Song About Earthquake
February 28, 2010
Haiti Partners Youth Choir sings a song about earthquake and moving forward. This has been part of their processing of the event and it’s aftermath. Most of these kids lost their homes and are sleeping outside in makeshift shelters.
Here are the words:
Haiti is my country,
But she almost perished,
We can never abandon her,
She is our country,
Even though the earth shook
and the mountains split,
we still stand in hope,
Haiti has not perished,
Chorus: Haiti is my country, she almost perished. We will never abandon her because she is our country.
Posted in Haiti Partners, Special Projects, Uncategorized, Youth Choir | No Comments |
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Evins Doesn’t Have TB!
February 27, 2010
We’re rejoicing! Evins, member of Haiti Partners Youth Choir does not have TB! Vero Beach medical team consulted him during their visit several weeks ago and detected some symptoms and advised he get tested. The tests came back negative! We’re rejoicing not only for him and his family but also for all his friends other member of choir and for our family, as choir meets at our home.
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Cite Soleil Community School Prepares for Construction
February 27, 2010
Yesterday Cite Soleil Community School leadership team, teachers, students and other kids in neighborhood, with help of tractors (below) began clearing debris on a new piece of land. Cite Soleil Community School is a partner school of Haiti Partners.
They had been renting the facility previously being used, which was damaged by earthquake. The lease was nearly finished. Thus, Cite Soleil Community School is moving forward with plans that have been in place for several years to secure land and think long term. Once this land–a portion of it is already owned by the school and additional adjacent lots are being purchased now–is cleared, a temporary structure will be built so that education of the children can continue.
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IRC Discusses Economic Recovery Approaches with HP Partner Schools
February 27, 2010
Sarah Ward, Enterprise Development Technical Advisor with IRC (International Rescue Committee), meets with principals and teachers of our partner schools and other community leaders to discuss ways that IRC might help in economic recovery. I (John Engle) continue to learn, as do my Haitian colleagues, from experts like Sarah who have vast experience in working with communities after disasters. Possible partnerships between Haiti Partner partner schools and IRC are being considered as a component of IRC’s overall strategy in assisting the Leogane region.
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Student Activities
February 26, 2010
Here’s some quick footage of children from one of our partner schools resuming their education in temporary structure.
Posted in Cabois Community School, Haiti Partners, Partner Schools, STUDENTS Program, Uncategorized | No Comments | Email This Post
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Our Nissan Patrol: Thank you!
February 26, 2010
A giant thank you to those of you who contributed designated gifts that made this Nissan Patrol possible. You can’t begin to imagine how useful it’s been during this past month. It’s a workhorse and is loaded down daily taking people and materials to a variety of destinations. Again, we can’t thank you enough. Also, deep gratitude to friends Philippe Armand who gave us such a great price and to Eric Graham who works with Philippe and who made sure it’s in top form. Mesi anpil, Philippe ak Eric! …avek anpil apresyasyon pou nou.
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Another Earthquake Miracle
February 26, 2010
One of my colleagues spent day after day night after night trying to find his wife in a University that collapsed. He had hope even after 2 weeks because of hearing sounds of trapped people who had access to food and water because they were in cafeteria. Finally, he gave up hope. Until two days ago when he was contacted by people from Cote d’Ivoire. He was informed that she along with 66 other Haitians were rescued and flown to Cote d’Ivoire for emergency care and that she is injured and has undergone several operations but that she is alive. Yesterday, he received her picture confirming that it is in fact her and that she’s alive!
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Transitional Education
February 23, 2010
Here’s an update from yesterday in the field.
Posted in Bèl Platon Community School, Cabois Community School, Haiti Partners, Henri Christophe Community School, IMN Community School, Partner Schools, STUDENTS Program, Uncategorized | No Comments | Email This Post
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Launching ADVOCATE Program
February 21, 2010
I (John Engle) go to Haiti with my family today to focus on moving forward with Learning Centers Shelters and to launch our ADVOCATE Program which has an aim of teaming up people from the U.S. and Canada with Haiti Partners to help Haitians change Haiti through education for students, teachers, leaders and disciples. More …
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Cabois Community School: Before and After
February 18, 2010
In October we had a group from Vero Beach, Florida visit Cabois Community School with us. This video captures that visit as well as Cabois Community School after the earthquake. We also talk about the Learning Centers Shelters we’re working on. We’re so grateful for all of you who are making this new project possible. Thank you!
Posted in Cabois Community School, Grants, Haiti Partners, Partner Schools, STUDENTS Program, Special Projects, Uncategorized, Zyman Foundation | No Comments | Email This Post
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Cite Soleil Community School: Before and After
February 18, 2010
Perhaps you’ve seen the video of Cite Soleil Community School that we made with our friend and Associate Luke Renner several months ago. This is the post earthquake version.
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Tony Campolo in Vero Beach
February 17, 2010
Click here for article in local paper. We’re grateful for the incredible generosity of our long time friend Tony Campolo. I (John Engle) moved to Haiti in 1991 to work for his organization to promote education. It’s also through Tony that Haiti Partners co-director Kent Annan joined this ministry in 2003. Here’s an article with photos of our event with Tony.
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Children in Partner Schools restart activities!
Children in three of our Partner Schools (that were destroyed by the earthquake) restarted their activities under tarps yesterday. The kids are singing, coloring, and other activities. Teachers are being paid to facilitate this, which helps the school children as well as the teachers’ families who have lost so much. It’s a great sign of rebuilding, and provides children a safe space to return to some routine and positive activities.
These will run for eight to ten weeks as the Learning Center Shelters are being built (see details here on the www.haitipartners.org homepage.
Here’s an 82-second video with two of the staff coordinating these activities–right on the spot where kids are now getting together for activities with their teachers:
Posted in Bèl Platon Community School, Cabois Community School, Haiti Partners, Henri Christophe Community School, IMN Community School, Partner Schools, STUDENTS Program, Uncategorized | No Comments | Email This Post
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Christa’s Angels Fund
Here is an interesting interview with Gerald and Wenson, who helped to rescue Christa Brelsford after a house in Darbonne collapsed on her during the earthquake. Christa Brelsford lost part of her leg, but we’re glad she’s doing so well. She and her family are also turning this loss into a chance to help people in Haiti. We (Haiti Partners) admire how Christa and her family have handled this–and we’re grateful for the chance to partner with them through Christa’s Angels Fund to support education in Darbonne.
Here is an interview with Wenson and Gerald, recounting how they helped to rescue Christa:
And here’s a link to Christa’s appearance on the Today Show with Matt Lauer:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/34876138/ns/today-today_people/
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Learning Centers/Shelters
February 12, 2010
Plans and design are being finalized, agreements made with communities, etc. We should be ready to break ground for 2 Learning Centers/Shelters by week of Feb 21. We’re optimistic that we’ll be able to start two more in March.
Thanks for keeping this in mind as you come across folks interested in Haiti. This seems like a great opportunity to leapfrog the education of children in Darbonne and Cabois and to provide a model for countless other communities and NGOs working to support children who have lost their schools. Learn more by clicking here: Learning Centers/Shelters
Posted in Cabois Community School, Haiti Partners, Henri Christophe Community School, Partner Schools, STUDENTS Program, Special Projects, Uncategorized | No Comments | Email This Post
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Article in VeroBeach.com
February 9, 2010
Article in VeroBeach.com today about Haiti Partners and Engle family’s return. Click here
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“When God Made Me”
February 7, 2010
Friend and colleague Luke Renner sings Neil Young’s “When God Made Me” with Haiti Partners Youth Choir.
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Cabois Community School Update
February 6, 2010
I (John Engle) and family returned from Haiti last night and arrived at our home in Vero Beach at 11:30 pm. Here’s a video that Kent and I did two days ago after visiting Cabois Community School, one of our partners. More footage of the school coming next week. It was completely devastated.
Posted in Cabois Community School, Haiti Partners, Partner Schools, STUDENTS Program, Uncategorized, Zyman Foundation | No Comments | Email This Post
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Day 23
February 5, 2010
I (John Engle) finally managed to upload a quick update I did yesterday morning.
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3 Weeks After
February 2, 2010
It’s 3-weeks since the earthquake struck. Here are some reflections and summary of our activities.
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Feeling Secure Despite Thousands Homeless
February 2, 2010
This morning my colleague and I met with an architectural engineer who specializes in building schools. More about this very positive meeting later. We met at a nice hotel which is very convenient. Hotel Kinam is filled with internationals from around the world with fancy 4-wheel drives parked out front and in their lot. I continue to be amazed that despite having thousands of homeless people living right across the street in Petion-Ville center in extremely difficult conditions, that there’s not the need for heavily armed guards and security gates or even a door to protect internationals with plenty of means from homeless people dealing with scarcity.
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Dan and Chip in Haiti
February 1, 2010
Long time friends Dan Hobson and Chip Coffin came to Haiti via Dominican Republic last week to bring much needed cash and to show their support and friendship. What a blessing they were and how lucky Merline and colleagues and I (John Engle) feel to have them as friends. Here they are:
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