Looking back on 2009 - Looking ahead to 2010

Here we are at the start of 2010 and it seems appropriate to look back on 2009, not to bring any praise on ourselves but to marvel at the incredible provision of God. The brief synopsis of the activities of His Hands for Haiti for 2009 looks like this -

Total number of team trips to Haiti - 2

Total number of team members on those trips - 35

Total number of children "processed" on those trips - 1301

Total number of children sponsored for the 2008-2009 school year - 1029

Total number of sponsors - 500

In 2009 we continued with our ongoing support of His House - the home for orphaned and abandoned children with Mme. Christian as housemother. There were 11 children in residence for most of the year after 1 child relocated and another child went to live with an older sister, making room for another little girl to take her place.

We also continued with our ongoing support of Marie Noel's Saturday Feeding program which has grown to over 100 children being fed each Saturday. We were able to contribute to a much-needed improvement of providing benches for the children to sit on while they eat, which has helped things to go much more smoothly.

We also helped with financial support for the medical needs of a young girl from the community of Danda who is still in the process of correcting a life-threatening birth defect. She has had several surgeries so far, the last one being late in 2009, with more to come. The end of 2009 saw her doing well and recouperating back in her home village, preparing for more surgery in a year.

We were also able to begin a program for the sponsorship of teachers and other staff members of the school in Terrier Rouge. This program will help provide the teachers' monthly salaries.

Lastly we were told about a program being run by one of our partner Pastors in the village of Danda which provides a goat for a child and their family. We were able to share this information with our sponsors who have responded to this opportunity to help in a tremendous way - enabling us to be able to send over $1,000 to Haiti to help provide goats for this program.

We are so thankful to God for allowing us to be His servants and for His incredible blessing on this ministry. None of these things would have been possible without His guidance and direction and without Him bringing in the increase. "Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory because of Your love and faithfulness." Psalm 115:1

Looking ahead to 2010, we're starting the year with 1023 children sponsored so we expect to bypass our total number of children sponsored for the previous school year. We have 2 team trips to Haiti planned for 2010. The dates for the first trip are March 10 - 24 and the dates for the second trip are September 27 - October 13. We already have quite a list of names of possible team members for both trips and we are looking forward to great team trips with many "veteran" team members as well as quite a few "newbies".

This month marks the 8th year anniversary of our first trip to Haiti. We never would have imagined what God had planned for us but we are so thankful that His ways are higher than ours. We will continue to walk in the good works He has planned for us until He closes the door or calls us home. Thank you so much for your continued prayer and support. We look forward in anticipation of the good works God has planned for us in 2010!

For Him and for the children,

Jamie

We still have Haitian jewelry for sale!!

We still have several articles of Haitian jewelry for sale. Just about all this jewelry was made by the wife of one of our Haitian friends. The photos below show some of the items we have available. If you would like to purchase something (Christmas is coming!) or if you are looking for something different than what we have posted here, please send us a private e-mail – info@hishandsforhaiti.org. The prices are very reasonable and once they’re gone, they’re gone. In fact, all the earrings (except for those that are included in a set) are gone. So if you want to order something, don’t delay!

These are being sold without any profit for us. We just want to help our friend and his wife earn a little income!

Thanks!

Photo 1 – set includes necklace, bracelet and earrings. Price: $10.00
Photo 2 – single bracelet. Price: $4.00
Photo 3 – single necklace. Price $7.00

A Kid for a Kid - Goat Project in Danda, Haiti

This project is already underway in the town of Danda, Haiti. Pastor Elima Etienne purchases a goat for one of the children in the community and the goat becomes the responsibility of the child and their family. The first offspring from their goat must be given back to Pastor Elima for him to give to another child (and family) in need. After that, the goat belongs to the child and their family without any other obligation. The cost to purchase one goat for a child and their family is just $40 US!

If you would like to purchase a goat for the Kid for a Kid Goat Project, please e-mail us at info@hishandsforhaiti.org.

Haitian jewelry for sale!

We have several articles of Haitian jewelry for sale. Just about all this jewelry was made by the wife of one of our Haitian friends. The photos below show some of the items we have available. If you would like to purchase something (Christmas is coming!) or if you are looking for something different than what we have posted here, please send us a private e-mail - info@hishandsforhaiti.org. The prices are very reasonable and once they're gone, they're gone. So if you want to order something, don't delay! These are being sold without any profit for us. We just want to help our friend and his wife earn a little income! Thanks!

Photo 1 - set includes necklace, bracelet and earrings. Price: $10.00
Photo 2 - pair of earrings. Price: $4.00
Photo 3 - single bracelet. Price: $4.00

Day 50

This is it - this is officially the last day of the challenge and we had 3 children chosen for sponsorship today - Andieulot Chery, Kislain Elie and Johnson Dugue. So that brings our count up to 41 children sponsored - still 9 short of our goal. Here on the east coast of the US, it's 7:47 p.m. so there's still more time to have more children chosen before the end of our challenge. I'm also willing to keep it open until 12:01 a.m. Pacific time so that means there's still 7 more hours until the challenge ends. We may not reach our goal of 50 but let's see just how close we can get.
So....who are you talking to RIGHT NOW about sponsoring a child?
Thanks!
Jamie

Day 47

We have one more chosen! Eveline Louis has been chosen for sponsorship! That brings us up to 38 children chosen and just 12 more to go to meet our goal! BUT - we now have only 3 DAYS LEFT!! We can still do this but it will take everyone's efforts! Please - talk to everyone you can, post messages everywhere you can, let people know these children need our help!

So.....who will you talk to about sponsoring a child tomorrow??

Thanks everyone!
Jamie :-)

Day 44 update

So! It's been crazy since I posted my last message! We've had 5 more children chosen since earlier today!! Luckendy Denias, Linx St. Preux, Petrus St. Preux, Marcelin Pierre-Louis and Andjeska Honore have all been chosen! Fantastic!! So that brings us up to 37 children chosen and now just 13 more to go to meet our goal! I KNOW we can do this!

So please keep up the good work everyone! Keep on talking, posting, etc!

Thanks so much!
Jamie :-)