I usually only post when I am actually in Haiti, so this--I think--is my first post stateside! So much has been happening with Notre Maison/St. Joe's and the kids, that I wanted to get it out for all you so that you can stay up on the goings on.
First of all, the Advisory Council is up and running as is our webpage. It is a great place to find out more about the kids and how you can help support the work being done on the compound. One of the most exciting things is that we can now accept online donations! We are partnering with Haiti Mission Project in this endeavor--they let us use their PayPal account to accept donations for Notre Maison, and we thank them profusely! I think we're getting the better end of the stick on that one.
Our two interns--Lauren Stottlemyer and Alix Comeau--are doing great work with the kids and staff. They constantly come up with new ideas to promote sponsorships for the kids, to do therapy with the special-needs kids, to provide new ways to get the kids nutritious foods. Lauren has also been instrumental in getting paperwork done on adoptions. In fact, five of our children will be with their adoptive families by the end of August. Three brothers went home to MN back in June, and two more kids will head to MI soon--praise God!
Two new projects are on the horizon: a solar electricity project and plans for a new guesthouse! I just love how God brings people from so many different places and walks of life to make great things happen at Notre Maison/St. Joe's. One of the council members was able to get a $10,000 grant for the solar project, and then some engineers from Washington University in St. Louis will do a needs assessment for us, and a friend that I met last year in PAP has connections in Mexico and the U.S. who might be able to help with funding as well. As for the new guesthouse, Gertrude and I talked with the staff from Champion Ministries who were in PAP back in June and shared our thoughts and needs for a new guesthouse. Well, those ladies took our ideas back to their husbands (who are architects!), and we will probably have drawings for a new guesthouse soon.
Pretty cool, huh?
