The Haiti Education Alliance

Mission, Objectives, and Role of Short Term Mission Trips

Facts About Haiti

700 miles off the coast of Florida Shares Caribbean Island with the Dominican Republic Illiteracy rate is about 50% Primary and Secondary School cost $80-150/year + uniforms

and supplies 18% of the country go to secondary school (7th grade and

beyond) Few graduate from secondary school Most speak Creole, a colloquial language (only learn French

and some English in secondary school) Poorest Country in the Western Hemisphere 80% of population are unemployed

Healthy Short Term Missions – Do It Like Jesus (Luke 10)

Where Jesus appointed, we take volunteers.

Where Jesus sent pairs, we send herds.

Where Jesus admonished for danger and quiet humility along the road, we opt for vacation destinations and loud self-congratulations.

Where Jesus asks to be bringers of peace, we often bring chaos.

Where Jesus designed an opportunity for a disciple to lean into a new family, learn a new culture, and serve under the head of a household (who best knows his own need), we march in with a plan and the resources to “git'er'done” – completely missing out on the gift of being “a worker worth his wages”.

What if the original picture of “short-term teams” was meant to show us this valuable step in the process of discipleship, where we can learn dependence on God, love for others, and how to serve well?

And what if we've taken that picture and turned it into a billion dollar industry, creating dependence among the poor - not on God - but on the ourselves, damaging Christ's image in the world, and missing the point entirely?

(Taken from www.theveryworstmissionary.com)

THEA’s Mission and Objectives

Mission Statement:The Haiti Education Alliance (THEA) provides education opportunities to impoverished Haitian children and adults empowering them to strengthen their communities and emerge to a life of healing and hope.

 Objectives: To provide education opportunities at the primary, secondary, vocational, and college levels for children and young adults in need within Haitian communities.

 To support students to pursue career paths in medical related fields (for example: physical and occupational therapy, medicine, mental health, and nursing) in order to provide consistent, long-term rehabilitative services to those affected by the earthquake and others, further enabling them to return to their communities with valued abilities.

 To facilitate community life skill educational programs in order to:

-provide hands-on training to young men and women in their community, - increase job-readiness,-improve health, and -promote strong community relationships.

 To promote self-sufficient communities and foster the importance of giving back to one's community. To promote advocacy and awareness of vulnerable populations in Haiti such as children, families, people with disabilities, and the elderly.

Medical Education Program

8 students meeting twice a week for instruction from medical doctor in LaVictoire on wide range of medical topics

Access to Creole Medical Library – assignments using these resources

Medical Education Volunteer Program at hospital in Pignon

Enrollment of MEVP students in Hospital’s “Half-Program”, where the hospital will pay for further education in return for double the years of service

Sending students to Medical School in Dominican Republic and other countries – one student currently in school

Partnership with Rehabilitation Technicians Training Program in Port au Prince (Loma Linda University in Washington State) - 2 students starting this year; affiliations with Pignon Hospital in the new Prosthetics Clinic and with hospital in general.

Agricultural Training Program

8 students enrolled Meet twice a week with Angelot, the

Program Instructor Work on training garden Working on gardens on their respective

properties Learning new concepts such as drip

irrigation, composting, natural pesticides, etc.

Potential for further agronomytraining

Certificate of completionafter 1 year

Sewing Education Program

12 students enrolled Meet twice a week with Abel, the

Program Instructor Work with 6 treadle machines in

rented store front location Learning tailoring and sewing skills Working on business development

training Exploring the possiblity of making

choir robes to sell regionally Certificate of Completion after one

year

Other THEA Initiatives

THEA run by Board of Directors of 14 members – monthly board meetings Pay salaries of Diony, Angelot, Abel and facilitate communication and

collaboration with them. Currently paying for 42 children to attend primary and secondary school Supporting one student in Medical School in Dominican Republic Have two students who will attend a new Rehabilitation Technician Training

Program in Port au Prince Have new relationship with Hospital in Pignon – Medical Education

Volunteer Program and affiliation site for RTTP students Fundraising – manage website The hope is that students enrolled in the 3 tiers of educational programs in

LaVictoire will be inspired and enabled to attend further education in these fields (This is the first class of students)

Open to the direction of the Spirit to further the mission and objectives of the organization in LaVictoire, Haiti

Church in LaVictoire

Meet in tentApproximately 65 membersMeet on Sunday mornings for

worshipMeet for mens’ and womens’

Bible studies during weekHave mens’ leadership

committeeCollectively care for 22 orphans –

providing for physical, emotional and spiritual development

Have a womens’ choir

Diony Etienne

Preacher for the church and Field Director for THEAAttended ACU Preaching School in Port au PrinceCoordinates all of THEA’s educational programsResponsible for 22 orphans along with his family

and the churchSupports his mother, father and 3 brothersEngaged to be married this summerCoordinating the building of new home for orphans

and relocating tent church to family land

Possibilities for a Western Hills Partnership with THEA

Great need – physical poverty/spiritual wealth, educational deficit/ hungry for God and for knowledge,

Close proximity to US – affordable flights from Austin, Dallas Great way to plug short term teams consistently into a long term, sustainable

mission effort in one location over a period of time Short term opportunities: Support the three educational tiers of this organization

(medical, agricultural, sewing), work with the orphans (VBS type activities), work with the church to promote local, culturally relevant evangelism.

Opportunity for every member of Western Hills to be a missionary – unified with a collective effort.◦ Provide water filters - $58 each◦ Monthly sponsorship for children to attend school - $12/month - $144/year◦ Fundraising opportunities year round◦ Sponsor medical care insurance plan (Five Loaves) through Promise for Haiti

organization - $200/year per person with family cap of $1000/year (see handout) Contributing financially to THEA to add this as benefit for THEA employees

Luke 10:2

“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”