Happy Graduation!

On May 16, 2019, the dream that in essence birthed the ministry of Haiti Awake came to fruition. Steeve Derard graduated from seminary.

We praise God for His work in Steeve’s life, and we wanted to share what Steeve wrote on the morning of his graduation:

I want to start by expressing my gratitude towards God for His faithfulness, His abundant grace and His unending love. 
This is a dream that God had put in my heart 6 years ago, and it becomes a reality today. 
And, yes, after 4 years God has done it. I do not complete it with my own strength, but "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"(Phil 4:13).

This is the end of a short journey, and a longer one will begin. But I have no doubt that He who has begun a good work in me will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil 1:6).

I want to thank all of you, friends and family, who have been praying for me.

I am so thankful for Haiti Awake and my family who supported me in this hard journey.

Thank you very much!

- Steeve Derard

We are anticipating great things in the days ahead, as Steeve is able to fully devote his time and energy to being the Director of Church Ministry Development at Haiti Awake.

Glwa pou Bondye.

A new friend and partner

Carine Robert is currently a junior at Madonna University, where she is completing her bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Leadership.

As a community service learner at Haiti Awake, she has been offering her time and talents as volunteer hours the last several weeks.

According to Carine, she has felt welcomed and supported at Haiti Awake.

Recognizing that our children’s home gives our children access to education and better living conditions, she has assisted in a number of tasks, as indicated by Saturday photos, including but not limited to, helping the children improve their French pronunciation, gardening, and assisting the children (especially the girls) in other activities.

This experience has made her aware of volunteering and the love of serving others.

As a service-learner, she is now part of the Haiti Awake family.

We at Haiti Awake are thankful for the diversity of viewpoint and experience Carine has brought to Haiti Awake.

A Time to Weep

Very unexpectedly on Monday, April 8, Davensky and Widecherline's mother, Benita Etienne ("Pauline"), passed away. We are all shocked and so very sad.

When we gained custody of the children in January 2017, Pauline came to us and asked if she could do laundry for the children each week. It was such a sweet, sincere request, and out of it grew a beautiful relationship and time of reconciliation and healing for their family.

Each Friday and Saturday, she has faithfully come to the children's home and done so much more than laundry. She has been a mother figure to all of the children - loving them well, doing little things for each of them that endeared her to all of us in the Haiti Awake family.

One of my sweetest memories of Pauline is watching her take candies and other treats from her bag to give to each of the children. On a personal level, she touched my heart in November when she made fresh juice at home and brought some to share with me. I also remember how well she welcomed Steeve and me to her Cite Soleil home the first time we went to visit - offering us chicken, rice, and bags of water. She had a heart of generosity.

There were so many good qualities I saw in Pauline. I had always hoped that one day she would be able to care for the children and take them back into her own home.

Of course, Kiki and Widecherline are incredibly sad as they have lost the only biological parent they know, but truly all of the children are suffering as she was a stable figure in their lives - someone they could depend on. The children have suffered so much loss. Sometimes it is hard to comprehend the heartbreaks they have already endured in their young lives.

Please pray for everyone in the days ahead. We are currently trying to coordinate funeral arrangements with extended family and hoping to be as involved as possible.

In Haiti people often say, "Lavi pa fasil" (Life's not easy.) With the losses to our extended Haiti Awake family in recent weeks, as well as the political unrest and other disappointments, this proverb seems even more true than before.

Please pray for hearts to find peace and healing as we trust the truth of 2 Corinthians 1:3, "God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort."

- Becky Graves, Executive Director

#haiti #haitiawake #glwapoubondye

Remembering a dear friend

Friends and all of you who knew our dear friend " Antony", I want to let you know that he is with the Lord right now.
Antony was a good friend to us, a good friend to Haiti Awake's staff members.
Antony is the young man who used to come by and selling artisan products at Haiti Awake's yard when we have a team.
Antony is the one, where the last Haiti Awake team members who were in Haiti went to pray with at his house. 
Antony was the one the Haiti Awake's team members went to pray with when he was at the hospital last year. 
Antony was the one who always come by and make maintenance for Haiti Awake's generators.
Antony was the one who knew very well how to struggle with life after he had lost one leg about 11 years ago in a motorcycle accident.
Antony was the one who loved the Lord, his family, and his friends.

Please keep his family in your prayers.

We are going to miss you, Brother.

May your soul rest in peace! - written by Steeve Derard

#haiti #haitiawake #glwapoubondye

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted - Psalm 34:18

Grace upon Grace - 2018 in Review

January

Highlights:

Mission Made Jewelry Team

Doko

Jewelry production for MMJ begins

February

Highlight:

Creole Boot Camp

March

Highlight:

Moores Creek Baptist Church Team

April

Highlight:

Caleb turns 3!

May

Highlight:

Ansanm pou Ayiti Conference

June

Highlights:

Three teams

Relocation to new children’s home

July

Civil Unrest

August

Hudson and Maken to Doko

September

Back to School

October

Highlights:

New members of our team:

• Kelsey Stott, Child Sponsorship Coordinator

• Vorb Charles - Staff Member

• Erin Meyer Cuno - Creative Development Coordinator

• Alexandria Augi - Board member

Happy Birthday, Haiti Awake!

November

Highlights:

Grace Community of Topsail
Launch of Haiti Awake Chauffeur Services

Polo to the US

December

Highlights:

Live Oak team

Haiti Awake Christmas party

Christmas for our Community - Doko

Anticipating great things in 2019. . .

“From His abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.”

— John 1:16

Because He First Loved Us

Back in October, we first told you about our Christmas for our Community - Doko project. This evening, our staff and children who participated returned safely to Port au Prince.

“There will always be a reason why you meet people. Either you need them to change your life or you’re the one who helps to change theirs. And everywhere you go you will learn something different. For me going to Doko helped me see a lot of things in a different way. It was so good to see so much joy in people face and how they welcomed us. They were so thankful.”

— Polo Charles, Director of Economic Development for Haiti Awake

Thank you to all who participated this year, and we look forward to more opportunities to show love in action in the future.

“Thanks to everyone who helped to make this happen. Thanks for speaking life this way to fill people’s hearts with joy.”

— Louis Hudson, Photographer for Haiti Awake

“I was happy to know Doko and people in Doko. I was glad also to spend some of my time there for Christmas this year.”

— Dieussait Dera, House Supervisor for Haiti Awake

“Doko is one of the greatest place in Haiti, and people there are awesome . After receiving their Christmas gifts yesterday for the first time in their community, they were so happy.”

— Steeve Derard, Ground Director

“People were so happy to receive their Christmas gifts. They didn’t expect that, but God who knows everything sent our team on time to share hope, love, joy to people in that community which I am from and where my parents are living. They are very grateful for that and so are we!”

— Makendy Lindor, Staff at Haiti Awake

We love because He first loved us.

I John 4:19

Stories We Have Heard and Known

I am in Arkansas for a couple weeks, helping my son and his soon-to-be bride prepare for their big day. Being here brings a pause from the normal and extra time for morning reflection.

This morning’s readings took me to Psalm 78:

“I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—
stories we have heard and known,
stories our ancestors handed down to us.
We will not hide these truths from our children;
we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
about his power and his mighty wonders.”

— verses 3 and 4

A fun time for Handy at his 9th birthday party yesterday. Oh, how God is redeeming his story.

May we always remember what God has done at Haiti Awake through the years, and may we never fail to remind the next generation of all we ourselves have seen and experienced.

“So the next generation might know them—
even the children not yet born—
and they in turn will teach their own children.
So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
not forgetting his glorious miracles
and obeying his commands.”

— verses 6 and 7

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.

Thomas Chisholm