Every dad wants to pass on something to her girls. Something that her little girls will remember fondly and proudly say, “I got that from my dad!”
Moise longs for that too… and no less so for the 12 girls he calls her own, not by blood, but through their Home of Hope. And so he’s intentional about passing on special skills, like how to care for their rabbits, chickens and turkeys.
The small hut she called home was nothing much to speak of. She and twelve other siblings lived in what was generously called a hut – thatch walls and a leaky roof. There was no running water. It was remote – deep in the mountains of Southern Haiti. Betti remembers many days of hard work carrying heavy buckets of water the long distance from the river to the hut, cooking, cleaning. It never seemed to end.
She would dream about one day being able to go school… and maybe even becoming a teacher when she grew up. But with the poverty and lack of opportunity around her, seven year old Betti nearly gave up hope.
And then an epidemic broke out in her village.
The Heritage Home of Hope has a special name for a reason. Honor, pride, courage—these are three words the 12 girls in this home are embracing as they leave behind words that had previously identified them—orphan, slave, worthless. But you don’t live up to a word like Heritage overnight.
Although we yearn for a rich heritage of faith that would continue to guide them as confident, mature adults who love Jesus, we know that this does not happen without intentional, step-by-step care as they grow. This is what happens in a Home of Hope.
In the summer newsletter, we introduced a tremendous opportunity to make a real difference for vulnerable children in Haiti by giving a financial gift to our Child Development program. In a culture where only 61% of the population is literate, the intentional education and support that serves vulnerable children from childhood through young adulthood is rare. Our effort to give each child a well-rounded, excellent education alongside personal and professional development opportunities requires that we invest deeply in these areas. This is all done with a vision that these successful, godly adults will integrate into their communities and transform their fellow men and women with the powerful love of Christ!
We are less than two weeks away from the highlight of the summer for 223 kids in Haiti—VBS. This year, all 19 Home of Hope families will gather at the Cancer Redemption Project Campus (CRP) in Cavaillon, Haiti, from August 11-14, 2016, for several days of activities, bible lessons and relationship building!
If you’ve followed us throughout the week of Camp before, you’ll know that this time together is full of laughter, life-enriching lessons and lots of time for deep relationships to form. It’s our prayer that this year of VBS is all of that and so much more.
On June 28, 2016 LSM hosted a Dedication at the Welsh school. Nearly 400 people came to celebrate, including:
• LSM staff and construction workers
• A team from the U.S. whose family and friends funded significant portions of the school project
• Officials from the region
• Surrounding Home of Hope families
• Welsh community members
• Welsh Church members
• LaSource Church members (a church plant in early 2016 from the Welsh Church)
It was a powerful celebration of hope and excitement for what God continues accomplishing through LSM! Here are some of the highlights:
This year, as you celebrate our country’s freedom, please don’t forget those who are still searching for their freedom.
Ella* is one young girl who is still looking. When her father died unexpectedly in a motor accident, her mother was suddenly faced with a decision no mother ever wants to make. Unable to provide for her daughter, she sent Ella to live with another family in the city. Perhaps there, she thought, Ella will find hope in a better future. Perhaps there, she will find freedom from the poverty she has always known.
We want to give a BIG shout out to you, dads. Those who are raising your kids to love Jesus, who are faithfully serving Him, and who are selflessly caring for others. We know you have a tough job. And we are so thankful for all the ways you rise up to the task.
Here’s a beautiful message for you from a couple of adopted kiddos:
This past weekend, over 200 youth gathered in Bluffton, IN to make new friends, inspire one another, and help several organizations with service projects. It was exciting to see so many passionate young people learning to make a difference, and then putting what they learned into action in tangible ways. We were thrilled to have some of them come to learn more about Haiti, including how they can make a difference right from the heart of Indiana!
After learning about Homes of Hope and seeing some of the real difference LSM is making in these children’s lives, the young men and women had a chance to write out personalized prayers for each of our Haitian children!
Consider adding in one of these activities for your whole family this summer. It will truly help transform the lives of vulnerable children, and it will be a reminder to you—and a valuable lesson to your own children—that if feels good to do good.