September Newsletter from Christian Academy of Petit Goave (CAP)

September Newsletter 2017

Greetings and Salutations from Christian Academy of Petit Goave!

Yes, we have officially changed our name. We are now “CAP” under Christian Light Ministries of Jacksonville, Florida. Many changes have occurred in this month alone, but our focus remains the same. We still set our eyes on Christ first, focusing upon God, then people, and then education. We greet you in love and thankfulness for your continued support in prayer, finances, and resources. May you be blessed as we have been this unexpected September!

We, Beverly and Rachelle, arrived in Haiti September 4. At the airport we were greeted by Beverly’s adoptive teenage sons Gardy, Ricardo, and Toutoute with whom we spent a wonderful evening. The next day we did errands around Port au Prince, buying material for uniform shirts, teacher gifts, and school supplies. By the late afternoon we were in Petit Goave, greeting some of our family. Our hosts, Pastor Levy and Madame Rose, along with their two sons, were still in the U.S.!

The next day we began preparations for Hurricane Irma. We bought fuel for stove, generator, and cars, extra food stuffs, and gave talk on emergency procedure. We gathered all the house members and prayed hard for Irma’s diversion. God heeded us (and you) and Irma came nowhere near us in Ti Goave. Praise God!

However, the threat of Irma and following hurricanes delayed school opening, by government mandate. So we spent two weeks unpacking and organizing the mountain of supplies in our bedroom/depots and visiting students. The most arduous journey was a forty-minute trek up the mountain to third-grade Wyskendy, Beverly employing her best goat-skills while Rachelle ran ahead with our guides, fellow third-graders Gilberto and Beneche. We were amazed at the daily journey these boys make to arrive at school on time.

On the road to Wyskendy's house with our 3 third grade students

STRAIGHT OUTTA HAITI (t-shirt from Papillon Enterprises)

Pastor Levy arrived home by the end of the week without Madame Rose! That Saturday, Sept. 9, we rode into Port au Prince on Papadap (express van) to pick up our food allotment from Feed My Starving Children. In addition to the Manna Pack Rice we were gifted with 36 cans of vegetables from Hope for Haiti ministries.

The following Saturday Sept. 16 we met many willing parents at the school and cleaned the horrendously impressive layers of dust and cobwebs, and made rearrangements to accommodate another class. We ordered desks and a chalkboard for the empty third grade classroom (formerly the Recreation Room), and awaited applicants for teacher.

Water break

Some of our cleaning moms

Cleaning classrooms

School opened Monday September 18 with a small number of students due to a nationwide transportation strike. We started out to school on foot, but after a stumble took the offer of some friendly moto drivers and rode up to the gate in true Haitian style.

Setting out for the first day of school!

There were less than 50 students the first day, but all of our staff was present. And those 50 precious ones received a deficit of hugs.

On Tuesday more students came, and by the end of the week most of our population was present. We had no desks or chalkboard, or teacher, for third grade, so the small class of 14 used benches. Rachelle covered the class, stumbling through French practice and setting strict expectations of this oldest class. Beverly undertook the duty of directing alone, as Hurricane Irma had stranded Madame Rose in Miami for an extra week. We greeted her with shrieks and long embraces Thursday afternoon, Sept. 21. The Family was complete again!

Saturday Sept. 23 we had English School for first, second, and third grade, taught by the Sons Gardy, Ricardo, and Toutoute, whose English is excellent. After gathering together for greeting and VBS music, Ricardo did musical chairs, Toutoute read a story, and Gardy oversaw book-making. We emphasized that all directions should be in English unless the magic words, “I don’t understand,” were said, and then we could explain in Creole. School finished with a meal and more singing. Saturday English School is planned for the third Saturday of every month for the upper grades.

On Sunday we gave exams and interviews to two potential teachers, and Monday morning the chosen Madame Marjorie stepped in to third grade. There was much rejoicing that Madame Rachelle would no longer have to mispronounce French words. The second week of school began with Madame Rose and Madame Beverly again the Directing Team, going about the school and setting things in order. By Tuesday all of the yet absent students had returned save two, and there were still three-year olds crying at the gate. A few members of this new three-year old class continue to cry through the day after two weeks of school. We admire teachers Madame Eunide and Madame Valerie’s patience with them.

Cuddling an uncertain 3 year old

Welcoming the new desks for 3rd grade

Tuesday afternoon Sept. 26 Beverly lay down sick. Thursday afternoon she still had fever and had started to cough, so we drove to Gressier to Haiti Health Ministries, a clinic managed by American missionaries. Diagnosis: pneumonia! Beverly is still depleted of energy, fatigue exacerbated by little food (no appetite) and heat (always.) The antibiotic Beverly is taking is for five days, but her recovery may take up to two weeks. We plan to start October with her coming to school for brief periods, and pray our staff and students would continue to step up in cooperation and good behavior.

Our school schedule is still about the same. We gather on Mondays and Fridays for church assembly. On Wednesday the three older grades have an additional Bible assembly. Each class has Recreation and Bible along with the Haitian curriculum. English classes should start in October for first grade, extending the school day until 2 PM. Some students are picked up late so we could depart school at 2:15 or 3:00. Local pastors have requested English classes for church members, house mates need help studying English for class, and the physical needs of students and families is devastating. However, rejoice with us that God is in control, and equips us for every situation to which He calls us.

We have formed a relationship with a local doctor and laboratory techs. We are regular customers at the copy shop, book store, resto-bars, and market; we have friends who drive taxis and vans, own a beach-front restaurant, and know the best local candy-makers. We have gained confidence in driving and exploring, Beverly fully assured of driving into and around Port au Prince, Rachelle unintimidated by slippery mud lanes (which prompts Madame Rose to say she “drives like a man.”) God blesses us with familiarity in Ti Goave, helping us immensely as we go out and shake up education.

Our 147 children are hungry for food and knowledge. They are so happy to be back at school, some of them heaping rice and beans and corn on their plates and asking for seconds, all of them constantly ready for hugs and exchanges of “Jesus loves you!” At our teacher meeting this week, Beverly reminded us that those troublesome students (yes, we have them) are the ones who need more hugs, more assurance of their value. Our students and families do not have easy lives. They struggle for survival in a country with virtually no resources. Praise God that at our school we put Jesus first, and Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me.” Before anything, we love Jesus by loving the children He has charged us with.

 

Visiting a student to give him partner gifts

Abraham at home

Please continue to pray with us for them. At this point the majority of third and second grade are partnered with American sponsors. This money goes to keeping the school open, our school which supplies food, medicine, books and school supplies, education and love. Rent and staff salaries are major expenses. Food stuffs, cleaning supplies, copies, books, new furniture, gasoline, internet and phone bills, doctor’s visits and medicines are some of the costs this month. Consider partnering with one or more of our beautiful children, starting a priceless relationship. This past week Madame Rachelle got to present third grade Loudianna with gifts and a card from her Virginian partner; the smile on Loudianna’s face is not to be compared with the riches of this world.

Pray for healing for Beverly. We desperately miss her at school and in the house. The pneumonia confines her mostly to her bed. Pray for special strength and grace to all the school staff in her absence, particularly Madame Rose in directing and Rachelle in balancing English class with office duties. Pray for Haiti, that the government would care for its people and make adjustments for their benefit. Pray for safety over our school and family, patience for the teachers, and overflowing joy in our hearts through all the sweaty days.

We are so grateful for you and all you do for us. You allow us to live and thrive for Christ here in Haiti. You send gifts for the children’s birthdays, backpacks, pencils, notebooks and chalk, peanut butter, medicine, socks and shoes. You funded three heavy barrels stuffed with school supplies. You lift us up in prayer and keep us encouraged.

Thank you for all that you do. We need you, Body of Christ. We need you to continue to be generous and fund the monthly school costs of $3500, and help us towards purchasing land and building a new school that will properly house our growing number of students.

We love and pray for you.

Blessings from Ti Goave,

Beverly and Rachel

“Madame Beverly” and “Madame Rachelle”