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In Haiti, it’s estimated that 40-50% of the adult population is illiterate. But you are changing those stats…
The first ever summer reading program in Grand-Goâve, Haiti has just come to an end! Director Etzer, our principal for the Grand-Goâve school, called the program “M’Ap Li Ak Kè Kontan,” which literally means, “I am Reading with a Happy Heart.” We want to share with you one very special report from Director Etzer, written to us after the final day of the summer reading program. After 6 weeks of instruction, the program’s final day was celebrated by a closing ceremony, with parents in attendance, there to hear a few children read aloud and to see their children receive a certificate of completion and a little plastic gold medal to go around their necks! It was a day of celebration together! He said,
We have reached the end of the reading program. A little ceremony was held, filled with emotion from the students, emotion which spread to their parents, and moved all the way to the teachers and the administration. Every time a child teared up, that moved their parent; then the parent would start to cry; and it is in this way that emotions moved all throughout the room. The children cried because they did not want to leave their teachers.
There were many curious onlookers all around the room. The children received their certificates of participation and their medals with such joyful hearts. A wonderful little reception was held for the parents. Everyone praised the program …. If you had been here, you would not have been able to hold back the tears.
We are so proud of the 5 special teachers for taking on a challenging, NEW, and culturally different teaching program with such gusto and openness, and we thank God for them. They exposed these 60 children to literature and reading instruction for 6 summer weeks, for a total of 48 hours (plus homework!), during a time when the vast majority of Haitian children see little to no printed material at all.
Join us in praying for the Lord to continue to use all of our teachers’ unique giftings in ways that affirm and build each child in just the right ways, and for the teachers to be fortified and strengthened by Him for the start of the new school year!
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