Changemakers.

We are heading back to Haiti one week from today. It is finally starting to sink in as I figure out the logistics of getting ready for the trip and race around for last minute vaccinations (procrastination at its finest!) As details and plans come together for our week spent in Haiti, I am excited to share one of the things we will be doing.

This year we are doing something extra special. We will be taking a group of teenage girls and boys from the orphanage in Fedja to the beach for a one-night retreat. We get to pull these kids out of their everyday lives, take them somewhere they never get to go, take special care of them, enjoy them and each other, and then spend time pouring into them. We are going to have Bible studies and time to mentor them and show them what it means to live for Christ as a teenager in Haiti. These kids are the future of the country. They have the power and the potential to do incredible things and reach the lost of Haiti. I know God will use them to change the future and we get to be a part of empowering them to be all that God created them to be. The kids that we will be taking have claimed a special place in the hearts of our team members. We have gotten to know these boys and girls over the years and we see the potential they have.

Please be praying for the logistics of this retreat. Pray for the hearts of our team members as we prepare to pour into these kids. Pray for the hearts of the kids, that they would be open to hear from God and then take on the responsibility to rise up and be a light in a dark country.

A retreat like this will also take some financial backing. We would like to take a group of about 15-20 kids and it is going to cost $100 per person. Would you please consider sponsoring one of these change-makers to have the opportunity to attend this special getaway? You can give at hoperisinghaiti.org/give Contact me with any questions you have!

Join me?

On June 2, 2015, our volunteer group of 18 will embark on a weeklong mission trip. We will travel from Highlands Ranch, Colorado to the country of Haiti. Our team will…

1. Make vital repairs and improvements to the main orphanage building in Fedja
2. Love on the the kids and staff at the orphanage in Fedja
3. Pass out flashlights, food, and shoes to bring help, hope and joy to the people of Haiti
4. Help the new churches in Gross Roche and Loweraton complete final improvements to their church buildings (painting, steps, sidewalks, and landscaping)
5. Install pumps and complete concrete work at the brand new water wells at Malary and Gross Roche
6. Minister to widows in the communities around the churches in Fedja, Gross Roche, and Loweraton

Our immediate need is $42,500 before May 25, 2015 to pay for these projects, outreaches, and expenses for our team.  All gifts are tax-deductible, and will make an impact in the lives of these amazing and courageous people in Haiti. Even if you cannot give financially, please be praying for our team and the people of Haiti.

Many of our group members have been involved in sponsoring the church and school in Thomassique, Haiti and the orphanage in Fedja, Haiti for more than 17 years.  It is a rare and cherished opportunity for our group to travel to these locations and continue these precious relationships. We will be working with Pastor Yves Prophete and Global Vision Citadelle Ministries (gvcm.org), whom some of our team members have known for more than 20 years.  GVCM works with more than 40 churches, numerous elementary and secondary schools, a deaf school, and an orphanage; as well as partners with many other agencies to bring help and hope to the people of Haiti.

If you are interested in participating in helping the Haitian people through giving money to our trip -- you can give online at: http://hoperisinghaiti.org/give/. Or you can write a check to Hope Rising Haiti and contact me for an address.

I wouldn't ask you to join me in funding a trip that I didn't believe in wholeheartedly. The people of Haiti have claimed a special place in my heart and I cannot wait to continue building relationships with them in a few short weeks. I know God will use our team to further His Kingdom and I feel privileged and blessed to be a part of it.

Thank you for your consideration and please contact me anytime with questions at richestori@gmail.com

This is a letter I received from my dear friend Maselore during my last trip to Haiti. Maselore is a young girl living at the orphanage in Fedja.