close your eyes

turn on

http://www.radiolumiere.org/

turn up the heat

it's almost like you are there.

if you want to see where we are staying, here is a link:

http://www.childhope.org/about/guesthouse/guesthouse.html

See you tomorrow.


MARCKENDY is the oldest son of Navi, the head nanny at the MDL girls home. Ever since MarcKendy's father died, he has become "the man of the house" and carefully watches out for his little brother Brice. He has endured a difficult life before coming to the home as his unemployed mother tried for years to care for him and his brother. He loves his new home and all his new "brothers" and hopes to one day have a job and support his mother so she no longer has to work. MarcKendy enjoys Bible studies and the home and playing soccer. He struggles with school but tries very hard to do his best. Pray for him as he seeks to learn more about Jesus and grow in his young faith.


PATRICK is a very nice and sincere young man. Already displaying strong leadership skills, Patrick is often known as an arbitrator and peace maker. He also looks after his sister Phara, who is living at the girl's home. School is very important to him and he works hard on his studies. He loves sports and plays hard; and he always looks forward to Sunday soccer competitions at the orphanage. Patrick loves learning God's Word, worshipping and praying. He has a passion for Jesus and is growing daily in his biblical knowledge, love for the Lord, and in his heart to serve others. Please pray for Patrick that he would learn what God would have for his life and that he would continue to grow in his passion for Jesus and others.

Can't believe it's been a year already

HAITI: A Year After School Collapse, Parents Seek Justice
By Jonah Engle*

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Nov 9 (IPS) - On the morning of Nov. 7, 2008 shortly after 10 a.m. as the second period was beginning, College La Promesse Evangelique, a three-storey cinderblock school in the Nerette neighbourhood of Petionville, fell in on itself.

Now, a year after the collapse that killed 97 students and teachers and left more than 100 injured, survivors and relatives of the dead say they are through with dialogue and want justice from the government.

The tragedy shook a country already reeling from the deadliest hurricane season in years.

President Rene Preval declared two days of mourning and convened a commission comprised of several ministries to look into the incident and to assist the victims.

A few days before a memorial service to commemorate the anniversary of the collapse, the area where the school once stood was a trash heap. Flies buzzed around piles of rotting food and empty plastic bottles.

Roody Jacques, who heads the Association of Victims of the Nerette Tragedy (ASSOVINERETTE), said the city of Petionville began dumping debris from a street widening project, and soon after people started throwing their garbage on the pile.

Families of the dead want the site, which still contains bodies that were never recovered, to be turned into a national monument where people can come to remember their loved ones. "We consider it a cemetery," said Jacques.

That request, like nearly every other one made by victims' families, has gone unanswered, according to Jacques.

In the wake of the disaster, the government made payments to families: 2,500 dollars for every death, 1,250 dollars for serious injuries, and 750 dollars for light ones. Full-time kindergarten and primary school teachers at College La Promesse, who where suddenly out of work, were given 1,125 dollars.

With the help of international donors and foreign aid agencies, the government found medical assistance and psychological counseling for survivors.

The government also promised to find schools for the students of College La Promesse and to cover their fees at least until the end of the 2009-2010 school year.

But 10 months after the Association of Victims was formed to represent families, students, teachers and landlords of properties adjoining the school that were destroyed in the rescue effort, the group's leaders say the government still has not made good on its pledges.

Jacques, whose 18-year-old daughter Vanessa was killed in the collapse, says they are not asking for money. "You can't repay the loss," he said. "It's like having both your arms cut off."

Rather they want the government to do what it promised as well as prosecute those responsible.

Chief among those concerns is that the Ministry of Education has failed to cover the tuition of all the survivors and schools have begun threatening to send kids home while others have already done so.

Joseph Martin, a father of five, says he received a bill for 122 dollars for enrolment fees and one month's tuition from the Methodist school in the adjoining town of Delmas, where his 17-year-old daughter was relocated after College La Promesse collapsed. The school wanted to expel her but he said he was able to negotiate a grace period while the victims' association tries to get the government to pay the fees.

In the wake of the disaster, several schools offered to take students from College La Promesse. One of those was Foyer Chretien school, a 30-minute walk from Nerette. Two weeks ago, the families of 54 students at the school who came from College La Promesse were told to pay their overdue fees for this year or they would have to leave.

According to Toussaint Vilaire, director of academic affairs at Foyer Chretien, the school waived tuition last year, "but we can't go on," he said. The government donated school supplies but hasn't offered the school any money, Villaire said.

The Ministry of Education official responsible for assisting students of College La Promesse, Marie-Alice Pierre-Louis, said there was a simple explanation: Foyer Chretien has failed to submit an invoice to the government.

"I personally went there," said Pierre-Louis, "and told them to write up a list of students with the cost and they never did."

Defending her ministry's record, Pierre-Louis held up a sheet of paper listing all the schools where the government had covered the tuition of 247 displaced students last year.

She said that some cheques had yet to be sent out for this year but they were awaiting the minister's signature.

Preventing Another Tragedy

The collapse of College La Promesse raised concerns about the physical state of Haiti's schools. Fears were ratcheted up five days later when part of Grace Divine D'Haiti school in Port-au-Prince collapsed, injuring seven.

Shortly after those incidents, the rumour of a collapse sparked a stampede at a school in Clercine, a Port-au-Prince suburb, killing one and injuring 15.

In the wake of the tragedy, the Ministry of Education closed about 10 schools around the country that posed a risk, according to Ministry spokesman, Miloody Vincent.

The Search for Justice

Immediately after his school collapsed, Pastor Augustin Fortin turned himself into authorities. He was charged with involuntary homicide and grievous bodily harm as well as using a false title. The latter charge stemmed from his admission that he'd lied about having an engineering degree.

He was held in jail and eventually released pending trial. The homicide and injury charges were later dropped. The prosecutor, Jean Serge Joseph, said this was done because the building had been built legally.

Joseph said the Petionville city hall employee who issued the permit to Fortin had left Haiti and could not be found, and he found no grounds to lay charges against Public Works officials who approved the building permit.

Fortin's trial will take place this month, said Joseph. The false title charge carries a minimum jail sentence of one year and a three-year maximum. The prosecutor said he'd be seeking the maximum. "He's cooked," said Joseph.

But that is little satisfaction to survivors and relatives of those killed last year who want all those responsible to be held accountable for what they call a crime.

The victims' association also has other demands. Parents want guarantees that their children's tuition will be covered until they graduate from High School. The ministry has said only that it will cover tuition through the end of the year and then see about further assistance.

Now that the one-year anniversary has passed, victims' families say they are through with dialogue.

"We've been asking for a year and we got nowhere," said Roody Jacques, declaring that a lawsuit was in the works. "If it doesn't work with the Haitian courts, we will go to the international courts," said Jacques, "because justice must be served."

*Special to IPS from The Haitian Times

Garage Sale!

Hey everyone!

Thanks for your participation in the garage sale.  Thanks to everyone for helping out!

This Thursday we are having our final team meeting.  Sunday we are getting commissioned, though I need to check at which service.  We will get back to you with details on that.

I have some garage sale pics up @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucastheexperience/sets/72157622569340017/













JEFF is a serious boy. He loves to be a part of any conversation or activity – listening, observing, or jumping right in to whatever might be happening. He always likes to be included. Jeff enjoys speaking and practicing English and hopes to one day attend an English-speaking school. He enjoys playing soccer and is quite good at it; he also likes playing board games. He likes to listen to music on his portable CD player. Please pray for Jeff as he continues to grow and mature, that he would come to know Jesus more and embrace the Lord's love and grace for him.


JOCELYN is our in-house comedian and jokester. Always smiling and ready to joke around, he loves to have fun and is quite social. He will gladly greet and meet any new visitors to the home. Soccer is his favorite sport and he tries to play often. Having a big heart for the younger kids at the orphanage, Jocelyn readily chooses to play with and teach them over playing with the older boys. He also has a very serious side and is passionate about things that are important to him. He loves Jesus and wants to one day serve full-time in ministry, to share the hope he has found in Jesus. He loves Bible study, and praise and worship time. Please pray that the Lord will continue to shape and mold Jocelyn into a Godly man that will dramatically impact Haiti for Jesus.

Lucas Simmons

So for the Garage Sale please don't forget:

Bring $15 for hot dog sale (Matt is pre-buying the food)

Also be praying for it. 

Thanks guys only 2 more weeks!

JAMES is a strong, silent type. Although a bit shy and uncomfortable around crowds, he has strong leadership skills and is an excellent example for the other kids. He loves learning English and has become one of the best English speakers. He is very kind and you will often find him patiently teaching one of the younger kids, or helping them to resolve some problem. He is a good teacher and one of our most helpful children around the house – often the first to pick up a broom or mop to clean things up. He has a servant's heart and loves Jesus very much. Please pray for James, that his faith would grow and that the Lord would reveal His will for James' life.


RENISE came to the streets of Port-au-Prince from northern Haiti, with her sister, to beg and raise money to help her poor family. Life on the street, however, turned out to be more difficult than she expected and she experienced much trauma. She used to regularly stutter, speaking only one word every few seconds when she got nervous or upset. She does not speak of specifics in her life or what she has experienced, claiming to have forgotten most of what occurred over the last few years. Today, she is very confident, and an outstanding student. For the last few years, she has been at the top of her class. She also has made many friends at school. She is a precious little girl who glows when someone hugs her and shows a true interest in her. Having a deep profound faith, she wants to one day dedicate her life to helping share Jesus with other children living on the streets. Please pray for her continued growth in the Lord and knowledge of His Word.

Lucas

in 2 weeks and 2 hours

We will be at the airport!


ISRAEL is a very special boy who is one of our leaders at Maison de Lumiere. Badly burned in a kitchen fire as a baby, Israel's face is severely scared from third degree burns. He hopes one day to visit the US to have plastic surgery; this has been a dream all his life. An excellent and committed student, he studies hard and wants to one day become a successful businessman. Israel loves sports – soccer being his favorite. Israel is also a devout worshipper and prayer warrior, and is known for his passionate prayers and heart for the Lord. Please pray that Israel may one day be able to go to the US for plastic surgery and that his faith will continue to grow and blossom.


PHARA is Patrick's sister, one of the residents at the boy's home. Since she was very young, she lived with and helped her invalid, crippled mother. She would run to the market, carry things for her, and help her out around the house. There was not a lot of time to be a kid, and this was difficult for her. She tried to attend school at one point, but got an eye disease and had to quit school. Her mother asked that Phara be admitted to the home to give her a chance for a better life. Phara's older sister and another brother now care for their mother. She is a very sweet girl who loves her new life at the girl's home. She loves school and all her new friends at the orphanage. Please pray that Phara will grow in her new faith, and in her love for and knowledge of Jesus.

Team Meeting

Please be gathering your suitcases and let us know if you have extra... we will each need 2 but the Becks will definitely need something extra

More pics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucastheexperience/sets/72157622569340017/

Recap and homework for next week - FINAL TEAM MEETING...
http://sites.google.com/site/khchaititeams/nov-5th-team-meeting

Lucas

Haiti Team Meeting

Haiti Team Meeting
Originally uploaded by LucasTheExperience

Only 2 more weeks until we leave. This is our 2nd to last "normal" team meeting... We also have a packing one.