Music is in the air!

After a three year hiatus, Jean Levelt has returned to Espwa to conduct our three choirs. One is for children eight to ten, one is for ages ten to fourteen, and the third is for ages fourteen and up. He loves rehearsals because he can feel the spirits move through him when he teaches. In addition to teaching music, he also leads the sacraments. He enjoys teaching Espwa's youth about Jesus and he wants the world to know that Espwa welcomes everyone, despite whatever difficulties they may be facing in their life.

Package Received!

After traveling 2,500 miles over 60 days, the long awaited container donated by the Parker Mission arrived at Espwa! 

The container, which started its journey in Colorado, was packed full of donations from supporters around the country. 

Included were clothes for the children, office supplies for the new administration building, English-learning books, and necessary tools to help support the agriculture program at Espwa--including a tractor!

Most importantly, the container brought much-needed irrigation equipment, which will be installed in the fields so Espwa's crops will have a continuous source of water and not have to rely on the inconsistencies of Haiti's weather.

Cameron, who leads the Parker Mission, returned back to Espwa to dedicate an additional month of his time to unpack the container and to make use of all of its resources. Thanks to everyone who helped contribute to make this possible!

Luban

Espwa is home to hundreds of children, each with their own unique story. One of those stories belongs to Luban. He is eleven years old, and was brought to Espwa when he was nine by his mother. He has a thirteen year-old sister who lives at home. His favorite thing to do at Espwa is to attend school, and he dreams of someday becoming an engineer. Like many of Espwa's children, he likes to sing and play soccer. His favorite part of visitors coming is talking to them. When asked what he wants to tell visitors, he said he wants them to visit and do activities with them. Below he is shown playing a very intense game of marbles with some of the other boys. 

Pizza Pam

Those who have visited Espwa probably remember our delicious pizza, made by some of Espwa's older boys who worked in the guest house kitchen. With the help the new transition program, these guys have opened up their own business--Pizza Pam, or "My Pizza" in English. The team consists of Gedna, Ronique, Arold, Dedly, Bertony, and Laguer. We stopped by their shop this past weekend and found them busy and hard at work. They were open all weekend, feeding attendees of an annual festival held in Les Cayes. We couldn't be more proud of them! 

It Takes a Village

Meet Mama Elvere. She is one of over 200 Espwa employees who help take care of over 400 children. She is a house mom for 23 boys, ages 11 to 12 years old. She works five days a week, and then goes to a surrounding town to see her six kids. Not only does working at Espwa support her, it supports and provides hope to her family. In her free time, she enjoys sewing. She felt one of the best things for visitors to do with the kids is arts and crafts. 

She first started working at Espwa after the earthquake in 2010, when she learned about it from Matante (the maternal figure at Espwa). She was unemployed before, and expressed that working with kids was a dream come true. She says the most rewarding part of her job is watching the kids grow and to help them along the way. Her biggest hope for the kids is that they live a better life. Of course, just like any parent, she said the hardest part of her job was getting all the boys to listen to her. 

Thank you for being part of Espwa's extended village. Without your support, we would not be able raise these incredible children. To learn more or make a donation, visit Free the Kids. 

 

Welcome Judeline, Elizabeth, Jean-Sony, and Stanley!

For those of you who have had the opportunity to visit Espwa, you know (and have tasted!) the great work of our kitchen staff. With the previous Espwa student-kitchen staff having left as part of Espwa's transition program, the guesthouse welcomed four new Espwa students to work in the guesthouse kitchen.


Please meet...

 Judeline

Elizabeth

 Jean-Sony and Stanley!

Working at the guesthouse is a great way for these students to learn new skills and responsibilities, practice their English, and earn a stipend that they are able to save for when they leave Espwa. They are fast learners, and many have already benefited from their tasty creations! They look forward to meeting future visitors!

Until next time!

Espwa was thrilled to have Jane Parker's twin sister and her family stay with us these past ten days! While it was the first time Jane's family visited Espwa, they brought lots of joy and activities with them.

Some of their activities included face-painting, soccer games, and teaching English. A few of the older kids even learned how to make a solar cell phone charger!

We are sad to say good-bye to both families, but are grateful for all they have done for the children of Espwa!

Thank You!

Thanks to everyone’s generous donations and prayers! We have received an astonishing outpouring of funds to cover Evenson’s medical care. We will keep you up to date on his progress. 

Just as in every family, especially a family with 400 kids, unexpected situations can arise. We are only able to tackle these needs with the generous support from donors such as you. Should you feel called to continue to help Espwa’s children, we appreciate all of the support and prayers you can offer. Mesi anpil (thank you very much)!