We wanted to update anyone following and ask for your prayers. Our Haitian family and friends in the areas we serve directly are all okay from the earthquake that took place this week. However, we know that there is much fear that still hangs on from the earthquake in 2010 in regards to aftershocks and what devastation was left. Haiti has definitely been dealt it’s hand of difficulties for years, but specifically in the last few months with the assassination of the president, political instability, COVID-19, the earthquake and now the impending hurricane. We ask for your prayers for our team on the ground who are serving those in need. You can visit our founder’s (Michelle Miller-Mitchell) Facebook page for a quick update video from herself and from our Haitian brother/staff. If you feel lead to donate, you can do so through our site or our PayPal (voicesofhopehaiti@gmail.com). Donations will go toward hygiene kits (things like hand sanitizer, soap, toothbrush, female hygiene products, masks, etc.) for people in need and blood pressure medication. We appreciate your prayers and partnership. We are thankful God remains the same, no matter the chaos that ensues on earth.
God Size Dreams
PHASE ONE OF CONSTRUCTION FOR OUR PARTNER SCHOOL HAS BEGUN!
and all the people said- AMEN! PRAISE THE LORD!
We are so excited to see God-sized dreams becoming a reality for the small country community in Haiti that we love so much. For the last 4 years, our staff has been ministering in an area off of Route 1. Summer Camps, medical clinics, soccer,basketball,dance camps, bible studies, food programs, sexual health classes, education programs…through all of these outreaches we have built relationships and know community members by name. We would lay awake at night dreaming of a day when we could possibly raise enough money to rebuild a local school where many of the children we knew attended. We would think how powerless we were but how great the the Lord is and how His plan is always so much better than ours. We knew we had to be patient and continue to do what we could, when we could.
We ended our last trip in February with plans to start the building of the school within the next few months. Our staff would be there to oversee the progress at various points. We of course had no idea the world would be hit with a pandemic and our plans would screech to a halt. Our focus became how we could help Haiti during this uncertain time of COVID-19. Our Haitian staff gave the idea of purchasing hand-washing stations to give families. And that’s what we did. Our guys put together the stations and delivered them. It was all we knew to do besides pray.
As time passed and discussions continued, we all agreed that our plans for the school should continue. We wanted to give something to the community to look forward to and to bring hope. With that being said- a crew has begun prepping the ground to lay the foundation of the new school! This building project will be done in phases as we raise money for each phase. We are confident the Lord will provide and we will take it one step at a time!
Smiles, Fun Dip, Horse Rides, and Mosquito Swarms
Taking a break from homework and enjoying some Fun Dip!
Our VOH staff just returned from a fantastic week in Haiti! During our time we held blood pressure clinics and general clinics in both areas where we work. We also had multiple meetings in regards to moving forward on the building of our partner school! We are so excited to be one, two, and three steps closer to making our God sized vision and dream a reality! Going into this last week we knew we would have to make decisions and work with the guiding of the Holy Spirit. Man, did He move! We love how God continually goes before us and is already working ahead. We had powerful conversations, divine appointments, and so much encouragement! We constantly remind ourselves that these plans we make are not ours, but the Lord’s, that the things happening where we work are not dependent on us, but it is He who is making moves. We are thankful, grateful, and humbled to just be a part of what He is doing.
We are excited with the progress our blood pressure patients have made and for their diligence in returning to the clinic; it truly is a partnership. We have seen so much overall improvement in our patients. But, our favorite part is their testimony of feeling better and being able to work and live a higher quality of life! We also continue to see returning patients in our general clinic. These are ladies and gentlemen who have wounds that are healing and we are able to check in and give them the needed supplies to continue to take care of themselves!
We were able to do wellness checks on all the students at the school too and have one on one time with all of the children in our sponsorship program. They LOVE getting letters from their sponsors! We cannot wait for the day when they will have a reliable, safe, and fun place to learn everyday! Mr. Wilson, the principal, has so much joy and has been a true champion for these students!
Our staff also traveled north to Cap Haitien for a few days. We toured the Citadelle, which is a mountaintop fortress built in the 1800s as a means of national defense. We had to ride a horse halfway up a mountain to get to it- but it was so fun, hilarious and definitely worth it! It was enlightening to learn more about the history of the country we love so much and experience a different atmosphere in Haiti.
STAY TUNED FOR MORE BUILDING UPDATES!
Funniest story from the trip- walking in on Michelle in beast mode going crazy on a swarm of mosquitos with a hand towel. “This is war!”- Michelle (for those of you that know her, there is a video…hahahah!)
Summer 2019
In June our VOH staff took a team to facilitate our 4th annual summer camp and medical clinic! This year was uniquely special because we were able to also facilitate a teacher training for our partner school! VOH is continuing to raise the funds needed to rebuild the school but in the meantime we are pouring out various resources to the teachers and students. With five teachers on our summer team, we provided a teacher training for the staff at Ecole Communautaire 2eme Plaine. The collaboration between our American teachers and Haitian teachers was a joy to see! They all had such a good time and the Haitian teachers learned so many new strategies to make learning more engaging and tangible for students! “Can you come back next year?! and We are learning so much!,” among other excited statements, was heard from the Haitian teachers. Our American team was able to relate to the Haitian teachers in ways that were unexpected- both groups understanding the difficulty of meeting government requirements with so many other factors inhibiting students ability to learning thrive. This year the training was focused on different math manipulatives and brain breaks. We hope to continue investing into these teachers!
Our not only pulled off a teacher training, but a camp for approximately 350 children. This summer we focused on the how Jesus rescues us from our sin, worry, and when we are lost. Our main songs were "Our Redeemer Lives", and "Million Reasons". They made different crafts, danced, laughed, practiced English, and had bible lessons everyday!
Our team was also able to experience some of Haiti’s natural beauty. We know that over the last year a lot of publicity in regards to Haiti has not been what you would call beautiful. But we want everyone to experience Haiti in a way that allows them to see the beauty in the chaos. We were able to go to Bassin Bleu, a natural spring that has the bluest water you may ever see! Big thanks to our Haitian partners who helped make this trip happen!
We LOVE seeing God put together the perfect team for our needs. With this specific team we were also able to have a men’s bible study throughout our entire week. Our Haitian staff of translators, security, and volunteers were able to go through the book of James and have the opportunity to discuss the word with one another. We are always talking to one another about the importance of community- so we love when these opportunities happen! Another incredible testimony is that of many of our team members who, for the first time, led people to Christ. They faced anxiety and fear and because of that multiple people are now our brothers and sisters in Christ! Our staff will be heading to Haiti at the end of September to continue our outreaches and planning for this upcoming year! Thank you for your partnership and prayer!
January 2019
Our team traveled to Haiti in January to facilitate our blood pressure clinics, visit our sponsorship children, and strategize for our summer team. We hosted a Christmas party for the area kids at Ecole Communautaire 2eme Plaine, the school where our sponsor children attend. The kids had so much fun! We told the story of Jesus’ birth, made Christmas cookies complete with sprinkles, and made jingle bell rings! We also painted a star on each child’s face as a reminder of the star that guided the Wise Men to the birth place of Jesus. Of course we also had to sing and dance! The children were introduced to the song Baby Shark!
We were also able to hold a special party for just our sponsor children and their parents. We are so thankful to be partnered with Clark Middle School in Bonner Springs, KS who volunteered to make “Joy Boxes” for each sponsor child. Each box contained a toothbrush/toothpaste, a few candies, fun glasses, and a few little toys. Every girl received a Barbie doll and each boy a soccer ball! You should have seen their faces light up! Even our most serious of kids had the biggest smiles! One little girl just kept saying “Look! Look! Look!” in the sweetest little voice. With donations, we were able to purchase more than enough rice, beans, oil, maggi (a spice commonly used, similar to bouillon cubes), and butter for each family. The parents were so grateful for this gift! Many of them expressed their gratitude for the sponsors of their children and said they were praying for your family! We were also able to do a health check for each child and provide any medical attention necessary.
As some of you may have seen, the country of Haiti has been in turmoil for the last month, but this is something that has been building for some time. The current political and economic situation in Haiti is very unstable and tensions have been rising for many reasons. This has resulted in protests and riots, which sometimes turn violent. The people of Haiti only want justice, fairness, and hope. They are some of the strongest and most resilient people we have the honor to know and love. We are praying for the Lord’s will in every situation and for His love to shine bright on this beautiful country. We want to invite you to pray along with our team for your Haitian family, their Haitian neighbors, and the country as a whole.
The Adventure Continues
We have been so busy the last few months! In May, Voices of Hope sent two team members to Petit Goave, Haiti to stay for 3 months in order to build relationships with our community, establish a long term blood pressure clinic in two different areas, prepare for our summer team, and start the process to re-build a school.
Katie and Lindsey loved being fully immersed in the Haitian culture and would love to share stories of how God was present all summer! They returned in August with just enough time to see family and friends and prepare to go back for the month of October.
In early September, our founder Michelle took a quick trip to deliver items needed to start our VOH Sponsorship Program. She was also able to visit the homes of our students and deliver backpacks and supplies for the new school year! The grateful hearts and smiles on the kiddos remind us why we do what we do!
In October, Katie and Lindsey held our 3 month blood pressure check and clinic for our patients enrolled in our VOH Blood Pressure Program. They were also able to lead a 3 week class on sexual health and Godly relationships with young adults; it was very well received! In addition to the health class and clinic, our staff treated multiple wounds of people in the community. “It is really great to see how our relationship with one child has grown and because of that trust, they bring other kids or adults to us for help,” Katie said during October.
House visits were made to all our sponsored children. We love hearing prayer requests and praises of each family so we can join with them bringing those things to the Lord! The girls spent time tutoring a group of 12-20 children each day. They were able to spend time reading bible stories and doing interactive activities while giving the children an opportunity to work on homework.
The kids really loved the individual attention when working on math problems. They were also emgaged during story time, which was great since we were reading in Creole and haven’t quite mastered the language yet! The story of David and Goliath really stuck out to them!- Lindsey
BOLD MOVES
"God has placed a huge task on the hearts of Voices of Hope. It will take many to help this vision God has put in place to come true. There is a school in one of the remote areas of Haiti where we work that needs to be rebuilt in order for more successful education to happen and for more children to be able to attend. We will obviously need a lot of financial help to make this vision come true , but we also need people with skills in construction to partner with us. Voices of Hope has been working with this school for almost 2 years now. We, along with the principal of the school, have been praying during that time, but this is the first time we have mentioned it to the public. I am small - but God is big and capable. I don’t know how we are going to get this done but if God is in charge he can make it happen! Alone we are weak - but together as Christ followers we are mighty. Will you join our journey? Please begin praying that God moves the hearts of people to help in ways that we cannot even imagine! May God’s will be done as we step out in faith and begin this journey.
SO LET’S BUILD A SCHOOL that 200 precious children in Haiti really need!!! Will you be someone who is willing step up and do something positive today? Building this school will help educate generations of children!!! Please partner with Voices of Hope as we embark on a journey where God will show his faithfulness and provision. " -Words from our Founder, Michelle Mitchell
The pieces of plywood shown act as classroom walls. Voices of Hope will work together with local builders to construct a stable building. Education is such a pillar in the Haitian community.
In January, Michelle and her son made a quick trip to Haiti to visit our Haitian family and put some things in motion for our missionaries and summer team. During their trip, they were able to deliver donations of school supplies to the principal & some of the local children!
Below is the link to our gofundme for this endeavor! Every dollar counts!
https://www.gofundme.com/x89u7b-build-a-school-in-haiti
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
The fall has been full of unexpected turns for VOH. We love seeing how God's plans are sometimes so different than ours! In October we had a team of six join our Haitian family on various outreaches. We were able to visit the island community of La Gonave; here we met new friends and provided programming and medical services to an orphanage where we learned about sustainable living. With the help of our donors we had hundreds of shoes and snack packs to present to a school in La Gonave, patients at our medical clinics on the island, the river, and at our home bases in Petit Goave and Carrefour. We also enjoyed playing games and dancing with the children!
Our team has been enjoying time with friends and family before we get busy planning details of our Summer 2018 trip. Let us know if you are interested in joining by going to our "Take Action" page! We hope your holiday season has been filled with laughter and love. See you in 2018 as we are expectant of great things to come!
Continued Relationships
We are anticipating great things from our October crew. Although this is a short trip for most of the team, they will hit the ground running and have a jammed pack schedule. We find every minute valuable! This trip will include checking up on previous patients and new faces at our medical clinics, visiting some of our favorites kiddos on the mountain and by the river, and studying the word with our Haitian brothers and sisters. Our team will also be doing a food outreach with approximately 400 children at two locations. We are looking forward to visiting a new area on this trip to see what partnerships can be made! We are so thankful for those who donate their time and resources to help further the kingdom! Stay tuned!
Summer Camp 2017
For 10 days, VOH, with a team of 20, was able to minister to approximately 1,000 kids through our 4 day VBS camp in the mountainous countryside, and several half day camps in the bustling city and our friends in a river community. We held 2 medical & vision clinics seeing approximately 400 patients with a variety of needs. Through donations, our team was able to provide just under 3,000 meals and food items to our brothers and sisters in Haiti. Every trip we take to Haiti is full of intention and commitment to build a partnership that encourages growth for individuals and communities! Be sure to click the "TAKE ACTION" page if you are interested in learning more about upcoming trips and opportunities to serve with us!