The 2011 Haiti calendars just came off the press Thursday! This is a fund-raiser, as you probably recall, to purchase supplies and medications for the Child Health Campaigns for Pestel.
Quite literally: every $3 raised last year helped one more kid. I know the low cost seems ridiculous. The challenge, though, is in helping 100 kids ($300) or 1000 ($3000) or 10,000 ($30,000). So you see, every $3 gift helps one more child, and helps us to reach the 12,000+ kids in Pestel. [Many thanks to Linda Chambers for leading this fundraiser!!!]
My meeting with the engineering firm in Harrisburg went very well. The effort is focused on northern Haiti, which is quite distinct and geographically removed from Pestel. But I think really good things can happen through this firm!! And I'm contacting faculty at Penn State's main campus to try to get them involved. While my efforts are clearly focused on Pestel, I have been mindful that one of the reasons God brought me to Penn State Hershey and has shown me favor in the position of Global Health Center director is to, among others, pull in the Penn State resources for the betterment of the people of Haiti. Pretty great to see this moving forward!!!
I just received a most encouraging email from Michael of St. Joseph's/Wings of Hope/Trinity House. You'll recall that St. Joseph's was leveled (quite literally--all 5 floors collapsed) during the earthquake, and Wings of Hope was condemned. His email focused on Trinity House (down in Jacmel). Quite interestingly, they are now working with Water Missions International to establish a water purification system for Trinity House as well as the surrounding poor people. This is the same group that is going to set-up a water purification system in Pestel!! Michael and his 'family' have started up a bakery and coffee-roasting business in Jacmel to help support the schools and orphanages.
For various reasons we'll need to put the work in Pestel on hold from from December thru February. That means the workers will be without work for those 3 months. Strategically I know this makes sense. But 'culture eats strategy for lunch', so I'd ask you to pray that the workers and Haitian physician have patience with this process, which is certainly a work-in-progress.
My next trip is in November. I'll likely be going back in early March with a couple of men from my church. We had a really great time last Sunday showcasing Johnny's "CharRocket" stove and new solar fruit drier. We're eager to get these innovations down to Pestel to see how they use them!! That'll probably happen in early March.
We've had several more gifts lately--some giving to support a classroom or to the sewing programs or wherever-it-is-most-needed. Here's one that's particularly special: a young boy in our church named Ben recently had a birthday party. For his party he asked for gifts FOR the kids of Pestel. Balls and toys and jump ropes and sports items. :)
"Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord."
Ben
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