Haiti, Fundraiser, and General Update

You may have noticed that it has been a couple of weeks since we communicated what is going on in Haiti and with our annual fundraiser. I have news on both fronts that I want to share with you today, and thank you to everyone who has been asking about these things. We have been a little busy here in America with Spring Break and we moved out of our townhome into a new place in Jacksonville as well.

First of all, I want to fill you in with what is going on with our Jacksonville/LaGrange Fundraiser. These 2 events, annually, make up close to 20% of our annual budget. With that being the case, even in a year like this one, it is necessary for us to make them happen albeit differently than what they have been in the past.

For our event this year, I really think you are going to enjoy it. We are still in the process of figuring out exactly how to deliver this to everyone, but we have an incredible documentary ready for your viewing pleasure about All Things New. More specifically, this documentary takes you through "A Day in the Life" of our kids in Haiti. You will see their morning (starting at about 5:00 am when our cook starts), getting ready for school, the trip to school, tutoring, playing at Hope Rising, eating dinner, our nightly service, and more.

If you have never been to Haiti before, this will be a great chance for you to experience life there for our kids at All Things New. It will also help you contrast what most of Haiti looks like with what we are trying to create for our kids. If you have been to Haiti, this will be a great way for you to reconnect, maybe reminisce, and hopefully grow in your desire to come back.

I have seen the video and it is really good! Look for more info soon on how we are going to get this video out (look for a live event or 2 in LaGrange and Jacksonville along with virtual options that will be available to anyone). It will be a great way to celebrate what is going on in Haiti and for all of you who have not been able to visit for the past 2+ years to remember what life there is like.

I also really want to encourage everyone to continue to pray for Haiti. There has been some increased social unrest, more gang violence, and a general uneasiness in the country since the beginning of February. From the Haitians that I talk to, their general feeling is that things are not going well and it is does not seem like they are getting better. With a lot of political things coming up this year, we need to pray that GOD continues to protect Haiti and the Haitian people.

Pray specifically for our kids and employees. Being a part of an American organization could very well put a target on your back in Haiti, and we are praying that everyone connected to ATN stays safe and protected. Also pray for continued wisdom as we try to navigate this new era of social and political unrest and what may happen to the school year again if things continue to worsen.