The smile says it all!

Last Saturday we held a Microloan training seminar for 12 people. There are many people that want to be a part of our microloan program and we expand as we have the funds.

 These 11 women and 1 man participated in the class that last 2.5 hours. Then they are quizzed on the information provided so we know they understand the information provided. After they "pass" the quiz, we help them fill out an application and form a business plan.

 We asked some of our veteran Microloan participants to come and help. They broke off into small groups and listened to the struggles and successes of those who have down well in our program. These smaller groups provided an opportunity for the timid to talk and share their questions.

 Pictured above is Celita. She has been waiting to be accepted into the program for over a year. We are happy to have her in this program. She has one daughter who is living with an aunt bc she can not provide for her financially. She already has 2 other daughters and a nephew living with her. We are HOPEful this program can help her be able to financially care for all her children and the youngest daughter can come home.  I think the smile on her face shows her thanks!

Pictured above is David and Ginny working through a business plan with one of the ladies. 

There are more people hoping to enter this Microloan program. This small village has nearly nothing to offer work wise. But it is filled with able minded and able bodied people searching for an answer to their financial struggles. Invest Hope offers a hand up in this respect by providing interest-free microloans. We know, of course, that this does not solve their financial problems. However, if we can help families stay together by supporting parents in feeding their own children and sending them to school, while offering health, child-rearing and budgeting seminars in addition to the microloans.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Invest Hope work has been busy this December. We have shown "The Nativity" movie 3 times with one more to go this weekend. The Haitians really seem to like this version of the birth of Christ. 

If you haven't seen it...you should! I bought this copy at Odd Lots for $5! It goes into detail about how Joseph and Mary's parents felt when they found out she was pregnant. It does a great job showing how Joseph becomes understanding of the situation and how much he came to love Mary and the baby.

Projecting movies is such a great way to minister in Haiti. Most Haitians don't have a television, so they love to come out and watch a movie. Also, it is relatively easy to do. I say relatively because my husband, David, does all the set up and take down :) He has big speakers, we borrow a projector and small generator and put up a tarp and a sheet. Voila! Movie night!

Once again, we thank you for your support and prayers! After this weekend, the Christian Christmas story will have been seen in Southern Haiti by ~ 500 people!

I've talked about this program before. But this year we have expanded it to help even more kids. So I need to talk about it some more to raise funds for it!

Since I moved to Haiti in 2008, there have always been parents asking me to pay to send their children to school.

I read about the idea of matching parents contributions in a book. I loved the idea because it required the parents to put forth an effort in helping their own children. This promotes dignity and responsibility. But the reality is that a lot of parents in Haiti can not afford to send their children to school. They need a hand up.

Invest Hope has a school match savings program. This year, 35 children are enrolled and their parents are already busy contributing to their accounts!

So we want you to meet some of these children and learn what their dreams are.

 

This is Coralee. She is being raised by a single mom who works really hard to take care of her and her older brother. But the money she makes isn't enough to pay for school for her children.

Coralee is a high energy, high pitched giggling, squirmy 7 year old. I wish you could hear her little high pitched voice. She says that she loves babies and when she grows up she wants to be a nanny and take care of them.

Will you help us help her mother send her to school?

Your donation is tax-deductible. It can be sent to:

Licking Valley Church of Christ
1578 Dayton Rd
Newark, OH 43055

Check payable to "Licking Valley Church of Christ"
put "Invest Hope" in the memo line of the check.

Tons of Baby Omri Pictures!

I am back online! Have been so busy taking care of Omri that I haven't posted in weeks and weeks. 

Omri and I are still in Ohio. He is now 10 weeks old. His due date was today, July 16th!

He spent 6 weeks in the NICU in Miami and we have been home for a few weeks. 

Here is a picture of Omri's primary nurses in the NICU...we LOVE these ladies...they made our stressful stay so much better.

My Aunt Hattie (dad's youngest sister) drove all the way down from West Virginia to meet Omri!

We went from this...one person being able to hold him once a day (talk about torture!) to...

                                                    Being home in Ohio!

 We got to go to my cousin Bree's wedding in West Virginia. Isn't she a BEAUTIFUL bride?

                                          Great PaPaw Jim (my mom's dad)

            

                 4 Generations of Andrews'! My dad's parents, dad, me and Omri.

I am missing my Odessa so very much...this has been the hardest part of being away. I have never been apart from her this long. David is holding everything together beautifully! He is being a great daddy to Odessa and counting the days he gets to be one to Omri. Odessa sings to Omri over Skype daily and is looking forward to holding "Her baby" soon :)

This has been a stressful, joyful, tearful, and HOPEful time for our family. We are thankful for all the support you have given us during this time.  Continue to pray for us and our reunion together as a family again...we can hardly wait!

God is teaching me now that although I don't always understand the "method to the madness", that there is a plan and it DOES work for good. 

As I look at my baby boy everyday with my heart exploding with love...it's hard to believe God loves him more. David and I feel so blessed that The Lord put Omri in our family. 

***Thank you all for being patient about the lack of mission updates. David continues to work for Invest Hope in Haiti and he hasten sending me updates and pictures...but I am have been busy (and tired) and haven't been posting updates. Stay tuned for these updates and thank you for your patience.

It's a BOY!

On May 7th, our little boy decided to come into the world 10 weeks early.

My water broke in Haiti on April 26th and I flew into Miami the same day trying to make it back to Ohio. I only made it as far as Miami where they put me on hospitalized bed rest because I was only 28 weeks pregnant. 

On May 7th I went into labor and they could not stop it. My mom was here in Miami with me and was the first to see the gender of our baby. I can not tell you how thrilled my husband David is ow that he has his boy!

Omri Davidson Andews-Barreau was born on May 7th at 10:06pm. He weighed 3 pounds 2 ounces and was 16.5 inches long.

Omri is still in the NICU in Miami. He is doing well. He no longer has an IV. He is taking some feedings orally and the rest given by tube and still on oxygen. He currently weighs 3 pounds 10 ounces. My family has taken turns staying down here with me pretty much non-stop. 

Thank you for your prayers and kindness during this time. It is has been very stressful on our family being separated for so long and for such an important event. But God has been good and we are looking forward to the day we are together with the new addition to our family!

Uncle JW holding him for the first time.

Mommy holding him for the first time. And I haven't really put him down since!

Mama Lynn and PawPaw looking at their first grandson!

Pictured below is the first time Daddy and Odessa are seeing him via Skype from Haiti! They can not wait to get their hands on him!