. Brandy, Keisha, Margareth, Katie, John, Scott, Eric, Mark, Richard, Debra and so on.
Thus, saying that we love others is different than showing that we love others. Loving others requires action. It is this push that you find yourself in the place of others, which pushes you further to see through the eyes of others, which makes you feel the pain and the needs of others and experience the same feelings of sadness or joys. This pushes you to give the best of yourself and do your best in the one but noble purpose of helping as much as you would have liked to be helped if your parents could not send you to school or if you could not send your children to school to  get what is needed.
Helping others is of the noblest stock and it has no price.

Please consider sponsoring one of our children to go to school, it is a small thing that will bring about great blessings and opportunities for that child.

Education...

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."  - Nelson Mandela

These children need the "weapon" of education if they are going to change their world. We have undertaken a huge task, to help over 90 children in Haiti receive an education that could change their lives, bring them out of poverty, and give them hope for a brighter future. But we can't do it alone, we need your help. Please consider sponsoring a child to go to school, take action and help us change the lives of these children in Haiti.

The Cathlin Gordon's hutches project for the needy

While Sheree, Michelle and I were talking about the precarious situation in which these children and their parents live. We have come to the conclusion that they also need financial assistance so that they can study better but also leave their old habits of the streets and take taste to the notions of work and financial independence. And that's how Michelle thought of her beautiful sister in law Cathlin. Cathlin Gordon has been raising pets but also meat rabbit for years. She knows so much about animals that she looks like an encyclopedia. And Michelle knowing that she loves children and that she always devotes herself to the assistance of others, she informed her of our project, and without being asked, she offered her help. And thus the project of the rabbits began. We are making great strides and think that everything will be ready for the next month, for the grand opening of the Cathlin Gordon hutches. where we will offer the children the opportunity to have something to eat but also a personal source of income.

Sponsor a Child

It is pretty easy to start sponsoring a child, just leave a comment here on the blog or FB and we will contact you, send you an easy form to fill out and then you can set up the payment through PayPal, it is that easy! We have over 90 children that need a sponsor, and for the price of a drink and candy bar each week ( only $20.00 per month)  you can change the life of a child in Haiti and help them have a better education.

One of the questions I had was, "Why are there 2 and 3 year old children going to school?" The answer is because it is a safe place for them to be, otherwise they will be left to wander the neighborhood while their parents are out trying to make a living. They get loved on and nurtured at the school, they are is a safe place and they are learning.

Lots of Children

Carrefour Children's Academy has lots of children that need a sponsor to help them get the best education that they can. There are over 90 children attending the school, and the school is operating on donations and a small fee that the parents pay. It would be nice to make sure each child had a uniform to wear. While I was there I noticed that most the the kid's uniforms were held together by safety pins, or were either too big or too small, some didn't have a uniform at all. Part of the money that is donated through sponsoring a child will be to provide each child with a uniform that fits them. Please consider sponsoring a child, you can do a monthly payment of $20.00 or an annual payment of  $220.00 that is getting a one month discount for paying for the year.
Here are a few more of the children that need to be sponsored.

Choosing to Help!

I met Jean Francois Aristide aka “Marco” in October while in Haiti working with another great NGO. He was my personal interperter  He followed me around making sure that I understood everything everyone was saying to me and telling others what I was saying. We had some down time and had a chance to talk about life and kids and Haiti, and America and we just became friends. He has a great sense of humor and we quickly started joking with each other and the other team members joined in on the fun.

After returning home Marco and I started talking about the school he was trying to run. I just kept thinking to myself, “How is he able to do this and why would he put so much effort into this?’  He convinced me to start helping him, and again I thought to myself, “If he is doing all this work with the limited means he has how can I say no?’

So the journey started. My sister and I jumped onboard or maybe is was more like being dragged on board, but we started helping Marco and his school. We decided to take a trip to Haiti to see the school for ourselves and we came up with a plan to help him.

We fell in love with all the cute children going to school. There are teachers that are dedicated to giving these children more than just an education they want to teach these children how to be good loving and kind adults. They give unconditional love to each child and it is evident in the smiles that each child had while they were at school. The school itself isn’t much to brag about. It is a make shift shelter, and while I was in the school for only about 20 minutes I started feeling like I was getting heat stroke. How do these kids sit in there and actually learn? I am not sure how they do it but they do and with a smile on their face.

With the permission of the parents we took pictures of all the kids and we are hoping that we can get our friends, your friends and others to sponsor a child to go to school. This money will be used to buy more textbooks, get uniforms, and start saving for a better school structure. 

For $20.00 a month, we can make a difference to this school and community. We can help these children have a brighter hope for tomorrow and learn the life skills necessary to be productive good citizens in Haiti.

I will be posting pictures of the children on the blog, once they are sponsored I will mail you a picture of the child you are sponsoring and you will receive a thank you note after each trip we make to Haiti and an updated photo. You will be able to follow the progress of our efforts on the blog and on our FB page.

If you are interested in sponsoring a child leave a comment on FB or on the blog and I will get in touch with you to get your mailing information and get everything set up. We will be using PayPal it is easy to use and really convenient.

The story of CCA (From the beginning to the present day)

It was a Thursday, a Thursday of the month of April of the year 2011. I remember clearly because of Thursday like that, I saw very little during my years. As I was returning from the city, arrived at a crossroads not far from a friend's home, I noticed a group of compact people forming a circle around something or someone. Something because I could not see though that self or where I was and somebody parked I could notice tears dripping from the eyes of some and also hear a few scarcely audible amentiations. And it was then that my curiosity was going to take my breath away. I advanced and made a way among the crowd. And then, coming to the front, what I saw was so striking, that my blood became cold, and I remained there, motionless and speechless, thinking of my children, the children of my friends, the children of my neighbors And has all the other children. I thought of them because before me was a dozen youngster, a weapon has its dimensions. And it was then that I understood why people were only whispering. In Haiti when a thief is killed, one can neither cry nor complain or complain. This is considered a shame and the family always tends not to present itself. However this does not mean that she does not live in pain despite her shame. A pain she can not express for fear of being misjudged. It was a hard blow, watching this young lying on the ground lifeless, emptied of his blood, humiliated and hated for his act but whose death troubled hearts. I went to my house, visualizing this indelible image of my memory. And then, speaking to my wife of what I had just seen, that she had this idea, to found a community school, in order to help parents and young people to receive an education but also participate in their social formation skills, teach them notions of life skills, contribute to the creation of a better society by making better citizens. She began going to people to talk to them and explain her vision and the good that it could bring to their children and family. It was for these poor people a great satisfaction, all welcomed her as a savior and inscribed their children. However, it was just an idea until then, people came to us with their children, and she began to work with them, and I was helping to economically provide these charming children mostly what they had with the little That I won Or that my brother Jean and my beautiful sister Jenny and my adoptive mother Myrtha sent me. And working with a group foreigners, I met Dave who took notice of our initiative, started giving us his precious help, then there were Roseanna, Sherree, Michelle, Amy, Cathlin, Deborah, Cynthia, Katie and friends, Delane and her school,  Snowcrest, skyhawks, and those lovely people who started providing us with supplies. We need your help to help more kids get an education, so they have a better future and to make our country a safer place for everyone. Thanks for helping.....

Be a hero from now on

When I was little, I used to dream all the time of becoming a hero, just like batman, Robbin, Superman, Spiderman, the Fantastic 4, the Xmen, Robot cop and so one. I wanted to have super power, so I can fight Magneto, the Joker, the Decepticons and other bad to protect the planet earth and my loved ones. And seeing that it was impossible for me to be like them, I ended up losing hope and renouncing my dream of finally making the justice league. 😞And I do not tell you the shame I had, because I was really convinced that I could have super power.😠I had to resign myself to believe that I could never be a super hero as it exists on the TV😕. I was really disappointed to see my dream fly away. Until the day when I finally understood the true meaning of this word. I was really disappointed to see my dream fly away. Until the day when I finally understood the true meaning of this word and realized that there existed much more heroes than that which marked my childhood. Heroes of which I have not realized their existence until I have had enough maturity and experience to finally recognize and understand it. Without super power or a lot of money, they also helped to make the world better by loving and sharing with their loved ones and others the little they had. This is to say that each of your efforts, each of your sacrifices, your gifts, make you a hero for your family but also for those children whom you accompany in their education and fulfillment. I, they, we say thank you for continuing to be our heroes, because heroic is what you do for us.