Returning From a Three-Week Trip

I just returned from a three-week trip to Haiti.  Joining me during part of that time was Susan Hevalow, John Howard, and Kyle Butler.  While there, we followed-up on the progress of all of our Love Haiti students, including  one-on-one sessions with each student, and an end-of-the semester celebration with the students and their families. We paid second-semester tuitions at four different schools, hired tutors for students in need, and sought medical care for a couple of students who needed it.  In addition, we researched and toured a public school in Port au Prince (there are not many, and we learned that entrance is extremely competitive); we toured a four-year nursing university in Leogane, and an English School in Port au Prince for future reference.  
We stayed at Notre Maison Children's Home in Port au Prince where Love Haiti sponsors a tutor for the children who live there.  We were able to observe his work, and interact with the children, learning more about their needs.
We also visited a Methodist Church in Port au Prince.  They have 4,000 members.  We were able to meet with the pastors, and they were kind enough to allow us to use a classroom to perform eye exams for the elderly.  Before we left for Haiti, Restoring Vision donated 300 pairs of reading glasses with instructions on how to perform eye exams for presbyopia.  Some of our Love Haiti students helped us perform the exams.  It was an opportunity for them to help others.    
This was a productive trip in so many ways.  Overall, the students are doing well.  We will be posting more details about our trip during the next few weeks, highlighting stories about specific students.  If you have any questions, please ask.

Notre Maison Children's Home Tutoring

 We exceeded our goal of enrolling 14 students in the 2013-14 school year.  In September, we enrolled 22 students.  These children were living in a Tent City in Port au Prince when we met them. They range in age from four to 25 (Kindergarten to 12th grade). 

In addition, we are sponsoring a tutoring program at Notre Maison Children's Home in Port au Prince.   Notre Maison houses 49 children.  The tutor, Gabriel, has a full-time job assisting the school children  with homework, and he teaches them English after school.  Children in Haiti who can learn English have a greater opportunity for employment than those who do not learn English.

This is Gabriel working with some of the children at Notre Mainson Children's Home.  The children call him Papa.  He is a kind and patient person, trained in sociology.  The children are so blessed to have him as their "papa."