Christmas in Haiti

YOUTH AND FAMILY CELEBRATION

On December 28th, PLH hosted a festive Christmas party for youth in our soccer, basketball, and artisan programs—and their parents. Over 950 attendees enjoyed basketball and soccer games, a hearty meal of rice, beans, and chicken, and the joy of coming together as a community. Our coaches loved the opportunity to connect with so many parents, who expressed their appreciation for providing a safe, nurturing space for their children.

To further spread holiday cheer, we distributed 540 gift bags filled with essential food supplies, including rice, beans, oil, and spaghetti, to support families during the holidays.

STAFF AND FAMILY CELEBRATION

In addition to the youth event, PLH continued an annual tradition dating back to 2018 by hosting a Christmas party for our staff and their families. This event allows us to show appreciation for their hard work and dedication while offering encouragement for the year ahead. Each staff family received a gift of food supplies to enjoy during the holidays.

Thank you for supporting PLH and making events like these possible!

Merry Christmas from Haiti!

This year has been a challenging one for every person in Haiti. There have been gang wars, kidnappings, road blocks, rising inflation, food insecurity, fuel shortages, cholera, and more. In the midst of all this, we praise God for the protection He has put over each of our Haitian staff and their families. 

For Christmas this year, the staff organized a staff beach day. We had a delicious feast of rice, beans and chicken; many games of dominos, cards and soccer; swimming; music; and good conversation. 

We want to say thanks to each of you for the part you played in the work of PLH during 2022. As we look ahead to 2023, we pray that it brings change for Haiti and lots of progress for PLH. 

PLH Staff Party: Pierre Payen, Haiti

By Anita Nott

Earlier this month, my husband, Nick, and I went to visit our kids in Haiti. It was hard to believe that we were actually eating together, playing games, swimming in the pool, picking mangoes, and watching soccer practice in Haiti – with my grandkids! It really was a vacation and gave us a little idea of what life is like for them when they are living in Haiti.

Our oldest daughter is Sara Dessieux who, together with her husband, Guesly, founded Project Living Hope. On this trip, we got to see the dramatic change from last summer when the property was all just farmland. If you have been following the updates, excavation of the property has taken place so it was a huge contrast from my last visit.

Laura, the Administrative Assistant for PLH, is our youngest daughter, and we spent our evenings at the guesthouse where she lives. Just imagine – no AC, ceiling fans only if there is power, cold showers, mosquitos, and 24-hour road noise. But combine that with lively English classes, trips to the open-air markets, strolls along the beach, and meeting amazing people who are committed to helping PLH reach their dream, and the result was an amazing experience.

To top it all off, we were blessed to join the Project Living Hope staff party. Friday afternoon, we were dropped off at a beach property in Pierre Payen and helped get it all set up. Soon, Laura and Guesly arrived with the guests – eight of the PLH staff members, their families, and a few men who have been volunteering with projects on the land and as soccer referees. Of course, there was soccer! However, seeing adults and children participate in gunny sack races, three-legged races, a water balloon toss, and playing with the parachute brought out the laughter and a bit of friendly competition. The cooks had prepared an ample amount of food with plenty of leftovers to take home. Guesly spoke to the staff, and since I don’t speak Creole, I assume it was a time for him to express his appreciation for all the work they had done these past few months. Leon, the property manager for PLH, closed the evening in prayer.