Julian Brelsford returns to Haiti after having been there with his sister when the earthquake struck. He shares about their experience and how Christa was seriously injured. He also shares about Christa and their family’s initiative to use this experience to do good for the people in Darbonne and Fayette. Learn more at www.christasangels.org. We at Haiti Partners are honored to be in collaboration with Christa, Julian and all involved with Christa’s Angels.

I (John Engle) visited Maxandre Bien-Aimer, Principal of IMN Community School and am encouraged by progress.

David Jones, Senior Partner for Haiti Partners visits Henri Christophe School, which was destroyed by the earthquake and is where Haiti Partners is funding the creation of a Learning Center/Shelter.

Part 1, The destruction

Part 2, Education in a tent now and a Learning Center/Shelter soon

Education continues on La Gonave thanks to the generous contributions from people like you and for the tireless work of Haiti Partners colleagues like Enel Angerville!

Enel Angerville, came to Port au Prince yesterday. The earthquake damage including fatalities on La Gonave is small in comparison to Port au Prince and surrounding cities but the impact is significant in several ways:

– A large number of houses, schools and churches that are still standing have significant cracks.

– People are afraid to spend time in them and the government has declared that schools with damage should not function.

– Majority of families on La Gonave that were already barely surviving don’t have means to receive the tens of thousands that are migrating back from Port au Prince.

This vast migration to La Gonave and other areas brings sickness, foot and water shortages, and higher prices, not to mention completely overwhelming hospitals and clinics that were already inadequate. An estimated 600,000 homeless people from Port au Prince seek refuge with extended family in countryside

Despite the challenges, Enel and his colleagues push on tirelessly. See photos below of students at Haiti Partners partner school–Bel Platon Community School–under tarps. The numbers of students have grown because few schools have reopened and parents want their children’s education to continue. We see in photos the participative methods that Haiti Partners promotes which involve large group and also small group work with importance placed on each person having a voice and being invited to fully engage.

Enel works closely with a network comprised of 27 churches. We see photos below of a recent 2-day training that Enel organized. He brought in 2 experts in helping communities deal with disasters: being ready, what to do when it’s happening, and techniques and approaches for dealing with aftermath.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Here’s some quick footage of children from one of our partner schools resuming their education in temporary structure.

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 Erik! …avek anpil apresyasyon pou nou.