CARING FOR THE ORPHANS IN ST. MICHEL, HAITI
For the past several years our Haiti Fund teams have been working closely with the Church of Christ in St. Michel, a tiny village way up in the mountains of northern Haiti. Our teams usually visit St. Michel many times each year; it is a place that has become very special to us, and we’ve developed a great love for the Christians there. To date, more than 70 different team members have visited, worshiped, and served with this congregation.
In early 2015, based on an overwhelming need in their community, the preacher at the St. Michel Church and his wife took in 36 orphaned children, feeding and caring for them in a tiny little house next to the church building. Since that time they’ve continued caring for these children, day in and day out, with the help of many members from the St. Michel Church.
The Christians in St. Michel have shown extraordinary generosity, despite the physical and financial hardships that they themselves endure, and many of our Haiti Fund team members have found the faith of these Haitian brothers and sisters to be both humbling and inspiring. Neither the orphanage nor the church in St. Michel have ever received any kind of outside support or assistance from anywhere, other than the little bit of money we send each month to help with the cost of feeding the children and ensuring that their basic survival needs are met.
We’re excited to report that as of August, 2022 we’ve completed the construction of new housing facilities for the children at the St. Michel Orphanage, on a piece of property purchased by The Haiti Fund in 2017. Thanks to the gracious generosity of our donors, we also had enough additional funds left over to purchase new beds, mattresses, and linens for all the children.
For some great photos of the new orphanage facilities, go to https://thehaitifund.org/2022/08/20/oh-my-gosh-i-cant-even-begin/.
The cost of providing food for the children is approx. $20 per child per month, which means a total cost of $720 per month for all 36 children. As of right now we’re only able to send $540/month, based on the funding commitments we currently have in place – so that’s only enough to feed 27 of the 36 children. Our goal is to continue finding additional sponsors who’d be willing to help with this, on a one-time basis or a monthly basis (either is fine, and greatly appreciated!).