With all that has happened in Haiti in the past year, sometimes it’s hard to know how much to tell our children.  While it’s tempting to isolate young ones from the suffering our Haitian friends are going through, it’s also a great teaching opportunity.  Depending on their age and maturity, discussing these topics can help children develop compassion and gratitude that will make them more caring and responsible adults.

This writer recently came upon a book that can be used as a way to help kids understand the effects of the earthquake.  “Eight Days” is a book by renowned writer Edwidge Danticat.   It is a gorgeously illustrated picture book that tells the story of how a little boy survived being buried in the rubble of his home for eight days.  As grim as it sounds, the story is touching, heartfelt, and even hopeful.

Today’s educated child is tomorrow’s compassionate servant for Haiti.

[Note that this is one writer's opinion, not an official recommendation by Servants for Haiti.]

Our Second Annual Trivia Night, held on Saturday, April 12, was a tremendous success.

We want to thank everyone who contributed to making this event not only a lot of fun, but profitable for the people of Haiti.  Next year, plan to be part of the excitement. Reserve April 7, 2012 (first Saturday in April again) for next year’s event. Watch our web site for updates as the date approaches.

We want to make this event one that people will look forward to year after year.  Your feedback will help make next year’s event even better.  If you were at this year’s trivia night, please fill out this evaluation form.  Thank you!

100% of the proceeds from this year’s fundraiser will go toward providing housing for Haitian families displaced by last year’s earthquake.  Most are still living in tents in muddy fields, subject to disease, violence, and bad weather.  We want to put as many as possible into real homes as soon as possible. We know that we can’t do it all on our own, but with your help, by God’s grace, we can make a difference one family at a time.

If you have any other questions about our trivia events, please don’t hesitate to contact us at trivia@servantsforhaiti.org.

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We want to express our profound gratitude to the following people and organizations who made this year’s Trivia Night the success it was.

For their generous donations of items for our auction:

The Colonial Inn, Edgartown, MA

Boston Red Sox

New England Patriots

Boston Celtics

Boston Bruins

Lowell Spinners

Bertucci’s Italian Restaurants

Chili’s Grill and Bar, Wilmington, MA

The Java Room, Chelmsford, MA

Moonstone’s Restaurant, Chelmsford, MA

Pampered Chef, Sharon Leigh, Chelmsford, MA

Walden Media, Burlington, MA

Jeanne Conti knitted and crocheted goods, Woburn, MA

Nancy Kaelin, Chelmsford,MA

Capellini’s Italian Restaurant, Tewksbury, MA

Massage Envy, Berkeley Street, Boston, MA

Camp Cedarbrook, Alfred ME

The Haven and Beals families

Cricket Lomicka quilting, Chelmsford, MA

Laurae Richards Art, Westford, MA

Mahoney’s Garden Center, Winchester, MA

Tastefully Simple, Donna Nordquist

Cut to the Chase, Billerica, MA

Peregrine Outfitters, Williston, VT

Haitian craftspeople

For providing prizes for the trivia contest:

Sully’s Ice Cream, Chelmsford, MA

And a VERY BIG Thank You to Sterling Golf Management for the use of the Chelmsford Country Club and their generous auction donations.

Please support our supporters and tell them you saw them here!

It’s cliché to say that the past year flew by.  How many have you heard ask, “Where did the time go?”

That is not the case in Haiti, where one year ago today at exactly 4:53:10 PM ET, the landscape changed dramatically both literally and figuratively.  If your year consisted of mourning lost loved ones, being fitted for prosthetic limbs, searching desperately for food, water, and shelter, trying to avoid rape, murder, and kidnap, and suffering cholera, it could not have passed quickly enough.

Those are the issues our friends in Haiti have lived with day in and day out.  To us here in the U.S., a difficult time is a snowstorm that melts away eventually and gasoline prices that make driving our gas-guzzlers more of a hassle.  While it has never been easy in Haiti, since the quake it must seem like a bottomless pit of despair.

While Servants for Haiti is in the process of changing the way we operate in Haiti, we are unwavering in our commitment there.  We cannot become discouraged because too much is at stake.  We are determined in the name and power of God to make a lasting difference.  We hope you will continue to stand with us as we stand with the Haitian people.

Today, in whatever way you deem appropriate, please remember our Haitian brothers and sisters and all they have gone through in the past year.

These Frequently Asked Questions are regarding the new direction that SFH is taking in 2011.  The changes were introduced in a letter from SFH president Laurae Richards dated 12/26/2010.

Q. How was the decision arrived at to change the direction of SFH?
A. Individual board members had been sensing for some time a need to change how SFH serves the people of Haiti. Through further prayer and discussion, the board agreed unanimously that our methods had to change. Part of the motivation was the earthquake, but it’s likely we would have made these changes eventually anyway.

Q. When are these changes taking place?
A. We have already begun implementing a few of the new initiatives. As far as the old programs are concerned, as of 7/1/2011, they are officially managed  by a new organization, Haiti International Alliance (HIA).

Q. Does HIA have a web site that I can check out?
A. The HIA web site is currently under construction.  When it is up and running, we will post a link to it.

Q. What happens to all the children who are now being sponsored through Servants for Haiti today?
A. Every child at both Kingdom Kids Orphanage (KKO) and College Jean Rigaud Antoine (CJRA) will be sponsored through HIA, which was recently created by Rigaud Antoine.  The one message we want to make sure everyone understands is this: No Haitian children or adults will suffer or lose out in any way as a result of these changes. In fact, we believe our new efforts are the best way to help all Haitians in the long term.  SFH remains committed to the people of Haiti.

Q. I currently sponsor a child through SFH.  How will these changes affect my sponsorship?
A. Please read this letter to get complete details about the transition and your responsibility.

Q. How will you be addressing the massive homelessness problem in Haiti?
A. We have no illusions about making a big dent in the problem. We plan to address homelessness the same way we have addressed issues in the past, one step at a time. We can’t help everyone, but we can make a difference for one family, then another, then another, … We depend on your help in the future as we have in the past.

Q. I’d like more details on the new efforts you are beginning.
A. The new programs are now listed under the “Programs” tab above.  As soon as we have more specifics, those pages will be updated.

We have tried to anticipate questions our supporters, new and old, might be asking.  If you have further questions, please contact us at  info@servantsforhaiti.org.  We will try to answer them directly and add them here.