Fwd: Opportunity to help establish high school in Pestel

Education in Pestel, Haiti is a priority area for Thriving Villages International.

We have an opportunity to invest in the next generation and complete a high school for students in Pestel!  Basic construction is complete on a 3-room high school in Pestel, and Thriving Villages is looking for partners to invest in the education of rural Haitians.  The $10,000 needed would complete construction of three high school classrooms – lay flooring, construct doors, benches, and chalkboards – at St. Francis school in Pestel.  More than that, it would give hope and a future to a region that desperately needs both.

The Board of Thriving Villages would like to invite you to participate in this important and joy-filled opportunity.  After prayerful consideration and a lot of good discussion, we feel confident that God will provide, the funds will be well-used, and people both here and in Pestel will rejoice when the buildings are finished! 

To donate, visit our website at http://www.thrivingvillages.org, our blog at http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/, or send a check to Thriving Villages International, 1601 Susan Lane Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.  Please write "Education Fund" in the memo.  

Thanks for your love and support.  We pray that the outpouring of relief to some of the poorest people in the Western Hemisphere continues as well, as we work to provide education, medical supplies, clean water, and hope for the people in Pestel, Haiti.  

Ben

PS   Please see the attached letter for more detailed information.

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President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website:  www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog:  http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ThrivingVillages

"Pay special attention to these issues:

   love for one another;

   absence of desire to be thought of as someone special;

   and the impeccable performance of mundane tasks."  Teresa of Avila

--

President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website:  www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog:  http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ThrivingVillages

"Pay special attention to these issues:

   love for one another;

   absence of desire to be thought of as someone special;

   and the impeccable performance of mundane tasks."  Teresa of Avila

Latest update from Miss World Organization

http://www.missworld.com/News/2013-11-07/Megan-Young-Speaks-to-Missworldcom/

I am glad to see Megan and Julia in higher spirits.  Several of you have written me and indicated how impressed you are with how the Miss World Team has dealt with these very difficult and traumatic circumstances.  Personally I have been humbled by the true grace with which they have moved along each step of this.  They were placed in a very difficult and scary situation abruptly.  Both Julia and Megan indicate in this latest press release that they remain committed (perhaps more than ever?) to turn this situation into something good for the people of Pestel.   

The shock waves of trauma can reverberate well after the initial event, and I would ask that we continue to pray for healing and restoration for those who were involved in this.

Thanks

Ben

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President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website:  www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog:  http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ThrivingVillages

"Pay special attention to these issues:

   love for one another;

   absence of desire to be thought of as someone special;

   and the impeccable performance of mundane tasks."  Teresa of Avila

Short video from Miss World Organization

Hi all,

This was just posted as a follow-up to the recent accident in Haiti:

http://www.missworld.com/News/2013-11-07/Haiti-Accident-Update-Megan-Young-Interview/

Please continue to pray for Julia as she works through the recovery process.

Ben

--

President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website:  www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog:  http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ThrivingVillages

"Pay special attention to these issues:

   love for one another;

   absence of desire to be thought of as someone special;

   and the impeccable performance of mundane tasks."  Teresa of Avila

Update on Haiti trip: accident in Port-au-Prince

Please see this well-written account on the Miss World Organization website outlining the events that occurred within hours of landing in Haiti:

http://www.missworld.com/News/2013-11-04/Miss-World-in-Orphanage-Collapse-Horror/

Please be in prayer for Julia Morley as she recovers in the Miami hospital from her hip surgery and the events over these past several days.  We are all so thankful that she was able to be transported out to an excellent hospital in Miami, and that greater injuries were not sustained by the Miss World Team or the children.

     

I was not at the orphanage at the time of the accident.  I arrived in Haiti a couple of hours after the Miss World Team.  Evens and I were with Nelson at the time we received a phone call from Julia's son Steve.  

A lot goes through your mind at times like these.   And plenty sticks with you for some time after the event.   Please pray for all those who experienced the accident first-hand.  They have all had a lot to take in.

As difficult as this was, there is so much to be thankful for.  There were so many times when things might not have gone well.  When it's all considered, the ability for the team to get the care they needed in a reasonable time fashion was really very good.   We are thankful in particular to a team of Canadian physicians and nurses who volunteered their time last week at the Bernard Mevs Hospital where Julia and the boy Jonathan were evaluated.  They did a professional job and used limited resources well to diagnose the problems and control pain as best as possible.  The hospital also has a good deal of experience with medical evacuations because of their long-standing relationship with the University of Miami.  When we learned about Julia's fracture I asked what we needed to do to arrange for medical evacuation and was told that the staff at the hospital would work on everything for us.

Ben

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President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website:  www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog:  http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ThrivingVillages

"One who is in Christ operates by spiritual discernment and wisdom, and helps a man not by giving him what he wants but what he may need.  Above all, our response is one of caring and sharing; we are ready to serve, to get involved.  This is the risk and the cost of love."  Myron Augsburger

Heading to Haiti!

Hi all,

I will be heading to Haiti tomorrow morning and meeting up with the wonderful Miss World Team.  I can sense that they are excited about the trip, as am I.   It'll be a quick trip, but with plenty of important activities.   I am not likely to send updates on my trip but I suspect the Miss World team will post updates, and you will likely find them here:

http://www.beautywithapurpose.com/

Please pray for safety and also for flexibility.   Also, please pray that everyone on this trip would be affected and impacted by what we experience on this trip together.  

Ben

--

President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website:  www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog:  http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ThrivingVillages

"One who is in Christ operates by spiritual discernment and wisdom, and helps a man not by giving him what he wants but what he may need.  Above all, our response is one of caring and sharing; we are ready to serve, to get involved.  This is the risk and the cost of love."  Myron Augsburger

September Updates

Hi Everyone,

I want to share a few updates about the work in Pestel, Haiti:

Health:

The May/June Vitamin A Campaign (with deworming pills) reached 6651 children between ages of 6 months and 5 years.  During the prior Vitamin A Campaign the field workers ("APPAS") reached 6384.   Importantly, while they reached 300 more children during the latest round they also did it in 2 months instead of 3.   How did they do it?   You may recall that earlier this year some families donated money for purchase of motorcycles to allow the workers to (hopefully) be more efficient.  I'd say it worked!    We are not fully covering the area, though, and we'll be working on a strategy to accomplish this.  A very recent huge study (1 million children) in India showed that VItamin A reduced all-cause child death by 10%.   The benefit of these medicines is seen when we reach all kids...especially those hardest to reach in the furthest villages.   

If you are interested in helping to develop a strategy to reach the furthest kids in the furthest villages in Pestel, please email me.  

Water:

Very exciting news!   Through a recent generous donation by the Miss World Organization, combined with funding through Rotary International, expertise by a couple of different organizations, we will be launching a ceramic water filter project in Duchity (a town in Pestel) in 2014!!!    We anticipate reaching about 2000 households in the area.   If this model is successful we hope to expand it to other areas in Pestel.

Another important household water filter project will be taking place in the Malcouchin area through Impact for Jesus.  More to come on this!!  

Earlier this year we did not hit water with the well-drilling project.   This week Water Missions International is evaluating a Plan B option for Pestel.  We've provided them with a list (and GPS coordinates) of water sources throughout Pestel that they can evaluate.  

Finally, I've learned that the government of Haiti has been working on constructing a bridge over the River Glaz.  This is more wonderful news!   Almost every year we learn about vehicles (and people) being swept over the side when people try to cross the swollen river which runs over the road.  This bridge will be another life-saver

Education:

We would like to find a way to help Father Parnel finish off his High School in Pestel.  In the past we have helped provide some funds that went toward constructing more school rooms so that the school (St. Francis School) can expand the number of grades it offers.  They have been able to add a grade per year for the past couple of years.  They want to be able to offer 11th and 12th in the upcoming years, but need to have the rooms finished off.   If anyone has suggestions for obtaining funding to help with this important project, please let us know.  We would love to rejoice with the people of Pestel by being part of this landmark event for their community.

Final detail, hopefully you've seen our new website.  If not, I encourage you to check it out.  Yesterday we were able to add a recurring donation button to our website (per request! :)   You can find this at the bottom of the page, right-hand corner.  

http://www.thrivingvillages.com/

The button appears as "subscribe".  That may not make intuitive sense, but hey, it's a free button!  If we wanted it to say anything else we'd have to pay for it.  :)  No sense in that!

Thanks everyone!  We're thrilled at all these good pieces of news and see them as evidence of God's hands already at work on behalf of the people of Pestel, to show us and them how Good and Great He is.

Ben

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President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website:  www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog:  http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ThrivingVillages

"One who is in Christ operates by spiritual discernment and wisdom, and helps a man not by giving him what he wants but what he may need.  Above all, our response is one of caring and sharing; we are ready to serve, to get involved.  This is the risk and the cost of love."  Myron Augsburger

New Website for Thriving Villages!!! www.thrivingvillages.com

Hi all,

We are pleased to share with you a newly updated website for Thriving Villages!

www.thrivingvillages.com

We have been working with some wonderful people at Deloitte Inc. since June to revise the site and we could not be more pleased.  Thanks especially to Sheldon and Ujjwal for their work and leadership.  And to Deloitte for donating their expertise to bring this about!   Please share this site!!

You will also see a new logo featured on our site.  This was designed for us by a student, Cait Fenello, at Messiah College as part of a Design Class led by Professor Kathy Hettinga.

We remain grateful to the many hands over these past 6 years who have contributed to the development of the website and its several iterations, the logo, and the promotional materials.  Through their donated time we have tried to convey the needs of the people in Pestel and celebrate the ways that we have seen God working and bringing forward His goodness in new and exciting ways.

Ben  

--

President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website:  www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog:  http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ThrivingVillages

I do not doubt that the modern Western church badly needs a lot of things, one of them being more confidence that God is working powerfully among us and wants us to do more than we have been willing to do in his service.   John G. Stackhouse