Team Good News Returns!
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| Team Good News - February 2017 |
We are so thankful to partner with Good News Bible Church of Wilton, NH. This February makes Team Good News' 4th trip to TOHH. Their first team was Team Vitello the summer of 2015, where Jonathan Vitello bypassed a family trip to Disney and took his family of 6 to TOHH to build a home for a Haitian family in need. Team Good News continues to come back strong with each visit, building houses, conducting children's and women's programs, and helping out in any other way they can. Here is a recap of events from Team Good News' February 2017 Trip.
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| TOHH Guesthouse |
TOHH has added a third floor with much to be finished in order to have five extra guest rooms.
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| Adding railings to the third floor roof |
While we continue to work on the third floor, Pat Hopkins, Dale Kandoll, and Phil Stenersen helped to secure the floor by replacing our metal railings.
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| Putting railings on the third floor balcony |
Dale had some help from the ladies (Angie, Christine, and Toni) with the wooden railings needed for the third floor balcony.
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| Building the walls of the houses |
The rest of the construction team built wooden frames for the two houses that were being built this week. We had lots of help with hammering the nails.
The women's ministry got right to work heading up to the mountains for a three-day women's conference. It was wonderful to worship the Lord together with these ladies in the open space as the wind refreshed our bodies, the Holy Spirit refreshed our spirits and souls.
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| Women's Ministry |
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| Pam Cheever shares at the Women's Conference |
Pam Cheever shared Bible verses of how God created women with beautiful characteristic to reflect Him and how Jesus interacted with women while He was on the earth.
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| Angie shoes the ladies how to use the stencils |
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| Adding stencil designs |
We enjoyed helping these ladies make their own book bag with stencils.
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| Making book bags! |
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| So pretty! |
Good News also gave each woman a Bible in their language.
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| The ladies love their bags! |
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| The ladies had fun! |
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| Giving out Bibles in Creole |
Each day these ladies asked if we could pray with them. We witnessed women receiving hope and healing. Many ladies asked for simple things like help to put their children into school, help to build a secure home, or help to find food and clothing.
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| A powerful time in prayer |
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| A powerful time in prayer |
The children's ministry was amazing! Shana Harmon lead this team with a skit of how sin separates us from God and how Jesus came to die on the cross to bridge us back to Him.
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| Peter and Elise act out the skit |
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| Lots of community and sponsored children attended! |
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| Olanda and Simonia |
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| These girls loved the Children's Ministry! |
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| Unloading supplies from the vehicle |
Every day work would continue on the two houses. Team Good News works like a well-oiled machine! In no time, the wooden frames and wall were up and the team began to paint.
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| Bringing the walls to the worksite |
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| Putting up the walls! |
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| Ethan and Devan use teamwork! |
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| The work continues! |
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| Hammer time! |
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| Jennifer paints the walls |
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| Painting the walls green! |
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| Getting ready for the first house blessing! |
Finally, after much planning, fundraising, and building, we had two homes ready for house blessings! The first house was to be Olanda's new home.
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| Carrying the bed frame to Olanda's new house |
Olanda is a 19 year old girl we met in October after Hurricane Matthew. She cares for her younger siblings since their parents have passed.
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| This family will be so grateful to sleep on a mattress with sheets! |
Thanks to gracious sponsors, Olanda and four of her younger siblings are all sponsored to go to school. We have seen hope arise in this family because of people who care to be the hands and feet of Jesus!
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The food included rice, beans, cornmeal, spaghetti, oil, spices,
tomato paste, charcoal, a small stove, and don't forget the goat! |
The team carried all the extra supplies to the new homes, This includes wooden bed frames, mattress, bed sheets, and food!
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| Thanks to Pastor Jared Vitello for leading the house blessing translated by Joann. |
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| Team Good News House Blessing #1 |
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| Walking to Eltanice's house |
Next, the team headed to the second home.
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| Bringing a bed frame inside the house |
The second home that Team Good News built was for Eltanice Elvena, who lives with her dad and two younger siblings.
The Hopkins Family sponsor Eltanice Elvena (below, in the pink shirt) to go to school. It was a special week for them to not only help build their sponsored child's new home, but also to celebrate Eltanice's birthday! Patrick Hopkins shared powerful and touching words of encouragement with Eltanice's dad at the house blessing ceremony. From one father's heart to the next, Eltanice's father understood what Patrick expressed.
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| The Hopkins and Elvena Families |
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| Jon works on a vehicle |
We are very grateful for Jon Strong (left) who fixed our vehicles while he was in Haiti with Team Good News! He also did oil changes on the vehicles.
The Team Good News missionaries who sponsor children through TOHH were able to visit their sponsored children's homes and meet their families during their week in Haiti.
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| The team visits Chrisneisha's house |
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| Stewart visits his sponsored chid, Presner |
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| Francois receives a gift from his sponsor, Louise |
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| Damaniel thanks his sponsor for his gift! |
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| Dickenson loves his gift from his sponsor! |
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| Team Good News at MOHI |
On Sunday, Team Good News attended church at Mission of Hope International (MOHI).
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Widleson, Eltanice, and Donaldoni love their birthday cake!
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| Widleson loves his new shoes! |
After church, they had a birthday party for three of the sponsored children, Widleson, Eltanice, and Donaldoni.
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| Donaldoni opens his gift! |
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| Eltanice opens her birthday gift! |
Also on Sunday, was the Super Bowl! Team Good News had a Super Bowl party in Haiti with pizza and popcorn. This team had some serious Patriots fans - never give up hope!!
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| Super Bowl party in Haiti!! |
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| Movie night! |
Team Good News also had a BBQ night and movie night for our community kids while in Haiti!
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| BBQ time! |
On Monday, Team Good News left for America. We, and our community, are so grateful to have had them stay with us at TOHH in Haiti!
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| Thank you Team Good News! |
We also had two missionaries, Caroleann and Dana, in Haiti with us in February!
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| Welcome Dana and Caroleann! |
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| Mixing concrete |
They worked very hard during their week in Haiti to build a home for a family in need. The home that they built was for a single mother and her three children. This family lived in a concrete home at the bottom of the mountain.
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| Pouring the concrete |
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| Dana and Caroleann use teamwork! |
During Hurricane Matthew, there was severe flooding causing mudslides down the mountain. A mudslide crashed into their home leaving it missing two back walls. Since the Hurricane, they have been living in a metal/tin shack. Now, your donations towards Hurricane Matthew relief have covered the cost of building this mother and her family a new home. Thank you!!
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Louse-Mika and Loudemia are excited
to open a gift from their sponsor! |
Caroleann also had a chance to see what we do in the TOHH office. This is where children looking to attend school will come to sign up for our Child Sponsorship Program.
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Thank you Caroleann for bringing
a gift for Loubens from his sponsor! |
Caroleann also gave out some gifts for sponsored children from their sponsors!
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| Caroleann examines a child |
Angela and Caroleann helped Mission of Hope International with their mobile clinic up in the mountains of St. Etienne.
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| Angela works at the m |
MOHI also has an amazing clinic in Grand Goâve servicing the public and caring for the students at their school. Most of the children sponsored through TOHH's Child Sponsorship Program attend school at MOHI.
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| Angela speaks on hygiene care |
Next, Angela and Caroleann set up a mobile health clinic in the mountains. Angela spoke to the women about health issues, hygiene care, and how God created women special.
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| Thank you Westminster Days for Girls!! |
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| Distributing hygiene kits |
They handed out 50 hygiene kits to the women. Each hygiene kit included two pairs of underwear, soap, a face cloth, and women's personal liners/hygiene kit for menstrual cycles! We are so thankful to the Westminster chapter of Days for Girls for providing these invaluable kits. The women were so grateful to have these resources!
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| Dana hammers the walls of the house |
As their time in Haiti continued, Caroleann and Dana continued work on the Hurricane Matthew relief house, from putting up walls, to nailing, to painting!
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| Caroleann inside the house! |
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Dana and Gama hammer the walls
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| Caroleann paints the trim |
After the house was built, the painting began!
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| Finishing touches! |
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| Attending church at MOHI |
On Sunday, Caroleann and Dana attended church at MOHI.
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| Dana and Caroleann at the MOHI Guesthouse |
After church, they spent time with some of our sponsored children and visited the MOHI guesthouse.
Dana and Caroleann also visited the MOHI school and clinic, as well as a few of the sponsored children's homes while in Haiti.
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Our sponsored children walk home from school!
(Left to right: Germain, Samantha, Didi, Marley, and Willy) |
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Dana and Caroleann pray for
their child. |
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| Thank you Jennifer! |
We are very grateful for Jennifer Sullivan's donation of reading glasses to the MOHI clinic! Our community thanks you for helping them see!
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| Lobster on the beach! |
After a week of hard work, Dana and Caroleann enjoyed a nice afternoon at Taino Beach, complete with swimming and a lobster dinner!
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| All smiles!! |
At the end of the week, we did the home blessing for the newly built Hurricane Matthew house! Once again, a special thank you to all the who gave for Hurricane Matthew relief and made this home build possible! Dana handed over the key to this single mother, who was so grateful to have a safe place to live!
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| Dana, Caroleann, Gama, and the proud new homeowners! |
We loved having Dana and Caroleann in Haiti, and can't wait for their next visit!
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| Thank you Dana and Caroleann! |
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| Happy Birthday Presner! |
In February, several of our sponsored children celebrated a birthday! They love having a small party just for them!
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| Demas blows out the candles! |
They also enjoy opening a gift, singing "Happy Birthday" and eating cake!
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| Happy Birthday Jude! |
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| Penthia and Samantha write letters to their sponsors |
In February, we had several children come to the TOHH office to sign up for the Child Sponsorship Program, write letters to their sponsors, and find out they were sponsored to continue their education.
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| Nachka finds out she has a sponsor! |
Life change is happening here in Haiti, and we are so grateful for your support that allows us to do what we do!
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| Charlie signs up for our Child Sponsorship Program |
We love connecting sponsors with their sponsored children! This month we also had Tim and Shanda Gobeli come to TOHH to meet their sponsored children, Isemaeline and Rijuel Myril. Tim and Shanda have an amazing ministry called Strength of Heart. Check it out here:
https://www.facebook.com/ttrmstrengthofheart/
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| Tim and Shanda sponsor brother and sister, Isemaeline and Rijuel |
We also love sharing our TOHH story! A big thank you to Matthew for sharing our TOHH story with his Awana club!
February was a successful month, and we are looking forward to March! Stay connected with what's happening in Haiti and in America by following us on social media!
TOHH ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Mackenson's Recovery
In December 2016, one of our workers, Mackenson, had a horrible accident while working on the third floor roof of the TOHH Guesthouse. While using a heavy mallet to remove 2x4s from the roof, he overexerted his swing and gravity pulled him to the ground. It was a true miracle that he hit the retaining wall around the second floor, which slowed his fall and flipped him around. Mackenson fell on his face, broke his jaw, and lost almost all his teeth.
Gama, being trained as an EMT, was able to instruct the other workers to transport Mackenson into a vehicle. Gama then drove him to a hospital in Grand Goave, where injures were assessed and pain medications were given. They then continued on to Port-au-Prince where, after five hospitals, they finally found one that would admit Mackenson. In Haiti a hospital will not admit a patient unless there is a doctor present willing to work on them, and unless the cost is paid for upfront.
We are thankful to God that Mackenson survived this fall, and with minimal injuries. After breaking his jaw, he was not able to eat on his own and needed a Nasogastric (NG) feeding tube. Mackenson had a successful surgery to reconstruct his jaw. Just before Christmas, he was released from the hospital and spent the holiday with his family. Soon after, his feeding tube was removed and he began a liquid diet with some soft foods. He is recovering and doing well, and he continues to tell us how grateful he is to be alive.
The hospital that Mackenson was admitted to has taken very good care of him because we have been able to pay. For Mackenson's recovery, TOHH has paid $5,000. His life is very important to us, and we will do anything we can for him. He is twenty-three years old and has a two-year-old bay girl at home. We will do anything we can to help him recover.
Please share Mackenson's story and help us raise awareness and funds for his recovery. If you would like to contribute to Mackenson's medical expenses, follow this donation link and write "Mackenson's Recovery" in the memo:
http://treeofhopehaiti.org/donations/ On behalf of Mackenson, his family, and TOHH, thank you!!
Would you like to come on a mission trip to Haiti?
We would love to have you volunteer for one week (or more) at TOHH in Grand Goâve!
Holiday Sponsorship Trip 2017:
December 27, 2017 - January 3, 2018
We currently have spots available on the Holiday Sponsorship Team 2017! This team will be doing a variety of activities with the sponsored children! These include home visits to the children's homes, crafts, baking, a holiday party, a hike, a trip to the beach, and a possible home improvement project (additional cost, to be discussed at pre-trip meetings).
This team will have pre-trip meetings before traveling to Haiti. The cost of each trip is as follows:
$125 - Deposit (includes the cost of a TOHH shirt that we request you wear on travel day)
$450 - TOHH Guesthouse Fee (includes three meals/day, housing, transport to and from the airport, and operations costs)
Flights (purchased by you at a pre-trip meeting)
If you'd like to join the trip, please fill out an application form here:
http://treeofhopehaiti.org/volunteers/application/
For more information about preparing for a trip to Haiti, follow this link:
http://treeofhopehaiti.org/volunteers/preparing-for-a-trip/
Would you like to lead your own team to Haiti? Are you a church or school group? TOHH accepts missionary teams of 6 - 24 people. Once you have a team forming, contact us to request dates and begin preparing your team for Haiti. To request your one to two week mission trip, please contact us at info@treeofhopehaiti.org.
This team will have pre-trip meetings before traveling to Haiti. The cost of each trip is as follows:
We also love sharing our TOHH story! A big thank you to Matthew for sharing our TOHH story with his Awana club!
In December 2016, one of our workers, Mackenson, had a horrible accident while working on the third floor roof of the TOHH Guesthouse. While using a heavy mallet to remove 2x4s from the roof, he overexerted his swing and gravity pulled him to the ground. It was a true miracle that he hit the retaining wall around the second floor, which slowed his fall and flipped him around. Mackenson fell on his face, broke his jaw, and lost almost all his teeth.
Gama, being trained as an EMT, was able to instruct the other workers to transport Mackenson into a vehicle. Gama then drove him to a hospital in Grand Goave, where injures were assessed and pain medications were given. They then continued on to Port-au-Prince where, after five hospitals, they finally found one that would admit Mackenson. In Haiti a hospital will not admit a patient unless there is a doctor present willing to work on them, and unless the cost is paid for upfront.
We are thankful to God that Mackenson survived this fall, and with minimal injuries. After breaking his jaw, he was not able to eat on his own and needed a Nasogastric (NG) feeding tube. Mackenson had a successful surgery to reconstruct his jaw. Just before Christmas, he was released from the hospital and spent the holiday with his family. Soon after, his feeding tube was removed and he began a liquid diet with some soft foods. He is recovering and doing well, and he continues to tell us how grateful he is to be alive.
Holiday Sponsorship Trip 2017:
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