Unfortunately, however, things in Haiti have gone down hill and they have done so rapidly. Gangs have broken into prisons and released upwards of 5000 criminals back into the streets.
We have had a friend have to evacuate his orphanage to try and keep his kids safe.
Gangs have taken over the Port Au Prince airport, an area that was safe until now.
The Prime Minister was in Kenya trying to revive the deal to bring Kenyan police in to help the situation and now things are so dangerous that he cannot even enter his own country.
The truth is, much of the renewed gang activity is a result of people wanting the Prime Minister to step down, or at least to plan elections some time in the near future.
I will stop there because I do not want to get into all of the reasons things are happening, it is too complicated and not really even worth trying. The point of this blog is something different...
We are asking for prayer!
Pure and simple. Things are hard right now, and I have no idea what the future holds for our kids or for Haiti. Even the past few days going from an incredible fundraiser where people stepped up to help our kids and employees to then being brought down by the new situation in Haiti.
Please do not get tired of praying for Haiti and our kids...We need people like you to step up in this way more than ever.
Here are a couple of news stories if you are interested in what is going on:
https://www.npr.org/2024/03/06/1236288645/haiti-crisis-prime-minister-henry-puerto-rico
https://www.foxnews.com/world/us-citizens-told-leave-haiti-after-jailbreak-state-emergency-issued
]]>
Our next live auction item is a $200 gift card to the Burlingame Restaurant and a 2-night stay at the Amelia Island Williams House Bed and Breakfast. Before we get into the description, here is how you can attend the event this coming Saturday at 6:00 pm at Deerwood Country Club:
- Tickets are $75/each: Purchase Them Here
- If you cannot attend on March 4: Donate to the event here
Amelia Island is a beautiful beach city just north of Jacksonville. The city is full of unique shops, great restaurants, and incredible resorts. The two items featured in this getaway are two of the best that Amelia Island has to offer.
Burlingame Restaurant. Burlingame Restaurant is one of the best and nicest in Amelia Island. It features "American food with a twist" and the chef is well known in the area. You will definitely want to make reservations!
Amelia Island Williams House. This elegant Bed and Breakfast is situated in the middle of a neighborhood full of Victorian Homes and has been awarded the distinction of Historical Landmark. The Williams House was an antebellum mansion owned and operated for more than 100 years by the same family. This Inn is beautiful inside and out.
We hope to see you all there on Saturday, and come ready to bid!
]]>This is a reminder of the biggest item we have ready to be auctioned off this coming weekend! The event is on March 2 at 6:00 pm at Deerwood Country Club and we hope that everyone reading this is planning on attending!
We have a 7-night stay in a stunning Lake House just outside of Birmingham, AL and your whole family can fit inside this one! Before describing the item, however, here are some ways you can be a part of this important event:
- Tickets are $75/each: Purchase Them Here
- If you cannot attend on March 4: Donate to the event here
- If you cannot attend and would like to bid on this item so you can enjoy a week on the lake, just let me (Matt) know before the event and we can set up a proxy bidder for you!
The Lewis Smith Lakehouse is absolutely stunning. We are going to attach a lot of pictures to the Facebook page, or you can view them by clicking here for the VRBO page. This auction is for a 7-night stay at this house right on the water.
The bidding starts at $5,000, and for 7 nights, that is a steal. There are 17 beds, 7 baths, and beautiful outside seating all around this house overlooking Lewis Smith Lake. I could try to describe it to you, but only the pictures really do it justice.
This house is perfect for family getaways, large groups, or even retreats...It would be perfect for parents/grandparents that want to take their whole family on vacation for a week!
]]>The All Things New Dinner Celebration and Fundraiser is coming up on Saturday March 2, so now is a great time to purchase your tickets! The event will take place at Deerwood Country Club at 6:00 and it is going to be a blast. If you need to purchase tickets Click Here and purchase as many as you need. If you cannot make the event on Friday but would like to give towards the event anyway...Click Here.
This Live Auction item is called "My Mountain Paradise" and is a 3-story cabin in North Georgia with a screened porch, 2 bedrooms/2.5 baths, a hot-tub, pool table, and it sleeps 5 comfortably. To learn more about the cabin and see all of the great pictures, follow the link below:
This cabin has been donated every year that I remember ATN having an event, and a special thanks goes to Scott and Rachel Boos for always being willing to give up a week! You will work with them to schedule your stay. You will also have to outbid a couple of people who have won this item in the past and seem to enjoy bidding on it yearly, so come prepared.
This cabin is convenient to Blue Ridge, GA, but it is also secluded enough to give you the chance to sit back and relax in quiet and solitude. It is perfect for a romantic getaway or a trip with the family.
]]>So far we have 9 Gold/Silver/Bronze sponsors for the event along with our Title Sponsor: Bradford Real Estate Network. We are hoping to have at least 15 event sponsors this year, so that means we are only about 5 away!
Our sponsorship levels this year are Gold ($2,000), Silver ($1,000) and Bronze ($750) with a description of each level of sponsorship at the bottom of this email. Every level includes a table of 8 guests that we are hoping you will fill with people that you can introduce to our ministry!
If you were a Table Host last year, the Bronze Sponsorship is the way to go, and check out the details to see what that looks like.
If you want your church to be a part of this event, contact your pastor/administrator and ask them to join as a sponsor. It is the perfect way to learn more about our ministry and get your church involved!
If you own a business and want all of our attendees to know who you are and what you do, any level of sponsorship will include some advertisement on social media and the night of the event!
The bottom line...This is a great way to support All Things New, and just a couple of additional sponsorships would make a huge different on the night of the event!
]]>If you have changed the email address connected to your giving or if we have multiple entries in our database for your name, a receipt could go to an old email address without us knowing!
The other thing to know is that our fundraiser is coming up in just over a month!
If you are planning on going, the easiest way to purchase a ticket is by simply clicking here. Tickets are $75/each so just follow the link and purchase the number of tickets you need there.
If you were a table sponsor last year, we are changing our sponsorship up a little this year, but we would still love to have you sponsor a table again. Just Click Here and choose the Bronze Sponsorship Level.
We are having Gold, Silver, and Bronze Sponsorship levels for $750, $1000, and $2000. Click Here to become a sponsor, and Click Here to Learn what each level of sponsorship entails.
Finally, if you cannot make the event but would like to give to the ministry of All Things New, just Click Here and give to the kids and employees of ATN.
]]>As far as a look back to 2023 goes, the news is difficult to digest. Things in Haiti did not get better, and with the lack of supplies getting out of Port Au Prince and to the rest of the country, the prices of almost everything in the country have skyrocketed.
The combination of higher prices, gang activity, and political instability have made Haiti one of the most difficult places in the world to live.
Looking back, it is amazing what ATN has been able to do for our kids and for our employees, and it is all because of your prayers and your support. Here are some highlights:
- Yolmenda and Herbison graduated. They are both currently attending local universities for nursing and business today.
- Our kids moved into a different, nicer house that they love.
- We have been able to keep all of our employees over the past couple of years even with the inflation that the country has experienced.
- Not one of our 30 employees missed a paycheck in 2023.
- All of our kids are in school and each of them passed to their new grade last year.
There are many other highlights, but these are some of the big ones. One thing that I cannot stress enough is that we could not do any of these things without you.
The truth is, we cannot wait to see what 2024 holds, and we are praying even harder that we will be able to get back down to Haiti and see our kids. Please join us in praying for that small step in what we hope is a move back to normal for the entire country in 2024.
]]>Click Here to Give To Our End Of Year Campaign.
It's not exactly a campaign, but December 31 is by far the largest giving day of the year for nonprofits (considerably higher than Giving Tuesday) and the second highest giving day is, you probably guessed it, December 30. With that being true, we wanted to make sure to give everyone ample opportunity to give to All Things New at the end of 2023.
With the year coming to an end, I wanted to say thank you to everyone who is still reading this email/blog!
It has been a hard year. We have not taken a team down to Haiti because of safety reasons for almost 5 years now, and I have not really been back down for a couple of years either.
Our kids are still going to school and are being very well taken care of, but the state of their country is not lost on them. Think about the lack of hope and the struggle they must face when thinking about their future.
Our supporters are constantly reminded about how difficult Haiti is, how things are not getting better, and how slow changes will have to happen when they do. It is easier to give and support a ministry when things are going well and there are tangible goals and accomplishments being met.
It is hard when Haiti is like it is and there is little hope for near and certain change. I am blown away by your support and your commitment to our kids and to this ministry. We couldn't operate and care for our kids without you, and as hard as it has been you continue to support and pray for us.
Thank you for not turning your back on our kids and this ministry when they need you the most. It means more than you will ever know.
]]>
Anyway...Save the Date for March 2, 2024 at Deerwood Country Club!
This is the date and site of our next fundraiser/dinner/celebration of All Things New! This event is always incredibly fun and extremely important for our ministry.
This year's event will be a little different and will include a few silent auction items as well as our normal big live auction items.
Also, I would encourage everyone reading this to think about All Things New in your Year-End Giving for 2023.
While Giving Tuesday is one of the largest online giving days for nonprofits in America, December 31 is still by far the biggest giving day of the year followed in second place by December 30. In fact, the last week of December is the time of the year when, by a long margin, the most nonprofit donations are processed in America.
With that said...Help us to end 2023 as well as a year like 2023 (at least in Haiti) could be ended! Use the "Donate" button on the top of this email, Click Here, or send a check to "PO Box 54838 Jacksonville, FL 32277."
]]>I remember Christmas there with as being a much simpler and less hectic time. The kids got out of school for the better part of a month, and there are always celebrations. I remember when our kids got old enough, they would spend the night at the church we attended on Christmas Day night and worship and sing for hours.
We would always be blessed to have Christmas gifts for the kids. One year we had stockings donated by a church, another year by an ATN Club at a local school that was run by a student and his mom. We always had gifts donated by sponsors and churches would usually pitch in for other things.
I even went back and searched the "Christmas in Haiti" blogs, and there are a lot of them. One of them was the year that Zeke came home with us and spent Christmas in America when he was just 7 months old.
My point in this blog is not really just to remember Christmas in Haiti though it was really fun. My point is how disconnected we can sometimes feel from our kids and our ministry down there...If we feel disconnected I know that many of you do as well, and probably to an even greater degree.
I can get caught up in life here, and even when I talk with Gina or Lener or even with the kids, it is not the same as it used to be. We have been here for a long time and they have been there without us for a long time.
Right now, however, as difficult as it can be to try to remember something that you can no longer have (ie being in Haiti), it is important to do so. It has been important for me to remember what it was like spending December with the kids. To see their faces when they opened their gifts. To eat the Christmas feast with them and then to not eat the pumpkin soup that you are supposed to eat on New Years Day but only because I don't really like pumpkin soup and it is too hot to eat it anyway.
Join me in remembering. If you have been down there, remember what it was like. If you have not, remember the connection you felt when you sent your kid shoes or gifts or pictures or anything else. Let's do our best this Christmas not lose the connection we enjoy with the kids we love in Haiti.
]]>On December 14 from 1:00 - 3:00 pm at the Kendra Scott Jewelry Store at the St Johns Towncenter (4812 River City Dr #107, Jacksonville, FL 32246), for every purchase that you make, 20% will go to All Things New!
]]>This is a great opportunity to help All Things New while also purchasing something memorable and beautiful for your loved ones.
If you cannot shop at the store on December 14, don't worry. Here are the details to do some online shopping while helping ATN:
"For those who cannot come to the store on December 14, from 1-3, anyone can shop online using the code GIVEBACK-FNDOS."
The Online shopping code is valid December 14 & 15. ATN will receive 20% of ALL purchases made in-store on the 14th and online, using the code, on December 14-15.
We will be updating you more on this as the time draws near, but we are just 10 days away from the Kendra Scott shopping day!
This is such a wonderful opportunity and we want to thank the management of Kendra Scott at the Town Center for making this happen!
*FYI: We will be updating about the final total for Giving Tuesday soon as well, we just wanted to get this opportunity in front of you as soon as possible.
]]>We outlined in a previous blog why this Giving Tuesday is so important for All Things New, so in today's blog we are just going to give you directions on how to give or how to start your own Facebook Fundraiser. Don't forget to Share, Share, and Share your Facebook Fundraiser with your friends and on your page starting today and tomorrow!
Remember, starting your own fundraiser gives you the chance to give to our organization while also offering your friends and family an easy way to give as well. Please consider helping us in this way!
Here are the ways to take part in Giving Tuesday:
1. Give! This is the obvious answer, but it is incredibly important for us this year as expenses continue to mount and donations continue to drop. Whether you give through Facebook, on our website through our donation processor Kindful, through PayPal, or by sending a check (PO Box 54838, Jacksonville, FL 32245), we want to make this Giving Tuesday our best yet!
2. Create a Facebook Fundraiser!
- Click this link: https://www.facebook.com/fund/allthingsneworphanage/
- Follow the instructions on the left side of the page by setting a reasonable goal and letting people know about All Things New.
- Make sure that the fundraiser is active through at least November 29 (the day after)!
- Click "create" at the bottom of the page.
- This is Important: Click the "Share" button and make sure you let all of your friends and family know about Giving Tuesday. Share as often as you want, but especially on Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th...Invite your friends to participate in the fundraiser!
- All Things New has added 2 new girls to our ministry along with another student who we are trying to help as she stays home with her parents.
- We have had 2 high school graduates! What an incredible accomplishment.
- Our kids have eaten consistent meals and snacks throughout the entire year.
- We have maintained around 30 employees, and their jobs are able to help provide food and schooling for hundreds of friends and family members.
At the same time:
- We have not been able to bring a team down since 2019 because of the unrest in the country.
- The costs of staple goods and supplies has experienced inflation at a rate in Haiti that is so much higher than what has happened here that it is difficult to explain.
- The unrest in Haiti has changed so much in Haiti, and All Things New is one of those things. The plans that we had to try and help our kids to thrive and give our kids a future have been put on hold.
- All of these things have combined to make this one of the toughest financial years in our history.
The bottom line is that we are hoping that everyone who reads our blogs and emails will join us this Giving Tuesday to help make it one of the best ever. Last week we mentioned a couple of ways you could join us, and here they are:
Here are the ways you can help All Things New on Giving Tuesday:
1. Give! This is the obvious answer, but it is incredibly important for us this year as expenses continue to mount and donations continue to drop. Whether you give through Facebook, on our website through our donation processor Kindful, through PayPal, or by sending a check (PO Box 54838, Jacksonville, FL 32245), we want to make this Giving Tuesday our best yet!
2. Create a Facebook Fundraiser! Even without the matching funds, this is one of the best ways to help us raise money and to bring awareness to our organization. If you create a fundraiser and then share it, more people learn about ATN and have the opportunity to give. If you are planning on giving, doing so on your Facebook fundraiser is also a way to be the example for your friends/family and maybe they will follow suit. To create a fundraiser, follow these steps:
- Click this link: https://www.facebook.com/fund/allthingsneworphanage/
- Follow the instructions on the left side of the page by setting a reasonable goal and letting people know about All Things New.
- Make sure that the fundraiser is active through at least November 29 (the day after)!
- Click "create" at the bottom of the page.
- This is Important: Click the "Share" button and make sure you let all of your friends and family know about Giving Tuesday. Share as often as you want, but especially on Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th...Invite your friends to participate in the fundraiser!
1. Give
2. Create a Facebook Fundraiser
]]>This year, it does not look like Facebook is matching donations, but that is ok! Statistics show that people are 84% more likely to give if their donation is matched and 51% of those who are already giving would give more to a matching donation.
In the past, Facebook has matched funds up to $7 million per year for nonprofits, and we have been the beneficiary of some of those matches as well as the benefits of more people donating because their funds are matched. This year, rather than donating to nonprofits, Facebook is making it easier for influencers to gain subscriptions and make money.
What that means is that we need your help even more!
Here are the ways you can help All Things New on Giving Tuesday:
1. Give! This is the obvious answer, but it is incredibly important for us this year as expenses continue to mount and donations continue to drop. Whether you give through Facebook, on our website through our donation processor Kindful, through PayPal, or by sending a check (PO Box 54838, Jacksonville, FL 32245), we want to make this Giving Tuesday our best yet!
2. Create a Facebook Fundraiser! Even without the matching funds, this is one of the best ways to help us raise money and to bring awareness to our organization. If you create a fundraiser and then share it, more people learn about ATN and have the opportunity to give. If you are planning on giving, doing so on your Facebook fundraiser is also a way to be the example for your friends/family and maybe they will follow suit. To create a fundraiser, follow these steps:
- Click this link: https://www.facebook.com/fund/allthingsneworphanage/
- Follow the instructions on the left side of the page by setting a reasonable goal and letting people know about All Things New.
- Make sure that the fundraiser is active through at least November 29 (the day after)!
- Click "create" at the bottom of the page.
- This is Important: Click the "Share" button and make sure you let all of your friends and family know about Giving Tuesday. Share as often as you want, but especially on Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th...Invite your friends to participate in the fundraiser!
The bottom line is that this is an important day for All Things New, and we hope you will join us in making it one of our best!
Thanks in advance, and please let me know if you have any questions.
In a vacuum, that statement is 100% correct. In a world full of countries where families can barely take care of themselves and many have neither the desire nor the capacity to add children to their household, that goal is still far off. That type of care is far-fetched for the large majority of children (especially older children) in third-world countries.
The reason that I am starting out the blog this way is because older children are more of a challenge. They get adopted less frequently, they bring a unique set of challenges, and in all honesty they are really really hard and generally less cute than younger kids.
Think about older kids as they get to age 15, 16, 17, 18, and more. How scared must they be to enter the world of adulthood without a family backing them up? How many times have I, in the past 25 years, called my Mom and Dad and for help? How often have I asked my sisters for advice, stayed with my Aunt for a week to take some classes, or spent time with my grandparents knowing they would do anything for me.
What about the older kids who are never adopted? The ones who never know the love and protection of a family. The kids who are left to fend for themselves and enter the difficulties and uncertainties of a world without a safety net to fall back on and help to call whenever it is needed.
Christians, that same uncertainty exists today for our friends/family who do not know the love of Jesus Christ.
- How lost would you be if you did not have the Holy Spirit living inside of you? The GOD of the universe who is leading you and guiding you while also giving you peace and protection.
- How scared would you be if you had to face the thought of death as the "final sting" before entering into what you believe to be an eternal darkness where everything just stops? Instead of knowing that death is a welcomed transition into an eternity spent with a loving GOD who every single day for the rest of forever will show you a new and incredible part of Himself. Spending eternity with Jesus.
- How dreadful would it be to wake up every single day knowing that you had to face the world in your own strength? That you had to use your own knowledge and wisdom to tackle the complexities of this world? Instead you have the wisdom of GOD who gives generously to all of us who ask.
- How dark would today be if, when you woke up, you did not know that you could talk to GOD whenever you wanted?
- How sad would it be to never be fully known and fully loved? Your husband/wife can never fully know you because they cannot read your thoughts. Your mom and dad can never fully love you no matter how great they are. GOD knows you completely. He knows every thought you have ever had and every action you have ever done, and guess what...
He does you so much, He wants to adopt you anyway!
It doesn't matter how old you are, how bad you are, how set in your ways you are, or even how evil the depths of your heart can seem. GOD already loves you. If you have been adopted as a son/daughter by Him then you know. You know the peace, joy, comfort, protection, and ultimately love that He offers.
If you have not experienced that adoption, please stop reading right now and find someone who knows what it means to be a child of GOD. The most important thing you can ever know about Orphan Sunday is that you have a GOD who wants you to be His child.
]]>Before I continue, I want to stop and ask everyone to consider joining us in making this year's "Giving Thursday" the best we have ever had. The financial difficulties in Haiti and our inability to get down there with teams have made our financial position more precarious than it has been in a while and we need your help! I will give more options as it grows closer but I wanted to put it out there now...Back to the blog...
One of the purposes of this series of blogs is to make us think about the incredible things that happen when we say "yes" to GOD no matter what. I mentioned in our last blog that I almost gave a resounding "no" to the idea of moving to Haiti. If I had, and refused to even pray about moving there, we would have never met Ezekyal.
One of the more common things we hear when strangers or acquaintances see our family is how lucky our children are. To an extent that is true. Here are some things that have happened in Zeke's life that may not have gone well had he been in Haiti:
- Ezekyal's PCP used an iPhone app to catch an astigmatism that required him to wear glasses starting a couple of years ago. Had it not been caught early, it could have affected his vision for the rest of his life.
- Ezekyal had hernia surgery to repair multiple hernias that could have been much worse if not treated quickly, and in Haiti there is a good chance it would have not been treated quickly.
Of course there are many more things in all 3 of our kids' lives that would have been different had they never become our children. But that is not even close to the whole story.
If we had never moved to Haiti and met Ezekyal, our family would not be right. His humor and intelligence would be a gaping hole in the Bush family. His passion and love of life would be things that we would not even know we desperately needed.
If Sophie did not have Ezekyal, she would not know what it means to protect someone who needs her. She would have missed reading to him and hugging him when he gets hurt.
If Elijah did not have Ezekyal, I do not know where he would be. They are so close to each other and play together so much it is unbelievable. When you ask them who they played with on the playground at school, the answer is always "each other." They wrestle constantly and fight often, but they love each other fiercely.
If Jess and I did not have Ezekyal, we would be missing a part of who we are. We would not be the parents and people that we are. Ezekyal is ours and we are his and GOD knew that. I sometimes wonder "What If" we had said no to Haiti.
I do not want it sound like I am bragging about saying "yes," because hopefully you read the previous blog where I really wanted to say no.
My point is I want everyone who reads this blog to ask yourself, "What am I saying 'no' to GOD about right now that could change everything about my life?"
Sometimes, it is not even saying "no," it can also be just not listening and just living life like we have always lived. We may not be saying "no" to GOD because we are not really saying anything to Him. My challenge to all of us, including myself, is to pray, listen, and be ready to say "yes" no matter what the question is...
]]>If it were up to me back in the summer of 2012, All Things New would not have existed. I had been the Associate Pastor of RiverTown Church for a few years at that point, and I was very excited about the idea of updating my resume and becoming the senior pastor of a church. I had not really told anyone yet other than Jess what I was thinking, but I had been praying about it for a while at that point. At the end of July, I had just finished up my resume and I was ready to send it out...
GOD had other plans.
Jessica came to me about the same time that I had finished my resume and told me something that I did not expect. She told me that she really thought GOD was leading us to move to Haiti. If I am being honest, I kind of laughed it off and almost immediately said no. I was so excited about becoming a pastor, and honestly the thought of Haiti was not even moderately appealing. Where would we live? How would we raise money? What would we eat? What would we do with our house, cars, phone, etc.? How do you start a nonprofit? How do you build a website?
I knew what it looked like to pastor a church, but I had no idea how to move to Haiti, start a nonprofit, run an orphanage, and manage a business. On paper, it was the easiest decision in the world...we should not move to Haiti.
I told Jess I would pray about it and we actually came up with a plan to pray about it separately for a while, pray about it together for a longer while, and then make the decision. After praying about it separately, however, I came back to Jess and said, "I think you're right, GOD is clearly telling us to move to Haiti."
What If?
What if we had not prayed and just made the easy decision? What if we never moved to Haiti? What if you guys had never partnered with us to change the lives of so many kids and families in Gressier, Haiti?
Moving to Haiti was the hardest decision we ever had to make and the actual process of making it happen was equally difficult. It also made Jess and I stronger. It opened our eyes to plight of children all over the world. It allowed us to make friends and meet supporters that have also hopefully had their lives changed. We adopted all 3 of our children during our time in Haiti. Our youngest son, Ezekyal, is Haitian and was born right down the street from our house there.
It changed the lives of 30 kids so dramatically that the actual difference in their lives could never be quantified. It has protected and helped hundreds of employees and their family members throughout one of the most difficult times in the history of that embattled nation.
It is not normally healthy to play the "What If" game, but in this case it is alright because we (and I mean the collective "we") are actually doing it. Over the next few days, you will receive a few additional emails/blogs as we look into the "what if" question for a few different ATN related topics.
]]>Orphan Sunday is Nov. 12 this year, and All Things New is hoping that everyone who reads this gets involved!
I (Matt) want to tell you a story of something that happened recently in our home:
A few nights ago, I was writing an article when I heard my son Ezekyal start to cry and call for me. It was a really sad cry and he was clearly either scared or sad. He had been asleep for about 4 hours and all of a sudden he just very loudly cried out "Daddy!"
As soon as I heard him cry, I went back to the room as quickly as possible to see what was wrong. I put my head close to his and asked him if he was ok. When he said no, I scooted him over a little bit and I laid down with him while he gathered himself and stopped crying. I put my hand on his head and I made sure he felt safe and protected.
When he calmed down and after a few minutes passed, I kissed him on the head, asked him if he was ok, and told him to go back to sleep...He did.
The Point: We all need a Father, a Daddy who we can call on and, as soon as He hears our voice, He is right there. He is ready to protect us and comfort us and make us feel ok no matter what we are going through.
Ezekyal knows that when he needs me and he calls me, I will drop everything else and be there for him...Immediately. I cannot always make the hurt stop or the sadness go away, but I can be there for him whenever it comes up.
That is what it means to be the son of a father who loves you.
Every person reading this right now either is a son/daughter of a Father like that or has the immediate option to be one. Not just a Father who is there, but a daddy who loves you. GOD is not only that type of Father and Daddy, but He is that type of Father perfectly and 100% of the time, something far better than any dad on earth.
The Second Point: There are millions of children in the world just like Ezekyal who cry, and nobody ever comes. Who need protection and help and nobody ever wraps their arms around them. Who cry out in the night, and nobody scoots them over in their bed lies down next to them, and tells them everything is ok.
That is not ok, that should break our hearts, and knowing that a world like that exists where kids do not have parents should change us. Knowing that there are millions of kids who go to bed without the love of a mom or dad should make us do whatever we can to help. Especially because everyone reading this knows around 30 kids (the kids at ATN) who used to be in this very same position.
Orphan Sunday exists to bring attention to those two ideas:
1. That there is a Father, a Daddy, who loves you perfectly and is always, no matter what, there to protect you.
2. That there are children who need you to be the physical representation of that type of Father and Daddy in this world right now.
Orphan Sunday is just a little over 2 weeks away. I would greatly encourage you to participate and help to bring that message to people all over the world. Here are some ways you can do that:
- Get your church to bring awareness of the orphan problem in the world that Sunday. Show a video, discuss it from the pulpit, bring in a guest speaker, or highlight an organization like All Things New that exists to help children across the world.
- Give to an organization that is taking on the problem and trying to be there for kids who need parents to love them. If you choose All Things New, there is even a donate button at the top of this email or you can click here.
- Consider and pursue the idea of adoption, foster care, or some other work with children who need the love of a mom and dad. There are resources in every city that could help you get started.
]]>With school starting comes at least some sense of normalcy for the kids. We have quite a few in high school and they are at the school for most of the day each day and then studying quite a bit when they are home. Between going to school and going to church our kids have a lot of their time filled up and many of them will do some sort of extracurricular like soccer as well.
I get to speak with some of our employees regularly too, and there is quite a difference in how they are feeling and how our kids are. There is still a sense of fear and hopelessness in their descriptions of their country that is difficult to hear. We keep hoping something will happen, but nothing does and nobody comes.
I ask them what they think needs to happen for change to occur and nobody even has an answer anymore.
The good thing is, at least for now, most of the kids do not have that same sense of hopelessness and fear. Some of our older kids probably do, but they would not necessarily express that to us right now.
I do want to close by saying one thing to everyone who is still reading this. You guys have changed the lives of so many people that it is hard to describe.
Our kids, of course, are different because of you. The fact that they are attending school, on pace to graduate, get to go to church every week, and eat 3 meals per day plus snacks is just amazing. Nobody in rural Haiti gets to do those things, but our kids do.
The more I talk to our employees, the more I can see what your support has done for them and their families and their extended families. For many of them, they are the only people in their whole family or even their entire street/neighborhood that have jobs and make enough money to eat. They are able to provide food for their entire family and in many cases extended family and friends.
It is an amazing thing to think that people like you in Jacksonville, LaGrange, Ohio, Tennessee, and other places around America are providing jobs for adults and care for children in a country that is struggling like Haiti is. Thank you for all that you do!
On a Side Note: Remember All Things New for Giving Tuesday this year! This will be one of the most important fundraising events we have had in a long time. Since COVID, prices in Haiti have increased much more dramatically than they have here and we have not been able to get one of our fundraisers back on track in the past few years. The bottom line...Let's make this year's Giving Tuesday the best yet!
]]>As things continue to be difficult in Haiti, something keeps coming to my mind. A question that has seemingly been asked of me and by me numerous times in just the last few weeks. I think it is a question that many Christians struggle with, and I believe that the vast majority of us do not have to continue to struggle. The question is this:
What Does It Mean To Be Called By GOD?
Have you ever asked that before? There are so many intricacies and different ways to view and tackle this question that it can be difficult to even know where to start. As followers of Christ, we all want to know what GOD is calling us to do, but it can be so difficult to know how to hear and understand that calling. For some, it is even more difficult to follow it.
You have probably heard a pastor or a small group leader discuss this topic numerous times. They may have gone back to Abram being called by GOD, David's ordination as king, the call of the disciples, Paul being blinded, John 8:47, or any other verse having to do with hearing GOD or being called by Him.
I both think and fear that the answer to this question is much simpler than we know. I think it because it seems almost obvious, but I fear it because if what I think is true then we are missing far more than hearing the call of GOD...We are missing a relationship with GOD. Let me explain...
1. GOD is absolutely calling us to something/someone every single day of our lives. So many of us think there is some kind of quest that we have to go on to figure out what GOD wants us to do. Excuse me for saying this, but that is absolutely ridiculous. GOD does call us and prepare us to do great things and sometimes that takes a huge amount of time and preparation. But if you put your life on hold waiting for that, you just might waste your whole life and never do anything for GOD and His Kingdom. Figure out what GOD is calling you to today, and I can almost promise you it is a log greater than what you may think.
2. We need to pray, but we need to use prayer as a weapon and a lifestyle and stop using prayer as an excuse. Stop saying things like "I will pray about it" to things that you should just say "yes" to. In fact, if someone asks you to do something that GOD would do (ie. share your faith, tithe, adopt, open up your home to foster children no matter your age, go on a mission trip, be a missionary, help someone, etc.) assume that the answer is yes. Our default is "I will pray about that" knowing full well that we are not going to pray, and knowing full well that we have already decided that we are too busy or too poor or too unequipped.
3. The Bible is GOD's Word, it is also His calling on our life. Do the things that the Bible tell us to do. Do not pick and choose what you want to do. Do it all.
- Does the Bible tell you to take care of orphans? Then Do it!
- Does the Bible tell you to give of your money? Then Do It!
- Does the Bible tell you to share your faith with others? Then Do It!
The simplicity of what it means to be called by GOD is that it is crystal clear what He is calling us to do. If a 3rd grader sat down right now and read the New Testament, they could tell us what GOD is calling us to do. It is that simple.
The difficulty of what it means to be called by GOD is that you have to give up everything else, change everything about your life that is not of Him, live differently than your friends and family, and make GOD what truly matters.
The bottom line is, let's stop pretending like we don't know what GOD wants us to do. Let's call it what it is...We know exactly what it means to be called by GOD, we are just too busy with things that absolutely do not matter at all to be consumed by the one thing that does.
]]>Every country has and does go through unimaginable crises at some point. Some of the most memorable for me are 9/11 in the US, the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, hunger in Ethiopia and Somalia, and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
The way a country bounces back from tragedy is one of the things that defines it.
As I sat and thought about where I was on 9/11 and was asked numerous questions by my kids about the attack, I was struck by a lot of different emotions. Admittedly, our kids do not give you a lot of time to sit with your thoughts, but I came back to it later.
I was sitting and watching the news in my apartment during my final semester at Georgia Tech. I had a 9:00 class so I was watching the news and the screen switched over to the first tower being hit. I got up and started heading to class assuming it was an accident. On the way to class, however, I found out it was not.
I remember the horror, the helplessness, and the feeling of almost pure hatred toward men who took it upon themselves to kill Americans for no reason. My mind went straight to, "should I join the military and do something?" In reality, it was just emotional and I did not know what to do. So I drove to my house in LaGrange.
Then, what seems like just hours later, something amazing, almost magical happened. That feeling of helplessness and anger turned into a sense of unity and love that was so different than anything I had experienced or have experienced since that it was almost confusing. Men and women across the entire country put aside their differences and became unified.
The way a country bounces back from a tragedy defines it.
There is a tragedy going on in Haiti right now that is not even remotely similar to anything America has ever faced. At some point, someone will step in and Haiti will begin to heal from the atrocities that are going on right now. How Haiti bounces back from this tragedy will define it...Again.
As Americans, here are two things we can pray:
1. Thank GOD that you were born into the privilege, development, and relative wealth of the United States. It truly is a wonderful country. The simple geographic location of where we were born could change almost everything about our life, and we (at least most people who are reading this) were born here. Ask GOD to help all of us stop fighting over silly, political things and to have civil discourse and unity. Even when we disagree, help us to fight for what we believe in with love, understanding, and a true desire to listen to others.
2. Ask GOD to help Haiti. Not just help in getting through what is maybe the nation's darkest hour, but also to put the country back together in the aftermath. People should not have to live the way that the vast majority of Haitians are currently living. Also thank GOD that we are still able to take care of our kids! It is such an incredible testimony to all of you that we can do that.
]]>"Given the current security situation and infrastructure challenges, U.S. citizens in Haiti should depart Haiti as soon as possible via commercial or private transport."
The alert mentioned above could mean a multitude of things, including (and probably most likely) nothing. It could mean absolutely nothing other than things are still dangerous in Haiti.
Of course the rumor mill in-country and with people who have ties to Haiti immediately started. People assumed either something big had just happened or something big was about to happen. On pages that I keep connected to, people began to assume that the Embassy was trying to evacuate Americans so they could send in troops.
Here are some recent articles from American news sources:
- The Hill
- Fox News
- CNN
The bottom line is this: Haiti is still very dangerous. It is dangerous for everyone there and especially those in and around Port Au Prince.
Haiti is very expensive. Things are infinitely more expensive now than they were, and especially staples that every Haitian needs. People are truly starving and as the chaos continues things will get worse for the average Haitian. Some people are saying that there is more hunger/starvation right now in Haiti than any other time in the past 100 years.
We need your help more than ever. Please continue to pray and continue to give, more now than ever. The news that I hinted at on our Facebook page is that there is another girl who needs ATN's help. We are going to begin providing her with clothes, school, and food while she continues to live at home, and her picture and name will be presented soon. The needs will continue to grow and we are doing our best to keep up!
]]>I kept waiting for the results of their exams, but they kept not coming, and then I was just too proud of them not to share their incredible accomplishment.
I cannot adequately express how incredible this is. So few people in Haiti get to graduate high school, and with the way the country has been struggling over the past few years that number is dwindling.
The fact that Yolmenda and Herbison graduated is a testimony to their hard work and perseverance, and it is also a testimony to each of you. A special thanks goes out to First Baptist Church of LaGrange who has committed a lot of resources to our kids' schooling over the years...Thank you!
You may be wondering...What's Next? Unfortunately, the next is a little more complicated right now. Herbison really wants to learn English and then go to America on the refugee program. Yolmenda wants to attend a college in Port Au Prince. Both of these ideas are great in theory, but with the way the country is right now neither are very realistic. To start with, they will probably attend a local vocational or English school until things calm down within the country.
But back to the positive...After all of these years, and all of the time, work, and resources we all (you guys, our kids, our employees) put into All Things New, 2 of our kids have graduated! What an accomplishment.
In the end, we know the greatest thing in our lives is the love that GOD has for us. The fact that Yolmenda and Herbison are followers of Jesus is the best thing that has happened to them. At the same time, these small graces that GOD blesses us with are huge, and the ability to graduate from high school for them is a great accomplishment.
I hope that when you read this you are as proud as we are, and as sad as we are that we cannot be there at the upcoming graduation parties. (Yes, there are 2 parties because they did not want to have a joint party and I don't really blame them)
Again, thank you so much for helping our 2 oldest get to this point in their lives. Just so you know, there is even more news coming in the next few days...So stay tuned!
]]>- Gang Wars
- A New Travel Advisory
- A Nurse From New Hampshire And Her Daughter Kidnapped
]]>- A New Travel Advisory
- A Nurse From New Hampshire And Her Daughter Kidnapped
I am afraid it is difficult to describe all that is going on in Haiti and how important All Things New has been to our community over the past few months and years thanks to your support. However, things are not getting better, they are getting worse!
Before I get too far ahead of myself, I do need to say a huge THANK YOU! In our recent blogs, we set a goal to raise $10,000 to cover our moving expenses...We raised more than $9,000. Thank you.
Also, please continue to pray because our landlord has already sent what he initially wants us to pay him for "repairs and other items" and it is crazier than I expected. Please be in prayer for the negotiation process, and click here if you missed the initial blog about what is going on with our move.
Back to the blog.
If you have been paying attention to the news, then you have seen three things recently:
1. There is a new travel advisory from the U.S. State Department, and it is still a Level 4 advisory. In addition to that advisory, the U.S. Embassy evacuated all "non-essential" personnel from the country.
2. An American nurse from New Hampshire and her child were kidnapped in Haiti. There is not much news out there about her, but she is a friend of one of our friends in Haiti and it is a difficult thing to see.
3. Kenya is preparing to possibly send 1,000 police officer into Haiti to help with the instability (but they will probably do like every other country and just consider it without ever doing it).
I was talking to a friend the other day, and I realized that it is almost impossible to adequately describe how dire the situation in Haiti is. No matter what I write or say, not only can I not convey it accurately, I cannot understand it accurately. It has just been so long since I have been there.
The news keeps saying that gangs in Haiti control "80% of Port Au Prince." That is a strange way of saying that the entire capital city is essentially experiencing lawlessness. Kidnappings are common, rape and murder occur daily, and the leaders of these Haitian gangs are running the country.
With the complicated political history between Haiti and other countries like the US, Canada, and France, no other country is getting involved no matter how much the situation devolves.
It is difficult to say that, even with the great things going on at ATN like the move and with our kids continuing to progress in school, things in Haiti are very bad and they are only getting worse.
Things like the kidnapping and the new travel advisory bring a little attention to the situation, and that is good. But please continue to pray with us and do not let Haiti, All Things New, or our kids leave your prayers! We are blessed to be on the southwest side of Port Au Prince, and we are thankful for that. At the same time, as people continue to grow more desperate, as prices rise, and as work becomes more and more inconsistent, desperate people will begin to do desperate things...They already are!
Thank you for praying, thank you for giving, and thank you for always asking how things are going there...Please don't stop. Also, just so you know, next week our blog will be a very exciting announcement and a first for ATN even after 10 years of existence so don't get discouraged and stay tuned to next week!
]]>- Initial Move-In Costs: $2,000 (1 month rent/misc. needs)
- Moving/Installing the Solar Panels/Generator to the new home: $1,000
- Estimated Costs of Repairs for the Old House: $1,500
- Costs to move out of the old home: Estimated $4,500 (explained below)
- New Mattresses, Fix Beds: Estimated $1,000
- Helping House Moms affected by flooding: Estimated $1,200
I want to note that I am not using the idea of eating "3 meals per day" as the standard that everyone should strive for because I know there are fad diets out there and I also know that only about 64% of Americans actually eat 3 meals per day.
I am using that phrase because it is normative here in America and it stands for the idea that when we are hungry, for the most part, we can eat. I would venture to say that a very small percentage of the people reading this email have ever truly felt life-altering hunger that was a real threat to your life. I have not.
On the other hand, every single one of our kids in Haiti have felt that and most of them, other than maybe 1 or 2 who are too young, can remember feeling this type of hunger. They all know of people who either have or do feel that type of hunger.
I cannot imagine that type of feeling. The closest I have ever come to feeling this way is that I can remember months when it was kind of difficult to afford our electric bill. Not impossible, just difficult.
There are millions of people in Haiti that do not know what they will eat next, where that food will come from, and how they will afford it.
I share this with you not because I have a solution, because I do not. We have never done a feeding program before, and we do not have plans to start one even now. I am not sharing this because I want you to fell bad, though we could all stand a greater sense of empathy and sympathy for our brothers and sisters around the globe.
I share all of this because our kids actually have this luxury.
- They have the luxury to, when all of the bathrooms in the house break, move to a different house.
- They have the luxury of having 3 meals and a couple of snacks every day.
- They have not wondered about how they will eat their next meals for more than 10 years.
I remember years ago when a team came down to work at ATN, and one of my good friends and ATN board member Chase Covington was with the team. We were with the kids at meal time, and they started to complain about having this one breakfast that is kind of like Cream of Wheat because a lot of them did not like it.
I remember getting irritated, kind of like you do when your kids complain about something trivial like that, and telling the kids that they should just be happy that they are eating.
Later that evening, Chase was talking to me and he said something along the lines of, "At least they are safe and secure enough to complain about the food that is in front of them."
They were acting like kids, and they could complain because they knew that they would have food again later that day, and the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that...
We are so thankful for every single of one of you, and I hope that you are not getting too discouraged about what is going on in Haiti. You are making a difference, and when the country is safe again, that difference that you are making will continue to grow.
]]>The first thing that I have to say because of what is going on is that we need your help from a financial standpoint. I am going to list some of our needs based on the changes going on, and it is important to remember that we run a pretty tight budget normally, so changes like these can affect us a lot. Here are the financial needs:
- Initial Move-In Costs: $2,000 (1 month rent/misc. needs)
- Moving/Installing the Solar Panels/Generator to the new home: $1,000
- Estimated Costs of Repairs for the Old House: $1,500
- Costs to move out of the old home: Estimated $4,500 (explained below)
- New Mattresses, Fix Beds: Estimated $1,000
- Helping House Moms affected by flooding: Estimated $1,200
The total, which is probably a little low compared to actual costs, is around $11,200, and we have raised just about half of that so far.
The best 2 ways you can help us financially is:
1. Give towards the move by clicking here.
2. Share our Posts on social media and ask your friends/family to help us out and give! Click Here to go to our Facebook Page and share the latest post.
We are so appreciative of the faithfulness that our supporters have shown over some very difficult circumstances. We continue to operate in Haiti and our kids continue to thrive in a difficult environment because of you. The daily miracles of food, safety, school, and basic needs being met are absolutely amazing and I will write more about that in a future blog post.
]]>We just found out today also that the 2 girls who needed a place to live came by for a visit and it seems likely that they will be moving to the orphanage soon as well. Stay tuned for another blog with the details of that move.
If you want to give towards the move, Click Here.
As you can tell, with the move and with the new girls probably coming to live at ATN, things have been busy but also exciting and different.
These things do not take away from the unrest and the horrible situation in Haiti, but for our kids and our employees, it is kind of a break from the chaos...A change from the normal and difficult every day life there.
Something that can be difficult to remember for me, and I am sure for you too, is that in the chaos of Haiti and when things seem to just keep getting worse, you are making a different in the lives of children.
- Our kids are eating in the midst of the worst food security in Haiti maybe ever.
- Some of our kids are getting very close to graduating from High School which is incredibly rare.
- Our employees have the means to take care of themselves and their friends and family during a very difficult time.
- We even have the ability to take 2 new kids who need our help into the orphanage.
So far, based on our previous email and the incredibly generous donations you have already given, we have raised almost half of our moving expenses as listed below:
- Initial Move-In Costs: $2,000 (1 month rent/misc. needs)
- Moving/Installing the Solar Panels/Generator to the new home: $1,000
- Estimated Costs of Repairs for the Old House: $1,500
- Costs to move out of the old home: Estimated $4,500
- New Mattresses, Fix Beds: Estimated $1,000
If you would like to help us get the rest of the way there, we would greatly appreciate it. Click Here or the Donate button at the top of the page to give.
We know things are hard in Haiti, and it would be hard for me to express the frustration and sadness I have felt over the past few years. I know that many of you who love ATN and our kids feel it too. The only thing I can say about that is that we are making a difference, our kids are going to come out of this ready to live incredible lives, and we are so thankful that each of you have joined us on this journey.
]]>If you did not see the previous blog or our Facebook posts, we have been in the process of moving the kids to a new home but have run into a few delays, specifically flooding in our area.
Those delays are officially over, and we will be in our new home, hopefully, on Friday. With the expense of moving and some other things that have been going on lately, this blog/email is primarily a request for financial help for the upcoming move.
Click Here To Give To Our Moving Campaign!
In the long run, our new home will actually cost us less, but for now, there are a few costs associated with the move. Here are some of the costs that we are asking for help to cover as the move is occurs this weekend and the next few weeks:
- Initial Move-In Costs: $2,000 (1 month rent/misc. needs)
- Moving/Installing the Solar Panels/Generator to the new home: $1,000
- Estimated Costs of Repairs for the Old House: $1,500
- Costs to move out of the old home: Estimated $4,500 (explained below)
- New Mattresses, Fix Beds: Estimated $1,000
The expected total cost of the move is around $10,000 but that amount is definitely on the low side. Also, we have already received a very generous $2,000 donation to help us in this effort!
If you would like to give toward this, Please Click Here.
We have one more thing to share, but I did want to explain the "Costs to move out of the old home." It seems high, but our landlord is going to try and get the entire $13,600 of rent that we pay each year. He did not fix the bathrooms in the house and instead built bathrooms in the back yard about 25 yards from the house, but in Haiti that does not necessarily matter. We should be able to get out of the rental agreement because he is not holding up his end of the bargain, but he is going to try and get more than what he should and we are hoping to be able to get around that. Please be in prayer for that situation and understand that is why the cost of that line item seems so high.
The final thing I wanted to share is that 4 of our house Moms, we have found out, were greatly effected by the flooding in Haiti that killed dozens in our area. There homes, while not destroyed, are damaged and they each need some work to make them livable again. We estimate that about $400 per home would fix the issues, and if you would like to help with that expense, Click Here.
We know that each of these expenses are high, and we will continue communicating our progress in meeting these needs over the next few weeks. We may also do some other form of creative fundraising as well, so stay tuned (or if you have a good idea, feel free to share!).
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