This year in review is a group effort on the part of senior staff at Haiti Awake. There were far too many things to mention that happened in this year, and we are so grateful that again at the end of another year we can say, “Glwa pou Bondye.”
Our 2022 in Review
Celebrating a fantastic summer
As the summer of 2022 draws to a close, we look back with thankfulness for all that we were able to experience and enjoy. Here are just a few hightlights.
Glwa pou Bondye.
May
A trip to Les Cayes to see projects Haiti Awake has completed post-earthquake
The Your Pie Pizza Fundraiser
June
Graduation of the oldest four from Kay Timoun
July
Summer camp in Haiti
Kids Week at The Bridge, Wilmington, NC
August
The Sponsor Appreciation Picnic
A food distribution and a meeting to establish future outreach at the Les Cayes Prison
A soccer tournament at the CERMICOL prison in Port au Prince
A parents’ meeting to start the new school year
Thank you for your faithful support of the ministry of Haiti Awake. May we continue to see our Provider do exceeding abundantly above all that we might ask or think. He is able! (Ephesians 3:20-21).
Glimpses of Haiti - Part 4
Glimpses of Haiti - Part 3
Glimpses of Haiti - Part 1
An interview with Frè Jacques
Our 2021 Year in Review
Life in Haiti has never been easy, but this year life reached a new level of difficult.
As one friend put it: “It’s like you’re in the middle of an ocean, and while you’re trying to swim and keep your head out of the water, others count on you to take them out of the water - to rescue them. Some are even pulling you down the water because of their own panic. It’s just the sad reality that we are facing.”
People from our community were kidnapped. We faced day after day of no electric power. Finding what we needed to just function day-by-day became almost impossible at times. This was our reality.
And yet, by God’s grace, we continued to walk on. And in walking, we found another reality - what a beautiful year we had at Haiti Awake.
We wish we could tell you everything, but that would be impossible. So we have chosen to work together to give you one bright spot we experienced each month.
January
In January our friends Michelle Carr and Lauren Risedorf came to visit.
February
In February we started having monthly meals together as part of English class.
March
In March we celebrated Becky’s birthday together and the anniversary of the Graves’ family’s first trip to Haiti in 2012. (We won’t tell you how old Becky is, but let’s just say it was a significant birthday. Oh, wait! Does Hudson’s photo give away the answer?)
April
In April we celebrated Caleb’s 6th birthday, remembering all that God did during that special week in 2015.
May
In May we celebrated Haitian Flag Day by taking the CCS children out to a local restaurant.
June
In June Michelle, Alexandria, and Ethan came to visit.
July
In July we had our first fully Haitian-run summer camp. The children had so much fun every day. Snacks, games, stories, songs, instruction . . . and so much more!
August
In August Steeve went to the US for a visit, and while he was traveling home, an earthquake shook the southern peninsula of Haiti. We had the opportunity to do outreach in Les Cayes, Camp Perrin, Pestel, and Jeremie in the weeks that followed.
September
In September, we began rebuilding in Camp Perrin.
October
In October our friend Keverly came to visit. It’s not easy for people to come to visit any more, so it meant so much to have her here. She encouraged us so much.
November
In November, the extreme fuel shortages nearly closed down Port-au-Prince, but by God's grace, we pressed on and did what we needed to do day-by-day.
December
December was a month of celebration - celebrating being together, celebrating the birthdays of Handy and Wesly, celebrating the birth of Vorb’s new daughter, celebrating Christmas.
5 Things on a Thursday
It’s hard to believe it’s been an entire month since I wrote that last update, so I wanted to give a quick summary of what’s going on at Haiti Awake right now.
Back to school is in full swing. Some of the children have gone back already. Some will return in October. As we plan toward the transition out of care for the older children at Kay Timoun, their educational plans have changed and include vocational training and night school for several of them. Sponsors, Kynda Colson, our child sponsorship coordinator, has sent out updates to keep you informed.
Kynda Colson is doing a great job as child sponsorship coordinator. She has been a blessing to me personally, and I encourage all sponsors to reach out to her with your questions and comments. She will do a much better job than I will do in answering questions, as child sponsorship is her focus. She has helped all of us at Haiti Awake become better organized and productive, and for that we are so grateful. Her email is sponsorship@haitiawake.org
Rebuilding continues in Camp Perrin post-earthquake. Vorb and I are hopeful to be in Camp Perrin in October and be able to give a first-hand report of how work is progressing. We are thankful for community participation in the construction efforts and for the faithful supervision of Frè Jacques, our trusted friend.
We are one step closer to our dream of having a computer lab at the community center. Through partnership with Aprann.org, ten laptops have been secured, and we are now gathering other needed items like software licenses and accessories, as we make plans for classes to begin in 2022.
Next week Pastor Steeve and I will be in Missouri for training with a Gospel-focused ministry called Concilium. We will be learn basic security principles, hostage survival, and first aid, and be trained in how to respond in a variety of situations, including active shooter, through extended immersion experiences. We are thankful for this opportunity, and Pastor Steeve is looking forward to taking the things he will learn in Missouri back to Haiti to teach others. The lack of security in Haiti has created a desperate situation, and we want to be proactive in stewarding our opportunities well.
It is hard to describe the difficulties facing our Haitian friends day-by-day. Fuel shortages, kidnappings, gang violence, inflation, dwindling resources, the assassination, the earthquake…
There are days I don’t even know how to pray for our friends, but the events of recent years have given me a deeper understanding of what true Hope is - and how to rest in it. This is my constant prayer for Haitian believers - that they will rest in Hope despite all of the uncertainty around them.
Hebrews 6:18-19 says: “It is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.”
The hope that lies before us. Amen.
