Please take time to watch this awesome video from the Colee family that summarizes our recent trip to Haiti.

Recently, another team from FBC Montgomery had the blessing of visiting with Tommy and Joy and the children of Children's Hope in Jacmel.  Patty Roper led the team comprised of Linda Stripling, Matt Bishop, Carolyn Bryan and Clark Rankin.  Thanks to this team for sharing the love of Christ.
While they were in Jacmel, they had the privilege of attending a graduation ceremony for seven of our children who graduated from preschool.  We had special white dresses made for the girls and they got new shoes and hair bows.  The boys were dressed in white shirts with little bow ties.  While the ceremony lasted just under three hours and the torrential rain was causing leaks in the roof, I think the team truly felt it was a blessing to be there.  Please see pics below of the graduation and the team.

Patty and Matt

Graduation

Geralda and Joy

Alexis

Christine saying a poem she had learned

Kids sharing with the others after the ceremony

Alexis and Matt

Our graduates:  Geralda, Nicole, Christine, Lovenson, Christella, Danaika, Alexis

Carolyn sharing with the ladies at Pastor Paul's church

Matt and Clark sharing with the men at Pastor Paul's church

Linda and Daphne

As I mentioned in the email, Children's Hope is humbled to be the recipient of the Race for Hope in honor of Cole Ellis' extraordinary life!  The goal is to raise funds for a home for orphaned young boys in Jacmel, Haiti.  Haiti has a very high number of orphaned children and God has called Children's Hope to provide homes for a total of 20 children to date.   We have plans to expand in order to offer a safe, healthy and nurturing home for more children.  One of these homes will be known as Cole's House which will house up to 10 boys.  Please click on the link below and register for the race.

www.about-time-events.com


Children's Hope was also honored recently to be the recipient of the Glenn Gordy Memorial Fund.  Money was raised at a special dinner provided by chefs Anita and Dan Hughes from Louisiana in memory of Glenn Gordy.  Glenn's wife, Janet, chose CH to be this year's recipient, and we are so grateful.  The dinner was a night of wonderful fellowship and incredible food.  From the tapas to the best key lime pie ever (oh and there were the lemon cookies and cheese and grits), Anita and Dan had our taste buds dancing!  Our thanks to Janet and her children for sharing our passion in caring for orphans.

Chefs Anita and Dan Hughes

Cedar Planked Salmon

Manhattan Steak Flambe'

Pictures!

Marthe McMinn with Edrick (translator) - Martha is an RN who has been to Jacmel several times and is instrumental in helping to provide meds/supplies for the medical clinic.  All but the last picture in this blog post are from Martha.

Samuel, James (a translator from a local orphanage who is an outstanding young man) and Edrick.  Edrick's love for others is so apparent as well as his love for the Lord.

Kitchen at Children's Hope.  There are two new stoves to the right - beats cooking over and open fire any day!

Joy giving out daily Juice Plus to the kids.  Juice Plus is being supplied by caring folks  at no charge who care about orphans and believe Juice Plus can make a big difference in their development.  The people who supply the JP are from other various churches in different states who have contacted John Bush.  It is truly amazing to watch the extent to which God goes to take care of these children!

Junior (the best tap tap driver ever), Joy and Samuel

Girls' bathroom at Children's Hope

Showers at Children's Hope

Sam (Samuel's brother) walking a patient from the medical clinic home

The musical side of Charley Elgin - who would have known!  He is a man of many talents.

Volunteers in the medical clinic

Medical clinic right next to Children's Hope that Martie and Charley Elgin have established.

Medical volunteer sharing information while Edrick translates

Patrick O'Connor welcoming the Decatur FBC team

Important News!

As many of you know, God has grown Children's Hope beyond our imaginations!  Ephesians 3:20 quickly comes to mind.  As we look at expanding the capacity for the number of children in Jacmel and the continued interest in mission teams going down, it is very obvious that each of these areas will need a full-time couple to direct them.  Therefore, Tommy and Joy will be working full-time in hosting mission teams and Martie and Charley Elgin will direct the children's home.  The plan is to have their (Martie and Charley) home completed by the end of summer which will allow them to move out of the Alabama House to Children's Hope.  We also plan to have two of the homes for children completed which include Cole's House and Shelby's House.

Our partnership with the AL State Board of Mission will end Dec. 31 of this year, but they have the Alabama House rented through June 1, 2013.    Tommy and Joy will remain at the AH until June 2013 and then move on site to Children's Hope and host mission teams there.  Children's Hope will facilitate mission teams from other AL churches beginning Jan. 1, 2013 as well as those from our own church.

Children's Hope went to Jacmel to provide a home for 16 children, but the Lord has clearly opened doors for us to partner with a medical clinic, church schools, pastors, and other ministries.  God has used the many mission teams that have traveled down to open these doors and to keep them open.  We want to continue this work through the mission teams.  By the way, we are so grateful to all of the teams that have served in Jacmel since the earthquake, especially those that ministered to our children and local churches.  We are also deeply appreciative of the AL State Board of Mission for helping Children's Hope get established in Jacmel.  Mel Johnson, Reggie Quimby, Scotty Goldman, Barbara Owen and others have all been such a blessing.  We are constantly amazed at how God uses His children to work together - how He brings people from all different backgrounds and skills to achieve His purpose.

I would like to thank all of you signed up to provide meals for Brad and Kelley Phelps and their girls.  Things are going well with their foster child but they will always need your prayers and support, because foster parenting is never easy!

Many of you have asked about Trent and Heather Beck and their daughter, Sellenn.  They are doing well but still adjusting.  It usually takes a good 6 months to a year to adjust so keep those prayers coming!  I have included some pictures below:

What kid doesn't like playing with water!

Sellenn with her dad

Sellenn with mom, Heather

Sellenn and Heather at the zoo