A Future for Junior

Back in 2000, when the folks who started SFH first visited Haiti, we made a lot of new friends.  Over the years, some have moved on and others seem to have simply disappeared.  One young man we hit it off with right away was a boy named Junior.  His name didn’t fit his appearance as he towered over his friends of the same age.

For a time, Junior attended what has since become CJRA, the school SFH supports. Due to a mixup with a sponsorship program that preceded SFH, he was forced to drop out of school.  This past summer, a team member named Jeff met Junior and was impressed with his intelligence and work ethic.  Jeff decided to do something to help Junior.

Through SFH, Jeff is paying Junior’s way through trade school, so that he can become an auto mechanic when he graduates.  Now this young man will have a skill that is in great demand.  He can earn his own way and eliminate the need for support.

This is a long term goal of Servants for Haiti.  If organizations like ours can help young people like Junior become employed (or at least employable), we can go a long way toward ending the cycle of poverty that has dominated Haiti for the 200+ years of its existence.  That’s one of our greatest visions: looking ahead to a day when Haiti no longer needs our help.  In this case, we’ll be happy to work our way out of a job!

Junior, 2000 - looking cool in the shades

Junior, 2010, still tall and still cool!