The third annual PLH Portland auction took place May 31st. It was an evening of live music, good food, games, bidding on quality silent and live auction items, and hearing about the work going on in Haiti. Thank you to all of our table sponsors, everyone who donated items, and all those who came out to join us! The event has grown in revenue each year!
If you live in the greater Portland area, we would love to have you join us next year!
By Laura Polynice
This summer for the first time, PLH hosted two months of classes for kids in the community. During vacation, children and youth in Haiti don’t have a lot of activities or events to keep them busy. This July and August, kids came to PLH to learn English and artisan crafts. The kids enjoyed having somewhere to go each day and enjoyed learning the new skills.
This past Sunday, the PLH staff organized an expo and invited the parents to attend. This was a chance for the kids to show off what they had learned and made and for the parents to support and celebrate their kids. We were pleased by the number of parents that attended.
There were several tables set up at the front on which the kids displayed their handmade goods including bracelets, woven hats, macrame hangings, necklaces, and sandals.
The program started with English demonstrations. Students came up in pairs and performed little dialogues in English. Then Teacher Sondy led the students in a competition similar to Simon Says and the winner took home a brand-new, insulated water bottle – a prized commodity around here. Finally, they performed several songs including Head and Shoulders and a song of the months of the year.
SIMON SAYS
After the English portion, all the artisan students came to the front. Their instructor, Pierre Claude, quizzed them on some of the vocabulary related to artisan trades with a group of eight girls competing against a group of eight boys.
Finally, the parents and guests were invited to come up to look at and purchase the artisan goods that the students had made. Each purchase was an encouragement to the kids.
Benedic encouraged the parents to support their children in their new trade so that they can continue to advance their skills. The artisan class will continue each Saturday during the school year. Two parents shared some words congratulating the students on their efforts and thanking PLH for this program. As always, I was asked to speak. I congratulated the kids on their beautiful work, thanked the parents for coming out to support their children, and thanked the PLH staff for putting together this 8-week program.
Rose-Andre and several others worked all morning preparing a special meal for the students. When the program was finished, the kids lined up and excitedly collected their meal and hurried home to beat the rain.
This summer was the first time in three years that the PLH Haitian staff have been left to run things without myself or Guesly present. It is so exciting to see the staff take charge and put on a great program. They came up with the ideas, set the schedule, carried out the classes, and organized a great celebration to wrap it up. I am proud of them. I look forward to continuing to have the artisan class for the kids each weekend. The pride on the young people’s faces as they showed off and sold their goods was inspiring. This evening was a representation of what PLH wants to bring to the community: opportunities to learn, a community that comes together to support one another, and pride in a job well done.
By Guesly Dessieux
Today, I have gotten several texts concerning our safety in Haiti with the recent kidnapping of 17 Americans that were coming from an orphanage in Ganthier Haiti which is closer to Fond Parisian. Please keep those people and their families in your prayers.
We are far removed from any current gangs that are kidnapping people. I am not saying that cannot happen even in Camp Marie, but the mayor has remained very intolerant to such behavior in her community. Ganthier is about 3 hours from us toward the DR border.
Please continue to keep Haiti in your prayers. Pray that the multiple gang issues get resolved. While we hear about the Americans, hundreds of Haitians (600+ in one report) have gotten kidnapped so far this year. Some of these we hear about, others we do not. The current situation in Haiti is a humanitarian crisis I think.
However God still has a plan for Haiti.
We want to say a huge THANK YOU to all those who have given to the PLH Haiti crisis relief effort. We are so excited to announce that we reached our unpublished goal of $10,000! This money is directly impacting the community of Camp Marie in a variety of ways.
Emergency Food Relief:
Funds will be sent to the churches this week for the purchasing and distributing of food to families in need within the community.
Youth Programs:
Individuals from our English classes and soccer and basketball coaches clinics have been selected to run the youth programs which are beginning this week!
English Teachers from left to right: Angelot, Snyson, Rival
Employment:
The first team of locals completed the first work day on the PLH land! More teams will be hired for work days in the coming weeks.
Planting for Tomorrow:
Farmers and PLH leaders will meet to arrange the planting of fast turn around crops which will help to provide food to the community in the coming months.
Please continue to keep Haiti and these projects in your prayers over the coming weeks. We will be sending you another update in the coming weeks so you can see what is happening and how your gifts and prayers are impacting the community of Camp Marie.
It's not too late to join this campaign with your gift.
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“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40
