Unexpected craft discovery

I don't know how to teach craft, I am French teacher but in brainstorming with generous ladies such as Lisa, Michele, Molly and MariaLouisa and the jewelry drive at Loyola U. Md I brought supplies and ideas to the Foyer Notre Dame de Lourdes.
We have a running competition in designing original cards that is triggering some unsuspected talents. In addition,  "les Petits" , the little ones 3 to7  LOVE to make "bracelets et colliers" , " les Moyens" ( the Middle ones, 8 - 14 or so) love to make colorful gimp bracelets or key chains and now five boys among the Moyens stand out in their dexterity and are making beautiful solidarity-friendship bracelets of a different sort.  The Zanmi band  ( Zanmi means friend in creole)  use car parts easily found in Haiti and currently worn before decoration by men on their wrists to heal their aches.  My hope is that Loyola students will market them so that funds are raised to help pay for the education of the 30 teenagers that live here at the Foyer.
However what is surfacing is a totally unexpected aspect at least for me: I am getting to know the children much better. What is revealed is not only their creativity and resourcefulness but also their perseverance, dexterity, ability to concentrate, their neatness and mindfulness in helping others learn. Some of the end products show aspects of the children that their caregivers are happily surprised to discover and it gives an immense sense of pride to the child himself. It is such an exciting twist to my work here.

RT1 made a difference

When Louis-Jackson, Bellegarde, Andy and Clifford rapidly changed their clothes so that during their lunch break we could go see the house they have been responsible for building, there was obvious excitement and joy in the packed car that took us 15 minutes outside of Croix des Bouquets towards what is now of the resettlement zone for about 50 000 people. The house is grand with multiple rooms, bathrooms , decorated arches and columns.  They kept with a pride in their voices that it was what they learned from Ray that enabled them to now be in charge of this construction. Teaching how to fish! That is RT1's goal.

When the children sing.

First time in the new multipurpose room: groups of children took turns reciting poetry, singing and dancing in front of proud teachers and devoted friends of the Foyer Notre Dame de Lourdes. To think there was only a bare field with abandoned tent equipment a year and a half ago! It was such a moving scene that many onlookers had tears in their eyes: all the faith, hard work and efforts from strangers to Haiti but also the Haitians themselves made this moment possible. A happy milestone for sure.

Bakery project continued

The future bakery now has plumbing and cabinets thanks to a grant from the Atlantic-Midwest Province School Sisters of Notre Dame; it is ready to receive the utensils and tools already used by a group of the older children at the Foyer NDL to make cakes. In late February a shipment of bakery equipment from Canada gathered by energetic and generous Mario Landreville will arrive thanks to the help of Collaboration Santé Internationale and Food for the Poor.  We can expect to see more of the wonderful confections the girls are already working on.

The Jesuit community of Loyola University Maryland comes to the rescue!

Thanks to the thoughtfulness and generosity of the Jesuit community of Loyola University Maryland, ten men will continue working on the construction of the elementary school and get paid for a month!

It is the care of total strangers that helps make the project go forward, so that at least these children from Foyer NDL in Santo, Haiti will have a chance to attend school.  WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Haitian workers continue without pay!

The pictures below are of some of RT1's workers that are giving their labor and  energy as their contribution so that the project doesn't stop.

 They are the men that helped build the large structure at the Village NDL and are currently responsible for the construction of the elementary school. We have run out of funds but they have decided to continue without pay so that what they have done will not get ruined by the coming rainy season.  It is an amazing show of support and devotion. 

When I was in Haiti with them everyday, these men didn't hide that their salaries were stretched to the max: supporting their families, paying for their own education or that of their siblings. It is an incredibly generous act coming from Haitians to help other Haitians!

Clifford would like to go to college

Louis-Jackson, also a tailor with a young wife and a child, a  great supervisor.

Fenel, can't afford to finish highschool, has to support 2 younger siblings.

Andy, continuing highschool with success!

Bellegarde, great carpenter who also plays in a band.

Gilbert, would like to finish highschool

Fenal, trying to raise 2 children on his own.

Patrick, trusted driver with a family of   4 children, expecting a 5th.

Construction continues.

Work continues!  A small crew trained by Ray 's Relief Team One program is now in charge of the construction of the elementary school attached to the Village Notre Dame de Lourdes.  Men who learned leadership and construction skills are now applying their knowledge and with the support of Association Terre des Montagnes, they are building three classrooms. They even have their first apprentice!  Quite an accomplishment!