Haiti – We Can’t Forget You!
Resurrection from the Rubble
On January 12, 2010, the lives of the children at St. Joseph Family Homes in Haiti were forever changed. While the cost of rebuilding the homes can be somewhat measured, the psychological impact cannot be weighed. It is so much harder to assess the damage caused by living with death and destruction all around for weeks on end, and with frequent reoccurring tremors.
Even though the boys from the destroyed St. Joseph’s Home in Port-au-Prince were relocated to Trinity House in Jacmel, the boys sleep outside in tents because they are afraid. Experiencing 4.5 aftershock tremors during the night is terrifying! Michael Geilenfield, Executive Director, has enlisted the aid of a therapist from Canada who specializes in Post Traumatic Stress. This counselor will be working with the children in the coming months to address some of these issues.
The disabled children from Wings of Hope have been relocated to two houses up the road from the severely-damaged building. These houses have been rented for a year. Although structurally safe, they are not handicapped accessible, and it has been a challenge to make them so. Praise God that the children and staff are adapting.
Both St. Joseph’s Home and Wings of Hope will need to be torn down and rebuilt. An American company will do the demolition. St. Joe’s is on a waiting list, but hopefully, the destruction will start in the next few weeks, then the rebuilding. We’ll tell you more about the rebuilding next week.
The major rebuilding effort of St. Joseph’s Home in Port-au-Prince and Wings of Hope in Fermathe, Haiti, is nearing its start. Many people have asked, “How much will it cost?” The answer is that there is not an exact figure as of yet, but Michael Geilenfeld, Executive Director, feels it will be in the millions. Haiti was not a cheap place to build before the earthquake and prices have gone up since. In fact, food prices have doubled in recent weeks. Many materials must be imported to the island. Skilled labor will come at a higher price because of the great demand. In addition, there is still the ongoing support of the children and the communities that St. Joseph’s Homes supports. The resurrection is going to be a long and arduous task.
In March, the Resurrection Dance Theater, comprised of boys and young men from St. Joseph Family Homes, went on a six-state tour and gave many performances in order to raise funds to sustain themselves and others they reach out to in Haiti. The performances were the result of much prayer, as visas had to be obtained during a very difficult time, new costumes had to be sewn, and new drums needed to be purchased because these things had all been lost as a result of the earthquake.
People have asked us, “Why should I support these particular children when there are now over a million orphans in Haiti?” The answer is simple. St. Joseph’s is not an orphanage. It is a FAMILY! It is a family that celebrates the worth of every child, no matter what the circumstances. It is solidly planted in the firm belief that they are blessed, and blessed abundantly, and that God’s purpose for them is to be the blessing of God to others. The children of St. Joseph’s, the boys now grown into young men, the Resurrection Dance Theater, the outreach into the communities of Jacmel, Fermathe, and City Soleil inspire us. THEY INVITE US TO DO THE SAME FOR OTHERS! The St. Joseph Family gives us hope for ourselves and the future of Haiti.
