I'm not sure where to begin this blog as so much has transpired since my last blog. Bruce and I returned from Haiti in mid October. It was a very trying yet very successful trip. We had several goals in mind when we departed for Haiti:
We were looking to secure a rental house for the future mission trips to Petit Goave.
We were hoping to meet with the local pastors and the Mayor of Petit Goave in an attempt to them donate land that we would be able to build the "Village" on.
And finally, we were hoping to have the opportunity to sit and speak to Bobby and Sherry Burnett from Love A Child, a well established organization in the eastern part of Haiti. The have been there for 25 years and are truly a remarkable couple who have successfully made a difference in Haiti.
With all of that being said, we accomplished all three of these goals!!! The house that we will be renting is centrally located in the village of Chabane, just outside of Petit Goave. Our translator and friend, Renel, has a small store which is next to the house. All of the children and families that we have hold close to our hearts live in the same area, which is a wonderful blessing.
As for the meeting with the Pastor and the Mayor concerning the donation of land, after several meetings and miles of walking, they have agreed to donate 17 acres for us to build on. One of the only reasons that this was possible was due to the work of Scott Beegle, the young man who generously donated his time and drew up our plans for the village. Without the plans in our hands in Haiti, I'm sure that the outcome would not have been so positive. Thank you again Scott for your help!
On the last day of our trip, we were able to meet with Bobby Burnett at the Love A Child location. We were completely amazed with the entire facility. From the fully functional medical clinic that employees Haitian doctors and nurses, to the beautiful orphanage and school, to the building of 100 Haitian homes. Bobby made us feel at home and entertained our questions for over 2 hours. The information that he gave to us will save us thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of work. We are deeply indebted to Bobby and look forward to having him as our mentor as we continue this incredible journey.
Finally, our trip to Petit Goave gave us the opportunity to spend much needed time with the children who truly are the inspiration for us to help Haiti. Their smiling faces that waited for us to wake up every morning were a beautiful sight. Our days were blessed with their presence and our nights ended with hugs, kisses and "Love you Mom and Pop." Life doesn't get better than that. As usual, it was difficult for us to leave as we worry about all of them while we are gone. We speak to Renel once a week and he is our lifeline to Petit Goave while we are gone. The best thing is that we will return in the beginning of January with a team of volunteers.
On another note, Helping to Heal Haiti has been approved as a nonprofit corporation by the state of Pennsylvania and all of our paperwork has been submitted to the IRS for our tax exempt 501(c)3 status. This means that we are able operate as a nonprofit organization in which donations and contributions are tax deductible for the individual or business giving them. This is great news and I am so thankful to everyone who has assisted us with the tremendous amount of paperwork and hours required to achieve this. The next task will be to file all the paperwork with the Haitian government, something that I am dreading as it has to be written in French. Oh well!!!! The challenges continue to come in and we will find a way to work through them.
In closing, I again need to thank my wonderful daughters who somehow understand and support my need to give the Haitian children hope for a better future. I am blessed to be their mother. Please pray for the people of Haiti who continue to praise the Lord in the midst of destruction and disease. God Bless you and please visit our website at www.helpingtohealhaiti.com
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