Happy New Year 2011

 From the children and staff of Pwoje Espwa Sud:  

May God bless you all in 2011 with His peace.

Kitchen-Dining Room Roof

 Truss

A few of the many panels that our S2H team put together this week.

Harry Joseph's Funeral

 Flanked by Jean-Levelt and Markenson, I read from John's Gospel this morning at Woosman's dad's funeral service.

 Harry Joseph's casket

 

Harry was laid to rest in a crypt on the family property in Mizaine near Cance.  Woosman's aunt's house is in the background.

Tragedy

Smail and Woosman

At around 10:30 last evening, a terrible thing happened in the village next to us.  A stranger to the area was found in someone's home.  The owner reached out to neighbors who confronted the man.  One thing led to another and the man was brutally killed.  I was there this morning and saw the corpse.  When I say "brutally killed", I mean brutally.  People claimed self-defense.  Others said that he had a pouch of powder (black magic) in his pocket.  No one knew him.  Fourteen hours after the incident, the local judge had not come by to declare a wrongful death.  The body was there for all to gawk at.  Soon afterwards, the police (assisted by MINUSTAH) arrested the home owner and his whole family including his wife who is one of our housemothers and a son who is a member of the Espwa Community.  Neither the wife nor the son were there but who cares.

The saddest part is that we eventually found out that the stranger was the father of one of our boys.  Woosman, above, saw the corpse this morning and thought his clothing looked familiar.  He called his brother, Smail, who identified the body as their father.  Before we knew what was happening, the locals buried the body.  Woosman's dad has a history of alcohol abuse and we figure that he was inebriated and confused when he came yesterday to visit his son.  

Needless to say, Woosman and Smail need some prayers at this time.  Our housemother, young community member and their family could use some, too.

Viral video

Thanks to Paige for the previous post on Platel.  Do me a favor and tell all your friends/contacts to look it up on YouTube.  Let's help make it viral.  Haiti has loads of talented and good people but the media presents a very negative image.  With your help, we can try to offset this.  Thank you.

Platel

Merry Christmas, Bloggers!  This is Paige posting for Father Marc from Arizona.

We have been saving up this video for me to post from the States (faster Internet)- and I hope you like it!

Platel, our little singing superstar, wrote this song when he was asked to perform live at a Christmas program in Les Cayes at the beginning of December.  This is also the song that Father Marc refers to in his other posts about Platel and his singing.

His lyrics are so profound, and has left everyone at Espwa amazed.

Enjoy, and let Platel know what you think!

Kominote Espwa celebrates

 Gary, Kendy and Jean Brunel

 TiCharles baked a fantastic cake

Back to us- Yvaniel.  Top: Lifaite, Prosper, Evens and Eklesias

The 20 members of the Espwa Community had a special lunch today thanks to an anonymous sponsor.  These young men are discerning whether or not they have a religious calling.