An Update on Haiti from our Executive Director

November 12, 2021

Last month, I visited our schools in Haiti with our Director of Operations for the first time in over two years. We returned home the same day news broke about the kidnapping of 17 foreign missionaries and one Haitian driver in Port-au-Prince. Our hearts break for this missionary team and we pray earnestly that their captors will release them soon.

The volatile political climate and widespread unrest in Haiti continues to create the most challenging season we’ve endured since we began our organization ten years ago. Our time on the ground, though short, reminded me of the incredible need for education and the importance of empowering indigenous leaders. Our schools have remained open through the pandemic, natural disasters, political and economic crises, and the grind of daily life in a developing country. We credit this to our dedicated Haitian staff, our faithful donors, and God’s grace, but it has not been easy.

Campus 2

Our Global Team was able to visit our second location for the first time in person. Our students and staff are doing fantastic! The facilities also look great.

School Start

Everyday our students gather around the flagpole to sing, dance, recite the national anthem, and pray.

Staff Training

Our Global Team poured into our staff for half a day as we focused on discussing our mission, vision, and values!

Kindergarten 1

New students at Campus 1. Every year we enroll a new group of Kinder students while opening a new grade level for our oldest students at each location.

Campus 2 Prayer

We love seeing our students sing and pray to start the day!

Capturing Kids Hearts

In 2018, we began implementing the Flippen Group’s Capturing Kids Hearts curriculum at our schools. We were happy to see it in action at our second location. This curriculum is focused on character development and relationship building.

7th Grade

Our oldest students–mischievous, self-aware, self-conscious, awkward, enthusiastic, joyful–they are so very middle school now.

Three Amigos

Kids are kids. No matter where you are in the world. Kids are kids.

1st Grade

We opened our second location two years ago. This group is now in their third year with us.

PS- Check out that breathtaking view behind them!

Lead Team

Our Global Team works very closely with this team of courageous leaders! We meet 3-4 times every week on ZOOM and thoroughly enjoyed taking ground together in person!

Our staff and students greeted us at the gate and sang a “welcome” song to us as we returned to campus.

The last few years have been especially challenging for our Haitian leaders. They cannot escape the violence of gangs, economic hardships, psychological and emotional strain due to political instability, nor the challenges of navigating food insecurity and supply chain disruptions. These are everyday realities for our team, but they’re uncontrollable and unavoidable for the average Haitian. Yet, our team persists. They continue to roll up their sleeves and serve out of love for our students and belief in our mission.

Earlier this week, I asked our Haiti Director, Gregory Dorisme, “If you could share a message with our supporters, what would you say?” Greg replied with the following:

“Our staff is doing a great job serving students who don’t have people to support them. Please continue supporting our work and do not become discouraged by the challenges facing Haiti.”

While in Haiti, I was reminded of the urgent need to protect our students’ innocence. They hear the news and listen to their parent’s hushed conversations about the crises facing their country. When asked how they hope to see their country change, the majority of our students spoke towards a desire for peace, unity, and harmony. They rely on our schools to be safe, secure, and stable environments to retreat to while the world swirls madly around them; but they worry about their local community and what the future holds.

As for our team, we are not going anywhere. We are committed to the hard work of educating and raising up the next generation of leaders; and we will do whatever it takes to honor the call God has given us to serve our students, empower indigenous leaders, and create safe places for students to grow, learn, and belong. Our Haitian staff will continue to lead the way for our work and our Global team will provide resources and encouragement to help them achieve our mission.

Galatians 6:9 encourages us to “not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” While uncertainty abounds and the burden is heavy, we know the time will come when the impact of our work will speak louder than the challenges we’ve faced along the way. Thank you for remaining steadfast in your support of our mission. We believe transformation is coming and our students will help lead the way!

Together,

Curtis Stout
Executive Director