Shoes for Haitian Village
Donation protected
SUMMARY:
One year ago I started sponsoring a 4 year old boy in Haiti through the I'm Me organization.
I'm Me Organization
I graduated college with an early childhood education degree in May of 2016.
I went to Haiti right after graduation for a week long vision trip and finally got to meet the little boy I sponsor, Benzley.
While I was visiting Haiti- I went to the FHG orphanage.
FHG Haiti website
-> They house 75 children but really only have enough funding for 50 children.
I left Haiti after falling in love with the people/children/culture/faith/country.
I have been trying to find a way to go back to help for a longer term since the day I got back to the United States.
I have the opportunity to return to the FHG orphanage to start a school and teach the Haitian women/nannies how to continue to teach the children once I leave.
The orphanage needs money in order to be able to start this school.
I want to raise $10,000 to get this school up and running and bring greatly needed school supplies over to these children.
READ BELOW FOR MY STORY:
Ever since I was little I absolutely loved children. There is something about their innocence and curiosity that I want to preserve in them as long as possible. This is the main reason why I chose to become a teacher. I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to teach children to love learning and be a great role model for them. I would say since starting high school my love for children adn teaching went outside of the United States. I realized that I wanted to give my love to a child in another country. I knew I wanted to adopt. In high school, I wanted to start sponsoring a child- but I was told by many people that I was too young and I should save my money for college- so I listened. When I got to college, the urge to sponsor never went away- I became a junior and realized enough was enough- I was going to sacrifice one less night out a month and I was going to sponsor a child for $30 a month.
I did a lot of research about different countries and different organizations and found I'm Me. This organization was started by David Nelson ( a professional football player ) that went to Haiti with his football team to help after the 2010 earthquake that devastated Haiti. He fell in love with Haiti and knew it was his calling to go back and help. So he went back and started an organization with his two brothers. They house 12 children and make sure they are loved and cared for and get an education. The goal is to 'end the orphan cycle' by giving these children the tools (education and love) needed to one day become doctors, teachers, nurses, engineers, etc. They also give jobs to many Haitian men and women. All of the nannies, cooks, guards, drivers, etc are Haitian. When I clicked on this website and watched a video to learn more- I fell in love with a little boy named Robensley (Benz). He has the biggest buddah belly that matches the size of his heart. His little laugh is so contagious and his smile melts your heart. He instantly had my heart and I knew I wanted to sponsor him. So I did. But my love for him didn't stop there. After sponsoring him for a few months- I started to save my money so I could go and see him. I figured what better time then when I graduate college. When a great start into the real world. So I graduated and I went to Haiti.
I can best describe my trip to Haiti as a dream- from the second we flew over the country it was magestic. The country of Haiti is absolutely beautiful. It is surrounded by teal blue water and the mountainside is right by the shore line. It is amazing. Tears are filling my eyes just reminiscing about the plane ride. Meeting Benzley was surreal- I met him for the first time at 'The Benz' which is a concrete wall surrounding a food program, basketball court, picnic benches, and concrete soccer field that I'm Me helps fund. His little body came running around me while trying to kick a basketball with his friends Dae-Dae and Wilson. At first I just took it in, I wanted to watch him play and laugh and honestly, it took everything in me not to break down and cry. It was something that I waited a year for and it was finally happening. Kendra (the mission trip coordinator) talked to Benzley and explained that I give him clothes, and money for school and food. He came up to me and gave me a hug and said thank you. Talk about water works. The entire time while I was in Haiti I managed not to cry. It's almost like you can't let yourself because you know that they are happy in Haiti and that they have such a love for God and life that overcomes you and allows you to realize that they will be ok.
Visiting the orphanage was something that I had prepared myself for. I had known about the orphanages in Haiti and had known about the conditions. The FHG orphanage is one of the Haiti Orphanages with better conditions. Some orphanages are just a building with children laying on the floor on a cloth in their own vomit, urine and tears. Those are the orphanage conditions that the IM ME children were found in and saved from. Many Haitian orphanages are just places for parents/caregivers to drop off babies/infants. They know their isn't a high survival rate but sometimes have no choice. But the FHG orphanage does the best they can to care for their children. The babies sleep in cribs, the toddlers sleep on beds, they have a backyard to play outside in, and they have food to eat. Their is two- three nannies for the 12-15 infants that they house. That is one nanny for every 6 infants. For those of you that have ever babysat a child know how impossible that would make it for the babies to always be fed, always have a clean diaper, always be held and loved. That is what broke my heart the most- you just want to love and hug and kiss every baby there. You want to make them feel loved for every minute that you can. We were at the orphanage for three hours that day. It felt like 5 minutes. It felt like no matter how long I held Bianca or Gabriella that it would never be enough time. I left and knew that this was the orphanage that I one day wanted to adopt from. I had found my home in Haiti. I left a big piece of my heart there that day and it still remains there.
I got back to the United States and the next morning had a graduation party. The day before, I was waking up in a hot room with no AC on an 80 degree day, washed my face with dripping water from the sink, brushed my teeth was bottled water, washed my last Haitian sunrise and hopped on a plane home. And today I was getting up, taking a hot shower, washing my hair, putting on cute clothes, getting ready to see family that I hadn't seen in months and eat delicious food all day long. I had never felt so empty. I had never felt so heartbroken. I knew from that moment on that I had to do everything I could to get back to Haiti as fast as I could. I knew that I wouldn't be content getting a teaching job in United States until I had gone back to Haiti for a longer period of time. I didn't know how, I didn't know with who, and I didn't know what I would be doing, but I knew I had to go back and soon.
The day after my graduation party I started making phone calls, sending emails and researching organizations in Haiti. I reached out to many different people and organizations. I prayed every day that God send me back. I wanted to go back for three months but I would take anything. I wanted to go back, needed to go back.
6.23.16- the day I realized my life was about the change.
Nothing can prepare you for hearing those few words- "we have the perfect position for you" I had gotten the phone call while in Panera. I recognized the Dallas, TX number- I yelled to my mom- Haiti is calling and ran outside. I walked around the parking lot- talking to Christy from FHG after playing phone tag with her for a few days. I talked with her for 30 minutes about my story with I'm Me and Benz and how I had been to their orphanage and fell in love and about how I was looking to go back to Haiti for a few months. That's when she said those words. I almost fell to my knees in the parking lot- I gave my mom a thumbs up (she was sitting in the car by now). I was going back to Haiti.
"It's a beautiful thing when a passion and a career come together"
"When action meets compassion, lives change"
"Then I heard the voice of the lord saying who shall I send? Who will go for us? I said: here I am! Send me!"
Starting a school is not an easy task. Especially in a country that has little to no resources. You know what is easy- teaching all those children who have such a love for learning, who love school, who beg to be taught and for you to fill them with knowledge. Please help me in making starting this school a little easier for the FHG orphanage. Any little donate helps! Sharing helps!
Help me, help them end the orphan cycle.
Help me, follow my dream!
One year ago I started sponsoring a 4 year old boy in Haiti through the I'm Me organization.
I'm Me Organization
I graduated college with an early childhood education degree in May of 2016.
I went to Haiti right after graduation for a week long vision trip and finally got to meet the little boy I sponsor, Benzley.
While I was visiting Haiti- I went to the FHG orphanage.
FHG Haiti website
-> They house 75 children but really only have enough funding for 50 children.
I left Haiti after falling in love with the people/children/culture/faith/country.
I have been trying to find a way to go back to help for a longer term since the day I got back to the United States.
I have the opportunity to return to the FHG orphanage to start a school and teach the Haitian women/nannies how to continue to teach the children once I leave.
The orphanage needs money in order to be able to start this school.
I want to raise $10,000 to get this school up and running and bring greatly needed school supplies over to these children.
READ BELOW FOR MY STORY:
Ever since I was little I absolutely loved children. There is something about their innocence and curiosity that I want to preserve in them as long as possible. This is the main reason why I chose to become a teacher. I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to teach children to love learning and be a great role model for them. I would say since starting high school my love for children adn teaching went outside of the United States. I realized that I wanted to give my love to a child in another country. I knew I wanted to adopt. In high school, I wanted to start sponsoring a child- but I was told by many people that I was too young and I should save my money for college- so I listened. When I got to college, the urge to sponsor never went away- I became a junior and realized enough was enough- I was going to sacrifice one less night out a month and I was going to sponsor a child for $30 a month.
I did a lot of research about different countries and different organizations and found I'm Me. This organization was started by David Nelson ( a professional football player ) that went to Haiti with his football team to help after the 2010 earthquake that devastated Haiti. He fell in love with Haiti and knew it was his calling to go back and help. So he went back and started an organization with his two brothers. They house 12 children and make sure they are loved and cared for and get an education. The goal is to 'end the orphan cycle' by giving these children the tools (education and love) needed to one day become doctors, teachers, nurses, engineers, etc. They also give jobs to many Haitian men and women. All of the nannies, cooks, guards, drivers, etc are Haitian. When I clicked on this website and watched a video to learn more- I fell in love with a little boy named Robensley (Benz). He has the biggest buddah belly that matches the size of his heart. His little laugh is so contagious and his smile melts your heart. He instantly had my heart and I knew I wanted to sponsor him. So I did. But my love for him didn't stop there. After sponsoring him for a few months- I started to save my money so I could go and see him. I figured what better time then when I graduate college. When a great start into the real world. So I graduated and I went to Haiti.
I can best describe my trip to Haiti as a dream- from the second we flew over the country it was magestic. The country of Haiti is absolutely beautiful. It is surrounded by teal blue water and the mountainside is right by the shore line. It is amazing. Tears are filling my eyes just reminiscing about the plane ride. Meeting Benzley was surreal- I met him for the first time at 'The Benz' which is a concrete wall surrounding a food program, basketball court, picnic benches, and concrete soccer field that I'm Me helps fund. His little body came running around me while trying to kick a basketball with his friends Dae-Dae and Wilson. At first I just took it in, I wanted to watch him play and laugh and honestly, it took everything in me not to break down and cry. It was something that I waited a year for and it was finally happening. Kendra (the mission trip coordinator) talked to Benzley and explained that I give him clothes, and money for school and food. He came up to me and gave me a hug and said thank you. Talk about water works. The entire time while I was in Haiti I managed not to cry. It's almost like you can't let yourself because you know that they are happy in Haiti and that they have such a love for God and life that overcomes you and allows you to realize that they will be ok.
Visiting the orphanage was something that I had prepared myself for. I had known about the orphanages in Haiti and had known about the conditions. The FHG orphanage is one of the Haiti Orphanages with better conditions. Some orphanages are just a building with children laying on the floor on a cloth in their own vomit, urine and tears. Those are the orphanage conditions that the IM ME children were found in and saved from. Many Haitian orphanages are just places for parents/caregivers to drop off babies/infants. They know their isn't a high survival rate but sometimes have no choice. But the FHG orphanage does the best they can to care for their children. The babies sleep in cribs, the toddlers sleep on beds, they have a backyard to play outside in, and they have food to eat. Their is two- three nannies for the 12-15 infants that they house. That is one nanny for every 6 infants. For those of you that have ever babysat a child know how impossible that would make it for the babies to always be fed, always have a clean diaper, always be held and loved. That is what broke my heart the most- you just want to love and hug and kiss every baby there. You want to make them feel loved for every minute that you can. We were at the orphanage for three hours that day. It felt like 5 minutes. It felt like no matter how long I held Bianca or Gabriella that it would never be enough time. I left and knew that this was the orphanage that I one day wanted to adopt from. I had found my home in Haiti. I left a big piece of my heart there that day and it still remains there.
I got back to the United States and the next morning had a graduation party. The day before, I was waking up in a hot room with no AC on an 80 degree day, washed my face with dripping water from the sink, brushed my teeth was bottled water, washed my last Haitian sunrise and hopped on a plane home. And today I was getting up, taking a hot shower, washing my hair, putting on cute clothes, getting ready to see family that I hadn't seen in months and eat delicious food all day long. I had never felt so empty. I had never felt so heartbroken. I knew from that moment on that I had to do everything I could to get back to Haiti as fast as I could. I knew that I wouldn't be content getting a teaching job in United States until I had gone back to Haiti for a longer period of time. I didn't know how, I didn't know with who, and I didn't know what I would be doing, but I knew I had to go back and soon.
The day after my graduation party I started making phone calls, sending emails and researching organizations in Haiti. I reached out to many different people and organizations. I prayed every day that God send me back. I wanted to go back for three months but I would take anything. I wanted to go back, needed to go back.
6.23.16- the day I realized my life was about the change.
Nothing can prepare you for hearing those few words- "we have the perfect position for you" I had gotten the phone call while in Panera. I recognized the Dallas, TX number- I yelled to my mom- Haiti is calling and ran outside. I walked around the parking lot- talking to Christy from FHG after playing phone tag with her for a few days. I talked with her for 30 minutes about my story with I'm Me and Benz and how I had been to their orphanage and fell in love and about how I was looking to go back to Haiti for a few months. That's when she said those words. I almost fell to my knees in the parking lot- I gave my mom a thumbs up (she was sitting in the car by now). I was going back to Haiti.
"It's a beautiful thing when a passion and a career come together"
"When action meets compassion, lives change"
"Then I heard the voice of the lord saying who shall I send? Who will go for us? I said: here I am! Send me!"
Starting a school is not an easy task. Especially in a country that has little to no resources. You know what is easy- teaching all those children who have such a love for learning, who love school, who beg to be taught and for you to fill them with knowledge. Please help me in making starting this school a little easier for the FHG orphanage. Any little donate helps! Sharing helps!
Help me, help them end the orphan cycle.
Help me, follow my dream!
Organizer
Angelica Mourges
Organizer
Myrtle Beach, SC
