Two Years After the Earthquake – Video Update
January 12, 2012
Today is the 2nd anniversary of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti. It will be marked across the country by services of remembrance for the dead, but also the celebration of life. Meanwhile, the work of building a better future goes on. We’ve filmed a special update video to bring you up-to-date on the situation in Haiti, as well as the progress you’re making possible through Haiti Partners’ work in education. We’re grateful for your continued commitment and prayers, today and in the days ahead.
Posted in DISCIPLES Program, Haiti Partners, Henri Christophe Community School, LEADERS Program, PARTNERS Program, STUDENTS Program, TEACHERS Program | 2 Comments |
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New Video: Bridge to a Better Life
January 12, 2012
On this somber second anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti, we remain hopeful because of all the important work that has been accomplished and all the great partners that have worked together with us to make it happen.
Two extraordinarily committed partners in this work have been Jesse Engle and Scott Henderson. With their help along with funds from Vista Hermosa Foundation, we created this video, “Bridge to a Better Life”. Thank you, Jesse, Scott and Vista Hermosa for all you do, and we look forward to a long, productive partnership helping Haitians change Haiti together!
Posted in DISCIPLES Program, Haiti Partners, LEADERS Program, PARTNERS Program, STUDENTS Program, TEACHERS Program | 2 Comments | Email This Post
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2010-11 Annual Report Now Available Online!
October 11, 2011
Haiti Partners 2010-11 Annual Report covers our accomplishments from the last fiscal year and our plans for the next. To download the full report, click here.
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Thanks from Kent, Enel and Edvard
May 25, 2011
I was so grateful for the chance to visit 20 cities across the U.S. and Canada on my recent book tour with “After Shock.” Thank you to everyone I spoke with at universities, churches, seminaries, and bookstores. Thank you to those who helped organize these events.
It’s an honor to tell stories of Haiti within this bigger story of faith and doubt, suffering and hope. We work for education in Haiti, but are also consciously seeking to be on the side of God’s justice and love in the world. Below is a 1-minute “thank you” video I made in Haiti with Enel and Edvard, who are in the book.
We also wanted to let you know that I (and John and other colleagues) can be available to speak to churches, universities, and other groups. We’re always grateful for invitations to speak about justice, faith, missions, and other topics as we start new — or strengthen existing — partnerships with Haiti Partners. If you’re interested, we look forward to talking. Please send an email to info@haitipartners.org.
Before getting to the video below, here are a few links if you haven’t yet seen them:
1. Audio of Kent speaking at Calvary Church on the book tour.
2. 4-star Review of “After Shock” in Christianity Today.
3. Huffington Post article titled “Three Cups of Truth” on transparency in our work.
4. Article on how to approach short-term trips.
5. “After Shock” on Amazon.
Thank you for letting us be part of your story. With hope & gratitude,
Kent (and John)
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15 Months After the Earthquake Update
April 12, 2011
Today marks the 15-month anniversary of the devastating January 12, 2010 Haiti earthquake which killed over 300,000 and left over one million homeless. Though many have become pessimistic because of the slow progress to rebuild the country, Haiti Partners has not held back: From day one we have worked effectively with our trusted network of Haitian community leaders and educators to get things done and, in doing so, to encourage hope for a better future. In this short video Co-Director, John Engle, details some of the important work which has gotten done over the last 15 months. For more details, please read our written update:
15 Months After the Earthquake – Accomplishments and Goals
This great progress would not have been possible without the generous support of so many individuals, institutions and local partners. With humble gratitude, for this we say, THANK YOU!
Posted in Cabois Community School, DISCIPLES Program, Haiti Partners, Henri Christophe Community School, LEADERS Program, PARTNERS Program, Special Projects, STUDENTS Program | 1 Comment | Email This Post
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A Prayer with Haiti on the Anniversary of the Earthquake
January 12, 2011
Loving God,
We come to you, first, in silence. We mourn those who died one year ago today in the earthquake. And we mourn with those who mourn, all those who lost loved ones and saw so much damage done to their country. Our hearts are still broken for so many lives cut short.
We come to you in sadness, too, for the suffering of far, far too many people this year in Haiti. God, when we think it can’t get any worse, somehow it does. The earthquake, the loss of life and of homes and of important buildings, the struggle of recovery, the ravages of cholera, the stalemate of politics. All these headlines affect so many girls and boys, fathers and mothers.
We come to you, even so, in gratitude. We’ve seen the courage of so many people in the midst of circumstances no one should ever have to face. We come to you in prayer together with so many in Haiti who have stayed faithful to you this past year: Many walk from the tent they now live in to worship you next to their church that collapsed.
We come to you asking forgiveness – personally, as an organization, as people of faith, as people of our country. In the past 400 years a lot of sin by a lot of people has led to this moment in Haiti. Let us be bold in our desire to help, but also humble in knowing our own limits and selfishness. And let us confess that we could each probably do more to help.
We come asking for boldness of vision and commitment. For wisdom and courage. Strengthen our Haitian friends, colleagues, and the communities we work with—that in the year ahead they might continue to find strength for their lives and work. Strengthen our partners in this work whose giving and prayers make it possible to help many people; their generosity humbles us.
Together may we boldly love and work for a world that better reflects your goodness. We know we do all of this with your strength. We keep committing anew each day, trusting that you will equip and encourage us.
We come asking for your grace. God, our source of life, we need so much more from you. We don’t understand why all this happens. But we do know that you call us to love. We know that you are with us. And, we trust you even when we don’t understand.
Praying in Jesus’ name,
Amen
We also invite you to take a few minutes with these five links at this one-year anniversary:
1. Haiti Partners Youth Choir sings in memory of those who died here.
2. Haiti Partners one-year report on accomplishments since the earthquake and plans ahead here.
3. On NPR’s radio program “The Story” here co-director Kent Annan sharing stories from Haiti here.
4. On Huffington Post, Kent reflecting on hope and despair in this moment here.
5. On CNN Online a “One Year Later” story and reflection from Kent here.
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Haiti Partners One-Year Earthquake Recovery Report
January 10, 2011
During the past year your generosity made it possible for many tangible accomplishments. We’re also committed together to continuing to make a difference for people in Haiti. To learn about what you made possible, and by God’s grace, what we can accomplish together in the year ahead, click here:
Haiti Partners One-Year Earthquake Recovery Report
Thank You for your support!
Posted in DISCIPLES Program, Haiti Partners, LEADERS Program, PARTNERS Program, Special Projects, STUDENTS Program, TEACHERS Program | No Comments | Email This Post
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Disciples Network Organizes to Educate on Cholera
October 26, 2010
Yesterday, we received a message from one of our Disciples Program leaders, Ysmaille Dorsainvil, who lives and works in the Central Plateau, where the cholera outbreak began. As soon as Ysmaille learned about the outbreak, he connected with a local nurse and organized a meeting with 38 members of his network as well as other community members. At the meeting, they learned about what cholera is, how it spreads, and how to avoid and treat it. Using the laptop he received as part of our Leaders Program training, Ysmaille downloaded, printed and distributed copies of Creole handouts about cholera that circulated on our listserv immediately after the outbreak began.
Here are a couple of pictures from the meeting. Ysmaille is wearing the striped shirt in the top picture.
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Thank you for Micro-Finance Project
This is a 4-minute video thanking the two churches that generously made the micro-finance project within the Disciples Program possible. It’s so far (and it will keep rippling out) been a huge help to 234 families.
They’ve each received between $70 and $250 loans (depending on their business plan, their experience handling money, etc). Two of the five scheduled repayments have already happened, and there is nearly 100% repayment so far (except for a few families that have had health problems).
Thank you to Church of the Resurrection (Wheaton, IL) and Stopsley Baptist Church (Luton, England) for making this possible.
In addition to helping the 234 families, the Haiti Partners church network that is managing this project are grateful because it’s an opportunity for them to demonstrate the gospel in such a practical, needed way–and also helps reinforce the work they’ve been doing with the Bibles and Christian education in churches, schools, and communities.
Posted in DISCIPLES Program, Haiti Partners, Special Projects, Uncategorized | No Comments | Email This Post
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Thank you David C. Cook
Thank you to David C. Cook Publisher for giving more than 300 of their Haiti Trauma Kit books to Haiti Partners. This short video is a thank you–and one of our Haitian colleagues share how meaningful it is as people continue to deal with the earthquake trauma seven months later…
Posted in DISCIPLES Program, Haiti Partners, Partner Schools, STUDENTS Program, Uncategorized | No Comments | Email This Post
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Bibles From Canadian Bible Society
July 24, 2010
The vast majority of Haitians are self-proclaimed Christians. More frequent than not, when you ask a Haitian adult in a literacy program why they want to learn to read and write their answer will be, “So that I can read the Bible and read hymnal when singing in church.”
Haiti Partners is grateful for our partnership with Canadian Bible Society making it possible to distribute 10,000 Bibles a year over the next three years to literacy programs, churches and schools. In addition to receiving the Bibles, people receive training in Lectio Divina, a participatory approach to Bible study and prayer where EVERY voice is valued, where pastor and person who is illiterate stand on equal ground in the group as they seek to hear God, cultivate their faith, and build unity.
Posted in Canadian Bible Society, DISCIPLES Program, Grants, Haiti Partners, PARTNERS Program, Special Projects, Uncategorized | 1 Comment | Email This Post
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Faith in Society after Earthquake
July 23, 2010
Mother Chloe Breyer shares about her trip in Haiti with us.
Posted in Canadian Bible Society, DISCIPLES Program, Grants, Haiti Partners, PARTNERS Program, Special Projects, Uncategorized | No Comments | Email This Post
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Micah Institute Advocacy Trip to Haiti
July 23, 2010
Dr. Peter Heltzel of New York Theological Seminary along with Chloe Breyer, Carl Nazaire and Kenel St. Vil share about their experience in Haiti on the first Micah Institute Haiti Advocacy Trip with Haiti Partners.
Posted in Canadian Bible Society, DISCIPLES Program, Grants, Haiti Partners, PARTNERS Program, Special Projects, Uncategorized | No Comments | Email This Post
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6-Month Update
July 12, 2010
Here’s a quick update on what our donors and partners are making possible in Haiti.
Posted in Cabois Community School, Canadian Bible Society, DISCIPLES Program, Grants, Haiti Partners, Partner Schools, PARTNERS Program, School Interns Program, Social Enterprise for Quality Education, STUDENTS Program, Uncategorized, Zyman Foundation | 1 Comment | Email This Post
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Haiti Trip Contest with InterVarsity Press
May 30, 2010
Here is a press release that InterVarsity Press just put out about a trip we just did together to Haiti this past week in conjunction with Kent’s book:
Haiti Partners and InterVarsity Press Have Successful Haiti Trip
WESTMONT, IL: In November 2009, InterVarsity Press launched a contest in conjunction with Haiti Partners to highlight Kent Annan’s book Following Jesus Through the Eye of the Needle: Living Fully, Loving Dangerously. To enter and possibly win a trip to Haiti, contestants wrote essays or made videos to answer the question: “How would going to Haiti help you live out your calling of living fully and loving dangerously?”
“When we first thought of the trip, it seemed like an interesting way to connect people with the ideas of the book,” explains Annan, the co-director of Haiti Partners, a nonprofit committed to improving education in Haiti.
And then the earthquake hit.
After much discussion and prayer, Haiti Partners decided that the trip should still occur, and so the entries were judged in March and six winners were chosen: Jamie Arpin-Ricci, Lindsay Bonilla, Jonathan Chan, Holly Drake, Travis Dennis, and Mariana Valbuena.
From May 20-24, under the leadership of Annan and John Engle, the other co-director of Haiti Partners, the six winners plus Dave Zimmerman (Annan’s editor) spent five days in Haiti and met with various Haitian leaders and educators. Only five months after the earthquake, the team witnessed firsthand the widespread devastation in Port-au-Prince.
“We saw building after building that had been demolished, innumerable tent cities, and the ads of dozens of aid agencies and NGOs,” noted Jonathan Chan.
The first stop on the trip was the former site of a university that Enel Angervil, a Haitian colleague with Haiti Partners, had attended. He was in the 6-story building when it collapsed, killing nearly 250 people. As he shared his story, workers pulled bodies from the rubble behind them.
In the midst of these circumstances, however, the majority of the Haitians that the team encountered were filled with hopefulness, creativity, and a resolute determination to rebuild Haiti across all sectors.
On Friday the team attended an education meeting in the small village of Cabois, a couple of hours outside Port-au-Prince. The event took place outside, across from the site where a school with Haiti Partners is now being rebuilt. The educators shared their stories about rebuilding the school system and their educational philosophy, with an emphasis on instilling a sense of community responsibility among the students, parents, and teachers.
“We met creative, imaginative, dedicated Haitians, in the cities and the country, who are passionate about seeing children empowered, encouraged and set on a path to shape their country’s future,” said Dave Zimmerman.
For a few of the nights, team members split up and stayed with local families near the town of Darbonne, which is close to the epicenter.
“Holly, Lindsay and I got to spend the night with the family Kent Annan describes in his book, the one he and his wife lived with for the first few months in Haiti. It was exciting to meet the people I had read about,” said Mariana Valbuena. “They took the time to include us in their daily activities and were patient with us when we didn’t understand a word they said. With them, I didn’t see the suffering of Haiti; I saw the strength received in God.”
The team also attended a commencement ceremony for students who had finished an 8-week laptop training as a part of the “One Laptop Per Child” program. 40 children and 10 mentors from four Haiti Partner schools participate in this XO Laptop pilot project.
On Saturday the team met Andre, the principal of two local schools and the religious director of a Catholic church, who challenged them with these words: “Discouragement isn’t Christian. If you’re alive, God has work for you to do.”
On Sunday morning, the group attended Andre’s church, where everyone gathered under a tarp because the building had collapsed in the earthquake. Only the tabernacle, which holds the sacrament, remained.
“The sermon was about Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and emphasized that no matter the language we spoke, the most important one, the one the Spirit generates in us and that God expects of us, is the language of love. So after we receive more than we give in an exchange like this, then it seems we return home with the responsibility to grow in love,” notes Annan.
Upon returning home, Lindsay Bonilla describes her experience: “I’ve been on lots of missions trips in the past and when I got home I could say: ‘I helped build a playground or paint a wall’ or ‘Our team led worship services and did a Vacation Bible School.’ But this trip was very different. I wasn’t there to do; I was there to listen and learn, to be fully present and take in whatever I could.”
“It was a really good trip, with many meaningful exchanges between the Americans and Haitians we stayed with and visited. And every one of the contest winners was curious, listening, respectful, and patient. Our Haitian hosts and the people we visited with (all friends and colleagues) were incredibly gracious and hospitable. It all turned out even better than I hoped,” said Annan.
All proceeds from Following Jesus Through the Eye of the Needle: Living Fully, Loving Dangerously go to Haiti Partners, as will the proceeds from Annan’s next book called Shaken: Searching for Honest Faith When Life Makes No Sense, which will be released with IVP in early 2011. Arpin-Ricci also has a forthcoming book with IVP.
For additional reflections from the participants: www.ivpress.com/haititrip
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