Apology

On behalf of Free the Kids, I would like to apologize to any valued supporter who received a fake email from Father Marc. Unfortunately, Father Marc's email was compromised while he is away on sabbatical. The problem has been addressed, and we hope this will not happen again. We deeply apologize for any inconvenience.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

Juice

Nutrition is something that is not taken lightly at Espwa. One of the ways we ensure the children are receiving all the vitamins they need is by serving them freshly squeezed juice. Above, Jonas slices limes for citrus juice. 

The process is takes times, as each fruit is hand squeezed- no electric juicers here! Enough juice is made for all 600 children. See those five gallon buckets? They will be filled with citrus juice by the time these hard working men are done! 

Ekip Jeremi

Ekip Jeremi is the leadership group that Pastor Lori Lampert will be heading up. Through a tedious process, a group of about 20 young men, all still in school Pwoje Espwa, were chosen to launch the new leadership program. Pastor Lori will be spending time with the young men, teaching them the importance of faith, integrity, communication, and being a leader.  This program is a blessing with so much potential. We cannot wait to see how it unfolds, and to watch these young men grow.

Espwa Girls' Shopping Day

 The Espwa Girls had a shopping day in the Guest House. Our visiting friends from Springfield brought down handmade pillowcase dresses, undies, and handmade bows. They set the Guest House up like a department store, and with the help of their "personal shopper" each girl was able to chose the dress she liked the best, the undies she preferred, and the hair bow that looked just right.

It was such a special experience for both the visitors and the girls. The girls do not often get the opportunity to "shop", so they really used the day to their advantage. Like a typical girl, some spent A LOT of time finding just the right dress!

Here Esthere gets fitted for her dress. She liked the blue best- it really brought out the color in her eyes. 

Sony and Sonice

Occupational therapists Kayla and Leah are visiting with Lori Lampert's group this week. They spent some time evaluating the twins. Above, Leah is impressed with Sony's eye tracking and interest in her face. Below, Kayla helps Sony practice sitting, and Leah tests Sonice's ability to reach for objects. 

And the verdict- they are thriving! 

Both Sony and Sonice are very close to where they should be in regards to their developmental growth for their age. The ladies taught the house mothers and girls a few activities and games to play with the twins to really help them excel during "tummy time". Can you believe the unbelievable turn around these two have made in just a month?! Mesi Bondye Mesi! 

Field Trip

As a reward for their hard work during the school year, our high school juniors took a field trip up the coast on Saturday. They went to Port a Piment to explore caves, and then Aux Couteaux to walk up the 500 Steps- a staircase crafted into the side of a mountain. They had a fun, relaxing day. It was also a great experience for the students to see the beauty of their country and experience new places, something many of them would otherwise never have the opportunity to do.