Soccer Weekend

Over the weekend two Espwa soccer teams played in town. On Friday, the older team beat their opponent 3-2! Everyone at Pwoje Espwa learned of the win as soon as the team returned to campus; the team sang, chanted, and whirled their shirts above their heads in celebration.

On Saturday, Espwa’s younger team played in town for the first time. They played hard and lost by 1, but were heavily supported during the game by Espwa kids who watched them play. The kids loved the outing and enjoyed munching on peanuts and lollipops while cheering on their friends!

It was a great, soccer-filled weekend! Nou renmen jwe boul! (We love playing soccer!)

Happy Birthday Father Marc!

What a special day it is indeed! Today we celebrate the birthday of Father Marc who is the founder of Pwoje Espwa Sud.  The love that Father Marc has poured into Espwa is evident everyday; we find it in the smiles of children, the handshakes between staff members, and the overall family environment on the compound.

We honored the special day in the Quad with food and fellowship. The kids, dressed in their very best, enjoyed the special meal.

Little Ferlando trying Sprite for the first time. Mmmm!

Sonia, Charles, and Adeline - our cooks for the celebration. Big thanks to them for their hard work! 

Tama helping little Rose Andrèe eat the special birthday meal.

Check out what's in Sara's hand; she's loving the chicken!

Happy birthday Father Marc! We love you!  

Prayer Request - Mr. Albert

Today we ask for prayers and good thoughts for dear Mr. Albert.

Mr. Albert works with our liturgy department, giving religious formation lessons to our kids and preparing for Mass every week. We often find him in the Quad chapel, with his glasses sitting on the edge of his nose, collecting and organizing programs for the upcoming Sunday Mass.

Last week Mr. Albert had a stroke. He is struggling to use his right arm and is only able to speak out of one side of his mouth, but he says with exercises he becomes stronger each day. Seeing him in this state - using a small round fruit to stretch his right hand - is a reminder of the privilege we have in the United States where medical care after a stroke is much easier to come by.

Mr. Albert’s spirit is definitely wounded. After a visit to his home yesterday, where Matante, Prosper and others prayed over him and sang with him, he described that his main concern is coming back to Espwa. He misses working with the kids and being around his second family. Matante reassured him, “You’ll be back soon.”

Matante, Albert, Prosper

Please send out prayers for this wise member of our family, whose dedication to our children and to his faith is an inspiration to us all.

Update - Rose Andrèe

Today we can happily announce that sweet Rose Andrèe’s heart is normal. We learned this from the Haiti Cardiac Alliance who did a full work up for the little one at Saint Damien Pediatric Hospital in Port-au-Prince on Tuesday.

While this visit did not necessarily “cure” the precious 2-year-old, it did give us important information about her heart and allowed Pwoje Espwa to make a valuable connection with another organization.

The trip also served as an important reminder of the love that children within Espwa receive from staff each and every day. Watching how the nurse and house mother took care of and advocated for Rose Andrèe every step of the way demonstrated Espwa’s important role in the lives of these children while their biological parents work to get back on their feet.

All of this was made possible thanks to Dr. Christopher Powers, a volunteer who first visited Pwoje Espwa in March and made the connection with Haiti Cardiac Alliance! We are so grateful for these connections and for the determination of all parties to get Rose Andrèe well.

As we move forward with a plan to visit a hospital that specializes in throat problems, we will be sure to keep you all updated! Thanks for your love and prayers in the meantime.

Prayer Request - Rose Andrèe

Today we reflect on the generosity of our donors and ask for your prayers.

This morning, Espwa’s youngest is traveling to Port-au-Prince to be seen by specialized doctors at a children’s hospital. Since her arrival at Espwa in August 2016, 2-year-old Rose Andrèe has struggled to breathe and talk due to an unknown problem with her throat/chest. She could not yet walk and her feeble “bark” as she struggled to inhale could be heard throughout Sunday services.

Dr. Chris Powers, a devoted pulmonologist, worked in Espwa’s clinic in March when he first met Rose Andrèe. Upon returning home, Dr. Powers reached out to his network of medical practitioners and made a connection with Haiti Cardiac Alliance, an organization that works with local organizations and health care providers to deliver life-saving cardiac surgery to children across the country. His hope was to create an opportunity for a 12-year-old boy he had met in Les Cayes to receive a heart surgery he desperately needed. Before his appointment day arrived, the young boy died peacefully. Despite the unnecessary loss of one young life, Dr. Chris did not lose hope for the future of other children who touched his heart during his visit to Espwa.

With the generous help of Dr. Powers and Haiti Cardiac Alliance, Rose Andrèe is now being accompanied by an Espwa nurse and house mother to an appointment in Port-au-Prince. In a country with a poor and often inaccessible health care infrastructure, connections like these are critical in providing medical care and hope for children in Haiti.

We ask that you pray for their safe journey and for a successful consultation. While our cheerful little girl has come a long way over the months – she is now walking confidently and giggling often – we hope to ensure that she will have a happy and healthy future. It is the generosity, service and love of our donors that make these opportunities possible. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

We are keeping you in our hearts today, little Rose Andrèe!