JBA Haiti » Child Sponsor Program

Orphanage Kids

dgarrett — Mon, 09 May 2011 09:05:32 +0000

Currently there are 48 children in the orphanage. Most of them attend school across the street at Cabaret Baptist School, kindergarten through sixth grade. Junia, Climako and Leonel are too young for school, and the older kids, Pirreline, Marie Joe, Melina, Nadege, Charlene and Wilguens attend other schools. Click here to see their smiling faces.

School Kids

dgarrett — Mon, 09 May 2011 07:24:53 +0000

Cabaret Baptist Academy provides education for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. Currently there are over 200 students. Click on each grade below to see the children in that class.

October Team at the Beach

dgarrett — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:03:01 +0000

The October Team arrived yesterday (Saturday, Oct 10th) and got settled in very quickly. Today was busy with
church – a wonderful sermon by Pastor Nathan on Psalm 91 – and a trip to the beach with the “middle ones”
(5-12 year olds). Here are a few of the captured moments.

Widmy playing in the sand

Wanna covered in sand

Ronal contemplating the sea

Dada contemplating me

Mr Mike enjoying the journey

Thank You Rusty and Cheryl Merritt

dgarrett — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 04:41:06 +0000

After four years of leading our ministry in Haiti, Rusty and Cheryl Merritt are stepping down. Their leadership and dedication will be sorely missed. We truly appreciate everything Rusty and Cheryl have done for this ministry. Along with their daughter Sarah, they worked tirelessly speaking to churches and groups, preparing mission teams, traveling to Haiti monthly, hosting groups from around the country at our Cabaret Baptist Children’s Home site, and doing countless repairs and improvements on our facilities. I cannot list all the meetings, miles, sweat and tears that they have invested in this project. They fully committed themselves to the ministry God had for them in Haiti and to the children they loved. Their leadership greatly improved the ministry of JBA Haiti and we would not be where we are today without the sacrifice of their time, talents and themselves.

Cheryl shares, “Rusty and I would like to thank you for all of the kindness and support that you have shown to us over the last four years while we were serving the Lord in Haiti. We have resigned and are no longer working with JBA on their mission in Haiti. We were so incredibly blessed to witness God’s hand at work and are sincerely grateful to you for your part in that blessing. Without your gifts and prayer support we would not have been able to serve. Your friendship is a treasure to us. Please continue to support the mission and these children we love so much.”

There is no way we can thank Rusty and Cheryl enough for all they’ve done. Please pray for them as they enter the next chapter of their ministry for the Lord. Pray for the Jacksonville Baptist Association as we search for multiple couples to spend extended time in Haiti providing leadership and guidance for this project.

Natalie – Before and After

JBA Haiti — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:34:52 +0000

A Smiling Natalie – June 2008

Our Newest Arrival – April 2007

With a nanny in 2007

In School Making A Caterpillar June 2008

Natalie was brought to us in April 2007 by the Cabaret police. She had been abandoned and found wandering through the market. Apparently, she had been living on the streets for some time. We soon discovered she has many disabilities due to the trauma she has experienced and also mental illness. At first, she would growl, bite, and sometimes curse. Whenever she became fearful or anxious she would become overly excited and run from you. We asked for direction in finding another placement for her, but we didn’t have the necessary letter of abandonment from the Mayor’s office.

Over the days and months she became slightly calmer and grew accustomed to wearing clothes most of the time. The Nannies grew attached to her.

After a few months she moved in with Marie Joe and out of the baby room. Over time, the other children were no longer afraid of Natalie and some had begun to care for and play with her.

Soon, Marie Joe began taking Natalie to church.

A little more than a year had passed and Natalie began going to school for a few hours.

She has been with us for almost 2 years and she is truly a miracle and a reminder to us of God’s patient and enduring love.

Please consider being Natalie’s sponsor.

Click on the Sponsor Link for more information!!!

The New and Improved Jerry Johmas

dgarrett — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 03:03:31 +0000

In July, Jerry Johmas, one of the boys in our orphanage broke his arm in a bike accident. Several people have asked how Jerry is doing, so I thought I’d post a picture of him without his cast. He has a little trouble straightening out his arm, so the doctors have prescribed exercises for him. Please keep him in your prayers as he continues to heal.

If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one. Mother Teresa

JBA Haiti — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:02:44 +0000

Sponsor A Child Today

Name: Fednor Duverne

Age: 11

Birthday: 1997

I wear a size 8.

Please, I need a sponsor !

Name: Jeff Nicolas

Age: 14

Birthday: 1994

I wear a size 14.

Please, I need a sponsor !

Name: Jean Nelson Calixte

Age: 11

Birthday:10/6/1997

I wear a size 10.

Please, I need a sponsor!

Name: Lamercie Colas

Age: 14

Birthday: 1994

I wear a size jr. 5.

Please, I need a sponsor !

Sunday afternoon

JBA Haiti — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:59:00 +0000

Yesterday, as we were toward the end of our church service, I saw a familiar truck drive up to the orphanage, followed by two vans. As I walked over to see what was going on, children began piling out of the vans like crazy! I’m thinking, “No, no! I can’t take all these children!” Come to find out, these were all the children from the orphanage that was destroyed by the hurricane … all the children who stayed here during those days following the tragic event. They had come to say thank you for helping them and had a few songs prepared to sing for the children. It was great fun and there were many many hugs following!

After the children were gone, we began the great adventure of making sandwiches, snacks and juice to take along with us to the beach. I had found out that morning that there is a different beach, a little further down that is literally 1/5 the price of the one we normally go to. The children were THRILLED when I said that anyone who wanted to go was welcome to come with. There was a whole lot of yelling and screaming and excitement in the hour before we left and throughout the trip there. The van was packed with 27 children … and Nick and I. Once there, the children LOVED this beach and had a great time playing in the water and hanging out together.

Of course, the photographer in me took over and I had the best time taking all sorts of different photos. When I had taken almost 60, I realized that was probably enough for one afternoon

The mountains are so magnificant and the sunrise was one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. The emotions were inexplicable as I was photographing the sites and enjoying the children. Several times, I had to wipe a tear trickling down my face as I thought about our first 5 weeks here and next 5 to come.

Something that I have not been able to get out of my mind for the past few days is a visit that we had at the orphanage. A group of 15 people came walking in the gate the other day, one older woman, 3 or 4 young ladies, 3 or 4 young men, and the rest were children (maybe 10-15 yr olds). As they were all chatting amongst themselves and then to an employee here, before he had to tell me, I understood that they were the family of one of our little 6 year old boys. He came out to the front porch to meet with them and was very quiet, couldn’t look anyone in the eye … I was told (by an employee) that this is the first time he has ever had his family come to visit him. My heart broke as they walked away after spending 5 minutes here. My heart ached as I looked at him and wondered what he must be thinking, seeing them leave WITH SO MANY CHILDREN. What about him? It was very difficult for me and I cannot imagine how much more difficult it was for him.

He speaks very few English words … but I merely walked up to him and gave him the tightest squeeze I could and told him that I loved him. He smiled and hugged back and said he loves Mama Shelly too. A few minutes later, he took off on a scooter and was back to himself. But I can’t help but wonder what he was thinking as he fell asleep that night. I can’t help but wonder what a lot of these children think, the things they have been through … it breaks my heart over and over again and makes me want to not only squeeze my own daughter a little tighter, but love on these kids more and more each day. God gave us an incredible opportunity in being able to spend our summer here and when I leave, I want each and every one of these children to feel a little more loved … by me and by their heavenly Father.

JOY

JBA Haiti — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:54:00 +0000

God is hope to a broken world.
He is a Father to the fatherless.
He is love where there is no love.
He is peace throughout the storm.
He is joy amidst the sorrow.
He is the way … every time.

And today …

I will rejoice for He has made me glad!

(pictured above: Madeline, Fritzon, Mackinson, Dourison, Dada, and Roudfaelle)

Lovin’ on Babies

JBA Haiti — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:41:00 +0000

This afternoon, Lexi and I spent some quality time doin nothing but loving on some wee ones. We had fun, they had fun … and we got some cute pix too

Sweet, sweet Emily, always there with a smile on that cute face of hers!

Jack-Jack is starting to come out of his quiet little shell!

Lexi giving squeezes to everybody around! Emily, Dourison, Jerry, KC, and little Mack

Big squeezes and tickles for my babies! Dourison and Emily … ya gotta love em!