The First 5 Years

In the spring of 2010, a group of people gathered together, united by their passion for the left behind. What started as a small gathering of people who saw the injustice of a broken education system has since grown into a full-blown movement of people committed to fighting for Haiti’s left behind.

It’s amazing to see how God’s worked through Project 117 over the course of its five year existence. When we look back at where we started, we’re amazed at the ways God’s provision has always come through and the ways He’s always shown up. Every year, we’re learning new things about God’s character and the ways He provides for us. But there are two things that we continue to see year after year: God is ready to use anyone who says “yes” to what He’s calling them to do, and He aligns the right people at the right time to do His work. We’ve seen this over and over throughout our five years.

Before there was a school, before there were students and teachers and grades, there was a dream. After being rocked by the 2010 earthquake, our executive director saw firsthand the brokenness and injustice of the school system in Haiti. He saw schools turning children away because their French wasn’t good enough, or they were too far behind, or because their parents couldn’t pay. This didn’t sit right. The stories of Haiti’s left behind lingered far beyond his trip; he began to tell these stories to friends, family, and influencers back home. Inspired by the vision of Isaiah 1:17, Curtis and our founders said yes to God’s calling. With that, Project 117 was born.  

If anyone tells you that building schools is easy, they’re probably lying to you. If they’re not, let us know who they are because we’d love to learn their secrets. Project 117’s second year was one marked by grit and some seriously hard work. We were challenged by the immense amount of work to be done in Haiti, but we were also incredibly determined to impact its people. We had a vision of raising up empowered Haitians who were able to rewrite the country’s story, and we knew that God would have to show up in some major ways and we would have to do some major work to see that vision become a reality.

This is the year we got to work. We built a road and a well and part of a security wall. We put in the work to prepare not only our land for the school, but our community. We began developing relationships that would shape our organization and impact our story for years to come.

The hard work of year two began to pay off. While we were still in the midst of preparing our land for our permanent school building, we had the opportunity to open school a year early by building a temporary facility on our partner’s land. We didn’t have the funding on-hand for this, but we felt God calling us to say yes. And, like He’s shown us over and over, He honored our decision to boldly say yes to Him. He aligned two new donors for us who made our temporary school building happen, and he provided some amazing volunteers to lead our curriculum team stateside.

With God’s provision, Institution One 17 opened its doors for the first time on September 16, 2013. We began serving 35 students—40 by the end of the year—with five Haitian staff members…four of whom are still on our team today! And we raised $77,000 in 4 months, which paved the way for year four…

Project 117’s next year was one marked by growth and God’s miraculous provision. We started construction on our first permanent school building…and finished building it out in 6 weeks. More than a physical building, though, was the school culture we began to develop in year four. We hired Greg as our Haitian principal, and he’s been hugely influential in developing our staff culture. Taking Matthew 5:14 to heart, he’s passionate about the vision it casts for our students lives. He sees our students as a source of light in a country that many people think is overwhelmed by darkness. He’s committed to raising up educated and passionate students who have a chance to flip Haiti’s narrative. We began to grow our reputation in our community as a school and organization that is undeniably for the left behind, for the community, and for empowered Haitian leadership.

Year five was a year of growth, transition, and influence for us, both in Haiti and stateside. Four of our original board members finished out their terms and transitioned into new roles and new impact, while three new board members got on board with our mission and our movement. Their fresh perspectives allowed us to take new ground as an organization and plan for the future in exciting ways. We were able to hire a part-time development assistant in the states, and our Haitian staff grew to 15 as they served 90 students. We continued to boldly go after the injustices we saw in Haiti with the creation of a healthcare program and an adult literacy class in the evenings.

We continue to look back on our journey with gratitude, and to look forward to the next five years with anticipation and determination. And we know that it’s only because of God that we’ve been able to do any of this work. We can’t wait to see what he asks us to say “yes” to in the future!

Melynda's Story

By Sarah Smith

Walking into Ephraim Orphanage—Project 117’s in-country partner—we were greeted with shy smiles and darting eyes. Our arrival during the Sunday morning church service meant that our first interaction with many of our kids came through sneaky smiles and stolen glances back at us. After the service finished up, personalities came out of the woodwork. Laughter, squeals, and shouts filled the hallways as the kids warmed up to us almost immediately. What caught my eye, though, was a shy set of eyes peeking around the corner of the doorway.

These eyes belonged to Melynda, and everything about her was shy. She hung back and watched as we played with the other kids. She didn’t come running up to us right away. She seemed content in her role as observer. Over the course of the week, she warmed up to us. She’d come find me when she got to school in the morning to give me a better-than-coffee smile and hug. Melynda’s laughter and playful attitude brightened my day each time I saw her.

When I learned a bit more about Melynda, I saw this small, week-long journey fit into a much larger story. In her first year as a student with us, Melynda showed significant developmental delays. This affected her time at school in almost every way: socially, academically, and even physically. In short, she was falling behind.

At Project 117, we’re about “the left behind.” Our whole philosophy is built around coming alongside the left behind and most vulnerable students in Haiti. We believe that every single person has an amazing story that God is writing for them. In other words, we knew we had to take action when we saw Melynda falling behind her classmates.

Our student care advocate began developing a year-long plan to come alongside Melynda. On trips down, she worked extensively with her to develop motor and academic skills. Melynda had a community of people come alongside her to support her: her teacher, her principal, the women at Ephraim, and the curriculum team at Project 117 all gave their time and talent to come alongside this sweet child of God. They all worked to make sure she was no longer left behind.

This year, Melynda’s improving in school. She’s growing and her motor skills are becoming more and more refined. Just like she opened up to me in the week that I knew her, she’s opening up to her teachers and coming alive within her school community. She’s leaning into and living out her Divinely-written story.

These are the kinds of stories that encourage me most about the work that we’re doing at Project 117. Developing an academic plan for a little girl who’s falling behind isn’t exactly glamorous, but it’s this kind of commitment—on such an individual level—to our core values that will empower and equip our students, like Melynda, to bring change, reconciliation, and hope to their communities.

By Curtis Stout

The older—and grayer—I get, the more I’ve learned to savor and enjoy the everyday ordinary moments of life rather than constantly seek out the next “mountain-top,” emotionally charged experience. The simple, relationally rich moments are the ones that are sustainable and are the foundation of a life well lived. Let me explain…

Most people put a puzzle together by starting with the border because it frames the photo and gives you a starting point for the rest of the puzzle. The border pieces usually don’t contain the most spectacular, visually rich part of the puzzle, but they are the easiest to identify and are often times the most enjoyable part of the puzzle…. at least for me. I’m usually bored by the time I finish the border.

In life, the simple, relationally rich moments frame everything else we experience. They give the bigger, emotionally high (or low) moments context and stability. These moments are intertwined into the day-to-day happenings of life and, therefore, are easily overlooked. They’re not the most glamorous moments and probably won’t make your lifetime highlight reel, but they are absolutely essential. They’re the building blocks—the firm foundation—for everything else.

This came to me after our recent year-end school trip. I was reflecting and trying to figure out what my trip highlight was when I decided I didn’t need a highlight. Instead, I needed to be content enjoying the small moments that made up the larger trip experience. These small moments consisted of going on breathtaking, scenic trail runs with a close friend, Greg and I celebrating our victory over the teachers in a team-building activity, being greeted by students with my Haitian name (Kerr - tees) each morning, watching a student resourcefully engineer lights onto his toy truck, cheering students on as they made it rain on the b-ball court, laughing uncontrollably as we watched a tap-tap (Haitian taxi) barrel over a huge trash mound as though it were a monster truck, and remembering why I fell in love with my wife as I watched her drool peacefully while she cuddled with a child in the orphanage. 

Take any one of these small moments out of the trip and, overall, I don’t think it would have changed my experience. Add all these small moments together, however, and I’m left with one extraordinary trip experience that was full of small moments of joy that I’ll be recalling and feasting on for days to come.

by Sarah Smith

When I think of a third-world country, the one word I could use to describe the picture in my head would be desolate. Dirty, broken, dusty, and forgotten are all words that swarm to the forefront in conjunction with that phrase. I was expecting Haiti to live up to that description; I was prepared for all of those things. Dark. Dirty. Grimy. Forgotten. 

God, on the other hand, had a few other words for me.

One of the first things that struck me about Haiti as we drove over the mountain from Port-au-Prince to our little spot outside of Lascahobas was how much beauty there is. The scenery is nothing short of majestic. Because we were there during the rainy season, a layer of lush greenery covered the mountains. White cotton clouds dotted a sky that was the perfect shade of blue. Storm clouds and mountains combined to form amazing sunsets. This place wasn’t forgotten by God…it had His signature all over it. 

In addition to soaking in the beauty of our location, I was also able to experience our school for the very first time. I met the staff, whose stories have inspired me for months now, and saw all the amazing work they do with and for our students. I was able to speak with our principal about the complicated history of Haiti, the challenges it faces, and the resources it already has. As cliché as it sounds, his passion for developing the next generation of change-makers for this country is truly inspiring. When he looks at our students, he doesn’t just see four-, five-, and six-year-olds running around at recess and learning to read and write. He sees future doctors, nurses, community organizers, and leaders who will rewrite Haiti’s story while writing incredible stories of their own. 

When I looked at our students, I saw kids who were dedicated to their schooling and education and who genuinely cared for each other. I saw the homework circles that happened on the back porch of the orphanage, where student leaders would help explain homework to kids who took a bit longer to grasp those concepts. I saw kids who were passionate about their “things,” whether that was sports or art or singing or dancing or the Bible stories I got to hear them read. 

After a particularly active recess one day that included both a basketball tournament and attempting to set a soccer ball back-and-forth (volleyball style) with some first grade girls, I walked to the edge of the schoolyard before it began to gently slope down. From that vantage point, I was able to look out over the mountains that surrounded our school, the lake that had formed in the rainy season, and the beautiful greenery that greeted me on all sides. It was breathtaking, but I found myself more compelled to turn around and look at the school behind me. Sure, the view from Institution One 17 was a beautiful gift from God, but the view looking into Institution One 17? Looking at the learning and empowerment and change happening within the walls of our school and the hearts of our students? I’ll take that view—that gift from God—any day.

Sarah's Water Haul: Final Reflection

“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” - John 4:13-14

These verses were at the forefront of my mind on each and every walk I took to get water during my One 17 Challenge. I knew it was something to pay attention to when I realized how much my mind tends to wander on an hour-long walk with no conversation or music playing…and how, even amidst all the wandering, I kept circling back to those verses. Clearly, these were words that the Lord wanted me to reflect on throughout my water-haul experience.

Project 117 is, of course, concerned with quenching the very real thirst that our students experience on a daily basis. If we were to neglect the physical needs of our students, we would be doing them a massive disservice. It is good and vital work. But these verses served as a reminder to me of the even more vital work that Project 117 does: bringing the hope of Jesus’ living water to our students. We are committed to bringing true education to our students, and a large part of that means giving them the necessary tools to discover who they are in Christ and equipping them to live out the stories He has written for them.

I spent much of my walking time in prayer over our students, and it was one of the most encouraging parts of each day. As I prayed for our little learners, I found myself praying that the Lord would meet the physical needs of our students by providing proper healthcare and nutrition. But I also prayed that, as they get older, the Lord would quench their spiritual thirst with His living water. And I prayed that, as a result of this, He would well up in them profound thirsts for justice, for change, and for bold action in the face of inequality. I asked God to open their eyes to the brokenness of the world around them and to give them the drive to use their talents and gifts to bring about His kingdom in their communities and country.

Madam Worcarline leading her class in their weekly Bible story

Education is a powerful thing. It leads to hope, to dignity, to empowerment, and to opportunity. Through education, we are equipping our students to realize their incredible potential to recreate broken systems in Haiti. But it is only through the Lord’s provision of living water that our students will be truly unstoppable in bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to their own communities. As I prayed fervently for our students in Haiti, I was so encouraged by the work that the Lord is already doing in their hearts, and the work that He will continue to do through them as they are awakened to their potential in Christ. I can’t wait to see how these little hands and feet are used to change communities and lives in Haiti!

visit my challenge page to see my fundraising progress and help me meet my $1,000 goal!!

Sarah's Water Haul: Reflection 1

The average family in Project 117's zone walks 2-4 miles per day to retrieve their drinking water

BY SARAH SMITH

In my head, my One 17 Challenge was going to be a piece of cake. Five consecutive days of walking a mile and a half to grab a gallon of water from the grocery store and then trekking home doesn’t sound too bad, after all. With beautiful, sunny, and warm weather that most Michiganders can only dream of in early March, I left my house feeling invincible. Five minutes later I was bored…ten minutes after that a semi-truck came blaring through, spraying gravel in my face…in another fifteen my shoes (which have gotten me through some marathon days of sightseeing and traveling this year) were giving me blisters in no less than five places. Suddenly, the “Challenge” part of this whole experience became a little more real.

Strangely, though, it was through experiencing these frustrations that I was motivated to complete my challenge and complete it well. As I walked down Washington Avenue, I thought about how the simple act of taking steps can have such profound impact in the world around us. After all, Project 117’s story is one of the small steps taken after experiencing, first-hand, the injustice of educational inequality in Haiti. Because of those steps — and the diligence that dedicated visionaries showed in continuing to walk in the face of metaphorical blisters and semi-trucks — we are now able to educate 90 students. In turn, they will take their own small steps to create real and lasting change in their communities and will begin to recreate the Haitian nation after they leave our school’s walls. As I reflected on this, my steps began to feel like more than just putting one foot in front of the other. One step was for Prince. The next for Loudsaida. Esther. Woodeley. Mireille. I was walking not just to get some water at the grocery store...I was walking to make hope through education a reality for our students. And just as quickly as they appeared, those frustrations and setbacks faded into the background as I set my sights on what still needs to happen to accomplish this vision.

I’m so thankful that I’ve been given the opportunity to join Project 117 in the walk to bring hope through education to those who so desperately need it. Since joining the staff, I have been blessed and inspired by the dedication and selflessness I’ve seen. We describe Project 117 as a “movement of people who see hope through education,” but I’ve come to see that Project 117 is more than that. It’s a movement of dedicated servants to biblical justice. It’s a movement of ordinary people with extraordinary boldness. It’s a movement of people who are committed to keep walking when the weight of the water seems unbearable. And so I straightened my shoulders, readjusted the water I was carrying, and let this movement of people inspire me as I walked toward home...and hope.

by Curtis Stout

Nearly every time I travel to Haiti, my dear friend, Guy Robert, shares a new Haitian Proverb with me. In January, Guy shared this one:

“Ou pa janm konnen ki kote dlo soti rantre nan kokoye.”

You do not know where the coconut tree gets its water.

In the midst of Project 117’s current fundraising stretch, we do not know where the water (resources) will come from, but we trust that God is going to help us grow. Yes, we have a strategic plan. Yes, we are doing the hard work of fundraising and not just sitting around. Yes, we are exploring new revenue streams like grants. But ultimately, only God knows who is going to step into our storyline and provide the resources we need to fulfill the vision God is inviting us into. In the same way that a healthy coconut tree grows each year, we at Project 117 trust that God will provide the water we need in order to grow our impact in Haiti.

Our first attempt at a capital campaign back in 2012 was an epic failure. We chose the next step we wanted to take rather than correctly discerning the next step God wanted us to take. Yet still, God allowed us to open our school in 2013. We had a humble beginning on our partner’s property where we saw God provide our start-up in a way that only He could align.

After launching the school in that temporary building, the pressure was back on to build our first building on our property. We sat under this pressure a lot differently the second time around, and we decided our first step was to correctly discern where God was moving. After scaling back our plans and discerning the healthy next step for our organization, God provided $107,000 in a matter of 4 months. A key volunteer and myself pursued fundraising a lot more intentionally this time, but ultimately God simply showed up and did His thing like only He can. In short, He made it rain!

So here we are again, in the midst of an audacious fundraising stretch. We are pursuing the Prodigy vision and believe, with everything inside of us, that this is something God wants us to pursue. As our second core value states, we are taking action, but ultimately we are waiting expectantly, excited to see how God brings the resource!

Join us as we search for water by praying for the success of the Prodigy Campaign!

Guy (left) serves on our Haitian Board of Directors and has been an invaluable player on our team for almost 5 years. Curtis (middle) serves as our stateside Director. Greg (right) is our Haitian Director/Principal and leads our day-to-day school operations, as well as, helps to develop vision for the future!

Trip Reflection: Irene

Irene has served on our board of directors for over three years. Check out her board bio here.

I had the privilege of joining Project 117 on a team trip in October 2015. It was my first trip to Haiti and my first mission trip. I went in with eyes and heart wide open, and boy-oh-boy were they filled up.

As I began the journey from Port-au-Prince to our Haitian partner, Ephraim Orphan Project where we stayed throughout the week, I was in awe of the countryside. So many emotions were running through my head. It is interesting to me how quiet a van of 9 people can be when everyone is processing the environment on their own.

I was able to see a few of our students that evening as 11 of the 14 orphans are also our students. What I immediately noticed was a deep devotion to God and I was amazed at the reverence these children have. Their lives are so blessed, and they seem to know it.

The afternoon of our first full day was filled with one my favorite adventures of the week. We walked up to the village behind the school. I loved how we were welcomed so openly. Chairs were pulled out into front yards as we were encouraged to just sit and visit, which was funny to me since Curtis was the only one of us who could communicate with them - such simple signs of hospitality. As we continued on through the village, people came from all over to greet Curtis, our director. It is clear how much he is loved and trusted. He has made an important impact here, all by listening to God’s calling and doing what some might have thought of as impossible.

When I left the village, I began thinking about how connected all human beings are in our desire to know and be known. Here are folks living on a Caribbean island in dramatically different circumstances from my life back in the U.S. However, our desires are basically the same. They are happy, loving people who want a better life for their children. They are not reaching for anything remarkable, just better. They want to be safe, and to know their children and grandchildren will be safe. They want to be healthy, and to know their children and grandchildren will be healthy. They want to be known, really known. By inviting us to sit and visit with them, they were inviting us not just into their homes, but into their lives.

Sunday best!

Irene and some of Ephraim's children after church.

Village Walk

Irene's daughter, Jenni, walking with some local children in the village of Locapa.

Village View

Beyond Words

Although a language barrier exists for most trip-goers, simply kneeling down to the same level as students communicates love beyond words.

Clinic Team

Irene, Jenni, and Tanya did an awesome job checking and charting the health of all 80 Kindergarten and 1st grade students in our school!

The rest of the week was filled with more examples of humans being humans, children being typical children, men being strong men, women in traditional, nurturing roles. We really are not that different from people living in developing countries. We are all united with a need for something greater, for a love of the same God (in most instances), for a commitment to our local community, as well as a yearning for service to others.

I am left now with a connection to another part of the world that doesn’t make it seem so far. These beautiful people may be 1,700 miles away from me as the crow flies, but not so far from my heart. I read and reread my journal just to remember the essence of each and every day. I continue to peruse my pictures to remember the laughter of children playing, to feel the heat of the afternoon chores, and to taste the love served every evening on my dinner plate. Part of my heart has a new home, and I’m very happy with that.

Student Story: Alexandra

Learn the story of how our school is impacting Alexandra's life and future. Alexandra is our favorite first grade diva!

by curtis stout

In Mark 9:35-37, Jesus addresses the idea of greatness among his disciples after overhearing their competitive debate on the topic. In this passage, the Teacher turns our view of greatness upside down by saying, “in order to be great you have to serve, you have to put everyone before yourself.” Then Jesus brings heaven down to earth in his unique, only Jesus way, by painting us a picture in real-time. The great Artist invites a little child, a second rate citizen of the day waiting for adulthood to bring worth and status, into his arms and into the circle with his disciples and says, “when you welcome this child in, in my name, you welcome me.”

Earlier this month Institution One 17 had the opportunity to welcome in 21 new students into our school family. Each spring as we are wrapping up one year, we start looking ahead to the coming year by enrolling new students. In the past we have gone out into local villages and enlisted the help of a local magistrate to help us find the students that need our school the most. This year, word got out publicly after we announced our enrollment date at a parent meeting and we were inundated with requests by local parents desiring for their children to attend our school. 

Why the sudden inundation of requests for a place in our school? Over the course of the last year our school’s reputation has developed into more than just a new school, but a school with good teachers, nice facilities, and a compassionate heart for it’s students. I’ll tell you right now it feels good to be a part of something that is desirable and sought after. It was nice to hear that the effort made by our board, volunteers, and school staff was identified as beautiful and successful in the eyes of local parents. In other words, I received a little ego boost as I received this feedback.

I don’t know about you, but I am wired to achieve, go fast, and be competitive. If I do something, I want to do it well and I want to win. This is evident in my personal and professional life. I have been known to let out unintentional, angst-filled grunts while playing leisurely card games (which is embarrassing when it happens in front of your wife’s new boss at a first time hang-out). When I play soccer with children in Haiti I have to remind myself that winning isn’t the most important part of playing and that slide-tackling kids isn’t cool. My favorite part of making to-do lists is checking them off. I don’t want to just build a run-of-the-mill school in Haiti, but instead create a school that is great, God-honoring, and worthy of the beautiful people we are called to serve. Anyways… what I am sharing with you is that: 

1. I am sometimes guilty of buying into the idea that greatness equates to being first, to winning, to being sought after by others, and to receiving positive feedback.
2. I am a person in need of God’s grace and His Holy Spirt’s guidance.

But anyways, according to Jesus, greatness is more about serving others and welcoming the disadvantaged into loving circles than winning any of the things listed in point 1. 

Back to enrollment. Due to the sudden influx of parents requesting admission this year, we were given the task of discerning who needed hope through education the most based on a list of names and informal interviews rather than a casual walk through local villages. As Greg (our Principal) and I went through a long list of student names and a waiting list that we formed last year, we chose students based on three criteria. First, we chose older students who have not had the opportunity at other schools because we know that 3 years old is the prime age to start kindergarten in Haiti and that older students are often times overlooked by other schools. We ended up enrolling six kids who are five and in need of starting their education this year. Next, we designated an equal number of spots for girls and boys knowing that girls are often times overlooked simply because of their gender and that families in rural Haiti sometimes find their daughters time to be better spent at home helping the family rather than attending school. We ended up giving 14 spots to girls and 7 spots to boys because our list of potential students was 70% girls. Finally, with knowledge of family stories, we prioritized children from bigger families and children with parents that are gone (deceased or uninvolved) because these children might need more help than others due to financial barriers. 

Project 117’s process for enrollment is completely different than any other school in our area where first come, first pay policies are utilized. Our enrollment process is far from perfect, but every year we ask God to honor the desire He placed in our hearts to serve the downtrodden, the disadvantaged, the materially rich (relatively speaking for rural Haiti), but spiritually poor, and the left behind. Hundreds of thousands of primary aged children are left out of school every year in Haiti and a handful of those children can be found in the rural communities around our school. Each year we count on God to divinely align us with new students and impressionable hearts to shepherd, THEN we prayerfully seek out those young hearts and minds through enrollment. This attitude is what makes us successful. Our heart for those that need us the most is our greatest achievement. 

As we continue progressing and learning how to lead a school in rural Haiti, I am realizing that how we serve others matters far more than how much greatness we achieve in the eyes of others. Don’t get me wrong, I am still wired to achieve, to go fast, to win, and to be viewed with favor by those involved in our work. Those can all be very healthy ambitions when they are focused on obediently participating in God’s kingdom restoration movement.  However, a ministry marked by obedient service is what our focus must be, rather than a ministry of great size or great achievement or even great value in the eyes of others.

I still pray for new opportunities to build more SCHOOLS because I know the need is great in Haiti, and I want to kick Haiti’s educational injustice in the teeth. With that said, I know that if all we ever do as an organization is obediently serve the oppressed that God puts in our path yearly with our one school in rural Haiti then our work will be labeled “well done” by our Father. Our “doing” will reflect accurately our collective belief in a holy God. For me that means embracing the small moments on every trip when I get to joyfully tickle the fatherless, enthusiastically hug the left behind, or foolishly try to make a child with a toothache laugh so they forget the throbbing pain in their mouth for just a minute. If I obediently serve God’s children then it will be like I am welcoming Jesus himself into my daily life. 

That sounds pretty GREAT to me. How about you? If so, join me in chasing after obedience rather than achievement. Join me in pursuing relationships over success! Join me because I need your help and you need mine.