What does this mean for the future of Haiti Awake?

I have to admit. I felt this was coming. But now that the announcement has been officially made, it does feel so final, so real, so heavy.

As I sat in Haiti at our 10th anniversary celebration in October, I felt as if I was holding a holy moment in time, a moment I would look back on with great nostalgia and longing. Little did we know that October trip would be my last trip to Haiti for the foreseeable future.

When Pastor Steeve came to the US for the month of June, little did we know that would be his last trip to the United States for the foreseeable future.

But God knew. In His infinite knowledge, He knew. Nothing catches God by surprise.

“Standing here
Not knowing how we’ll get through this test
But holding onto faith, You know best
Nothing can catch You by surprise
You got this figured out and You’re watching us now”

— Travis Greene, Made a Way

What does the absence of commercial air travel mean for the future of Haiti Awake? Very simply, it means we will need to adapt - again. We are adept at adapting as that has been the only way to keep the ministry moving forward in the chaos of the last 6.5 years.

All these years we have been saying, “These are hard days in Haiti.” And we so long for a better day, a day we cannot yet see. Though I have known the following verse most of my life, it now carries a completely different meaning.

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.”

— Proverbs 13:12

Please continue to pray for the communities we serve in Haiti. While my heart is grieving from afar, this chaos and dysfunction is daily life for those I have come to love as family. It is hard to explain the great suffering that is taking place in close proximity to both of our facilities and the incredibly difficult issues the Haiti Awake staff faces on a personal level day-by-day.

I cannot emphasize enough how much a Google Meet would mean to staff and children. If you would give 30 minutes, it would be so encouraging.

“But to a friend, time is an investment of the heart, not just the hand. Friends spend time. ”

— Sara Hagerty

With all of my heart I desire to return to Haiti as soon as the possibility presents itself. I long to give hugs, to have face-to-face conversations, to share a meal, to laugh together. Perhaps that day will come sooner than we expect. But until that day, we will continue to remember to remember - just like we did as we sat together for our anniversary celebration less than two months ago.

“Remember the way He led us up to the top of the highest mountain
Remember the way He carried us through the deepest dark
Remember His promises for every step on the road ahead
Look where we’ve been and where we’re going
And remember to remember.”

— Steven Curtis Chapman

We are so grateful for you

Dear Friends,

We are pleased to provide you with an update regarding Haiti Awake’s ministry in the juvenile prison, CERMICOL.

Friends, by God’s grace, despite the difficult circumstances in the country of Haiti right now, we are pleased to share with you, that we continue to be welcomed into the facility.

This is possible because of the friends God has blessed us with at CERMICOL through the years who recognize the value of our presence and the positive impact we are making there.

However, due to the current situation, and in collaboration with some staff at CERMICOL, we have to adapt and limit some aspects of our program, but we remain committed to walk with those boys and serve them.

Your support and prayers play a huge role in maintaining this ministry, and we are so grateful for you.

We want to end by quoting Philippians 1:6 “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

Pastor Steeve, for all of us

May I please tell you about that piece of art?

"May I please tell you about that piece of art?" I asked a lady who was browsing the Mission Made Jewelry table.

Before she could say anything, I continued. "My friend, Vladimir, made that. Isn't it lovely?"

The lady stopped and looked at me.

"Well, thank you. I was afraid you were about to tell me about poor people. I'm not interested in a pity story. Now I'm listening. Tell me more."

So for the next 20 minutes, we talked about the beauty of Haitian products as she browsed the table, choosing 10 different items - including this one - as Christmas gifts for family and friends.

She took Vladimir's cards, one for each gift, because she wants her friends and family to know who made their gift.

"I'm glad I stopped by," she said as she walked away.

Ma'am, I'm glad, too. Thanks for letting you tell you about all of the good things to be found in Haiti. Thanks for focusing on that part of the narrative. 🇭🇹❤️

A change of plans

Friends,

We know that many of you have been following news reports since yesterday detailing how a Spirit Airlines flight was struck by gunfire while attempting to land in Port-au-Prince. Many of you also know that upon further inspection it was found that a Jet Blue aircraft was also struck.

Today the FAA effectively grounded all air traffic from the USA to Haiti.

We do not know exactly what this will mean in the days ahead, but we can tell you the following with assurance:

• Becky will not be traveling to Haiti this week as planned. Becky will store the packages you had sent for your children and get them to Haiti as soon as possible.

• Steeve will not be coming to the US later this month as planned.

• Just like commercial aircraft, MFI can not fly. Please do not mail any more packages until directed to do otherwise as MFI will not be able to get them to PAP.

What can you do?

• You can continue to pray for our friends in Haiti as we all hope together for a better future.

• You can sign up to teach a class via Google Meet as we did in the spring. It appears schools in Haiti will also be closed again for the foreseeable future. If by Monday we do not see a change in circumstances, we will begin sending information on signing up to teach.

Thank you for your partnership in ministry whether you are a new partner or you’ve been with us from the beginning. By God’s grace and with your support we are still able to operate today, despite all of the adversity.

Reflecting on 10 years of ministry

10 years. Hills. Valleys.

10 years.  Gains. Losses.

10 years.  Laughter.  Tears.

10 years. Hellos. Goodbyes.

10 years.  Building.  Tearing down.

10 years. Hope.  Despair.

10 years. Teaching. Learning.

10 years. Success. Failure.

10 years. Celebration. Mourning.

10 years. Joy.  Sorrow. 

10 years. 

He is good. 

He is faithful. 

He is kind. 

He is worthy.

Look at God! Glwa pou Bondye toutan!

A number of weeks ago, we stepped out in faith and opened a 2nd community location - CCS Caradeux. We knew that in doing so we would need to hire additional staff. We did not have funding for this, nor did we have sponsors for the 10 children we invited to be part of the program's beginning, but we believed God was calling us to grow our operations.

Today we would like to share that six of the 10 children are now sponsored, and this week we have received unexpected contributions that will fully fund the new location through the end of the year.

Some of these children came to church on Sunday for the first time. Church attendance is not required, but weekly the children at both programs are reminded that they are welcome. How wonderful it was to welcome them at EEGC!

Look at God! Glwa pou Bondye toutan!

How thankful we are for those who continue to bless our ministry through your generosity. You make it possible for us to invest in our community - our communities - as we share the hope of the Gospel through Christ-honoring relationships.

"In every prayer for all of you, I always pray with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" Philippians 1:4-6

VBS at CERMICOL in 2024

This year, our summer activities, including both the Summer Camp and the Soccer Championship, are taking place in an exceptional context. Due to the instability and gang activities in recent months, the government was forced to make the difficult decision to house women and men from the main penitentiary in the same space—the boys’ prison. This has resulted in an overcrowded and more polluted environment, making it a constant challenge for the institution's staff to maintain cleanliness.

Last year, we had more space and more participants in the summer camp. This year, we have only 20 participants in the camp and fewer soccer games because of the need for extra security. (The number of boys at CERMICOL has not decreased.) We gather in the library space, which we manage to arrange and rearrange for different activities during each session.

Despite these challenges, the boys' enthusiasm for participating in the activities remains high. They are very happy to engage in activities that take their minds off the big walls and metal bars. They enjoy the challenges and games we offer. Unfortunately, others would like to participate, but space constraints prevent us from accommodating them.

Even though access is limited and more restrictions are in place due to the country’s situation and recent events at other prisons, the needs remain real and have increased. We are deeply grateful to each of our sponsors who have joined hands with us to help in so many ways. You may not be able to go, but we would not be able to do anything without the resources you provide. As always, it’s teamwork—sponsors and Haiti Awake—making the dream work.

Thank you!

We, at Église de Dieu en Christ de la Nouvelle Alliance, want to thank each one of you who responded to God’s call to help us realize the VBS for our children this year. At the beginning of the year, we could never have imagined facing a situation that led to the loss of our building and the dispersion of almost all the members of our church, as they lost their homes. Many have lost their source of income, and others are still waiting for government compensation for their destroyed houses.

The VBS provided an opportunity to rekindle hope and bring a little joy amidst the sorrow and loss. With your donations, we were able to organize many activities for the children of the church and the community, as well as provide them with meals. We continue to pray as we plan activities to keep our church members, especially the children, active in their faith.

May God be with each of you. Thank you!

Thoughts and Observations from a Summer Intern

Hey there! I am Jaelyn Knolls, the summer intern for Mission Made Jewelry and Haiti Awake! I have been working for about a month now, and I would love to share some of my thoughts!

I graduated from Wilmington Christian Academy in 2022. While I was a student, the Haiti Awake Ministry would sometimes come a speak at our chapels. As I listened, I remember wishing for more ways to get involved and contribute to help in Haiti. Being able to work for Haiti awake this summer is such a full circle moment, and such a blessing!

As I learn more about Haiti, and the beautiful people there, the more I thank God for all the people who have made Haiti Awake possible. The ministry has been able to do so much good for the Haiti community, and being able to witness this impact firsthand is so inspiring.

My favorite part about working with Haiti Awake is being able to see how love truly pulls people together. Our friends in Haiti are so hardworking , sacrificial, and caring. Those on our team living in Haiti spend so much time pouring into the children in their community through playing games with them, and spending countless hours helping them get a good education.

Moving forward, I am excited to see what God has planned next for the Haiti Awake Ministry!

July 9th Update

Although the situation in our area has improved substantially within the last 6 weeks, and many families have returned, we want to make sure everyone understands things are not back to “normal”.

For example, we have some children out for summer break, even though they did not have a complete school year. Some of our children are still in school, and we are unclear when their last day of classes will be.

Most days we have children come to the community center, looking to play in the morning, while we have other students coming in the afternoon for homework help. Beyond that we have students who are finishing the school year in the countryside, so they have not yet returned to Port-Au-Prince. Although many sponsor cards have gone out, we have not been able to complete this project entirely due to the variety of reasons referenced above.

We value your continued prayers and support as our community continues to rebuild from the devastating losses suffered this spring.

We have good news!

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Ephesians 3:20

Wesly Valcourt

Because we have not been able to host teams for five years, we have many staff members at Haiti Awake that most of our American friends do not know. Wesly Valcourt is one of them.

Wesly has been working part time for Haiti Awake for six months, but he is someone we have known for many years.

According to Executive Director, Becky Graves, “I was incredibly happy when we were able to offer Wesly a part-time position with Haiti Awake this year. He is a great example to the children. I have no doubt he will continue to develop his leadership skills over time. Wesly is someone I believe will, in time, make himself indispensable to the organization.”

Wesly spends time helping the children with their homework and reviews lessons with them to help them study. He plays games and builds puzzles with the children as well. Additionally, every Saturday Wesly Valcourt teaches English classes for the students.

Wesly’s favorite thing about his work is being able to share his experiences with the children. He hopes his story will help keep the kids motivated and passionate about their education.

He says, “In Haiti, the biggest present your parents can give you is stable education. So I hope they have interest to study.”

We appreciate all the ways Wesly Valcourt contributes to the Ministry!

Frè Jacques

We’re taking time to introduce some staff members our American friends might not know, as of yet. One of them is Frè Jacques.

We welcomed Frè Jacques on staff in 2016. He worked with us from 2016-2018 and rejoined our staff in June of 2023. He also worked for Haiti Awake as a contractor after Hurricane Matthew and the earthquake fo 2021. Haiti Awake is so grateful for his return and all the contributions he has made in the past year.

Currently, Frè Jacques tutors our students and helps them with their homework and studying, as well as helping in the classroom. As a contractor after natural disasters, Frè Jacques helped build homes and repair other structures for people in Haiti. His hard work has been invaluable to our relief efforts in years past.

Frè Jacques is married to Sè Cilotte, and they are very active members of EEGC. Frè Jacques serves on the church executive committee.

Frè Jacques in very gifted in construction. This has given him many heartwarming stories to share.

“One thing that touched me after the earthquake in 2021,” he shared. “I went with the Haiti Awake staff to the south of Haiti, and we visited a blind and crippled man. His house had fallen down while he was inside. Thanks to God he got out safe and well. The staff assisted him and rebuilt his house. In 2016 after Hurricane Mathew., we went to the south of Haiti (Cayes) where we met a family that lost their roof of their home to the wind, and they didn't have anywhere to go during the rain. They were soaked and that was touching deeply touching. We stepped in. We helped this family. I was so happy to participate in rebuilding this house with the support of Haiti Awake.”

Frè Jacques ability in construction has made such a positive impact on the lives of many people in Haiti. His love for others shows through the work he does for Haiti Awake.

We are thankful for his current role with Community Child Sponsorship and the impact he is making in young lives for God’s glory.

Rose Carmel

Rose Carmel has worked with Haiti Awake since September of 2022. She is employed as the coordinator of CCS, Community Child Sponsorship. She is responsible for the students’ lessons, maintaining the library by taking care of the books and toys, as well as restocking materials and delivering them to the children.

Rose Carmel takes special care to help keep the children motivated and attentive to their studies. She tutors the students by helping them correctly complete their homework, study efficiently, and she spends time revisiting any topics a student may be struggling with.

The thing Rose Carmel most enjoys about her job is having the opportunity to directly improve the children’s education. She feels rewarded by being able to further the students’ knowledge and lead them to success. Rose Carmel adores the atmosphere she is able to help create and feels inspired by the potential she sees in each of her students.

Rose Carmel is married to Wesly, who also works with the Haiti Awake Ministry. They have one daughter and their family are members of EEGC, where Pastor Steeve pastors.

Executive Director Becky Graves is very grateful to have Rose Carmel on staff:

“When Rose Carmel came on staff at Haiti Awake, I saw instant improvement in many areas of the ministry, including organization and care of resources. It is my great joy to see Rose Carmel grow as a leader. She has so much potential.”

Good news from Haiti!

Some positive updates from our friends in Haiti!

We have recently had more children return to Port au Prince and re-enter our community. We have also been able to resume many of our normal activities, such as English lessons, music classes, and sports. Another piece of good news is shipments from MFI are able to be made and received again, so packages are able to be brought to the children’s home and into the community.

While times are still uncertain, and there is still immense suffering happening in Haiti, small victories and little bits of progress remind us that there is always hope.

Continue to pray for Haiti.

An update on Pastor Steeve

It's been three months

Three months ago today, I left Haiti on what would turn out to be the last commercial flight out of Haiti before the airport shut down.
I had planned to return to Haiti last week, but those plans changed. You can read more about that on my personal website.

The situation in Haiti remains precarious, but the staff of Haiti Awake continue to lead with love and dignity, finding a way to adapt to the new difficulties our organization is faced with on a regular basis.

Thank you for your continued support.