We're thrilled to announce that both the Port-de-Paix and Mole St. Nicolas sewing programs started on Monday, December 13! A total of 38 students (12 in the Port-de-Paix class and 26 in the Mole St. Nicolas classes) are embarking on a 3 year journey to learn how to sew.
Here's a few photos from the first few days of classes. The students wearing orange shirts are from the Port-de-Paix sewing program and they're posing with sewing supplies from the annual shipment. Those wearing regular clothes are a few students from the Mole St. Nicolas sewing classes.
July was a month like no other
President Jovenel Moïse Assassinated
By now you may have heard that the President of Haiti, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated at his home on July 7. A group of Columbian mercenaries have been arrested, but the investigation continues into who is behind the attack.
On Friday, July 30, the President's widow, Martine Moïse, spoke to the New York Times about the attack that killed her husband. She said she survived, because the assassins thought they killed her. Here's a link to an article where she recounts the attack.
Impact on Haiti and the Sewing Programs
There is a lot of uncertainty in Haiti right now. Even more than usual. Prices for fuel, food, and other household items continue to soar. Haitians are struggling.
There is still a lot of violence in and around Port au Prince, the capital of Haiti. Thankfully, there isn't much violence where our programs are located, and the students have continued to attend class as usual.
Please continue to pray for Haiti. Things may seem uncertain, but we continue to trust in the Lord who knows everything.
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Here's a few photos of the July 16 March for the President that was held in Port-de-Paix. These photos were taken by Wilson, our communications director and 2018 Port-de-Paix sewing program graduate.
Graduation is just around the corner
The classes are planning their graduation ceremonies!
Graduation is an exciting milestone for our students. Both the Port-de-Paix and Mole St. Nicolas sewing programs will hold their own graduation ceremonies and receptions.
Each class will make their own graduation clothes, including their graduation gowns and the dress clothes they'll wear under the gowns.
Here’s the budgets for this year’s graduation ceremonies and receptions:
Port-de-Paix graduation clothing - $415 (already paid)
Port-de-Paix graduation ceremony and reception - $2,150 (Current total needed = $550)
Updates:
7/17/21 - Special thank you to (2) generous donors who donated the following amounts: $1,000 and $400.
7/16/21 - Big thank you to our VBS friends at Antioch Christian Church in Winchester, KY for donating $200.
Mole St. Nicolas graduation clothing:
Caps and Gowns - $370 (paid)
Men’s pants and shirts - $105 (paid)
7/31/21 - Big thank you to a generous donor for donating $500 to cover the Mole’s graduating clothing.
Women’s dresses - $260 ($170 remaining)
7/31/21 - Big thank you to (3) generous donors for contributing toward this by donating $25, $40, and $25, respectively.
Mole St. Nicolas graduation ceremony and reception (decorations, invitations, diplomas, food) - $3,500
The graduation ceremonies and receptions will be the biggest events many of our students and their friends and families will attend all year!
If you've enjoyed following the students' journeys these past (3) years, please consider donating toward this exciting milestone. Your gift of any amount is very much appreciated!
March 2021 Update
Practice Makes Perfect
This year, both the Port-de-Paix and Mole St. Nicolas sewing classes have been busy making pants. This isn't their first time making pants, but because pants are more difficult to make than some other types of clothing, the teachers wanted to dedicate more class time so the students can sharpen their skills. Here's a few photos of the students with their newest creations.
A couple of notes about the photos below:
The group photo is of the young men in the Port-de-Paix sewing class. They made both their pants and uniform shirts.
The next two photos are of Edlor-son (brown outfit) and Jeantilus (floral shirt) who are very talented students in the Mole St. Nicolas sewing class. They made the beautiful outfits that they're modeling.
There's a lot of talent in the sewing programs! Please join us in praying that the Lord continues to bless the students and opens doors for them to continue using their sewing skills after graduation.
Help in the Warehouse
The Lord has blessed us with donors from across the United States who have generously filled our warehouse with fabric and sewing supplies. Now we're looking for volunteers to help us pack and sort the supplies for our annual cargo shipment. Just click the link below to learn how you or your small group can get involved.
““Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.””