Enjoying family time and working from our family cottage for a couple weeks in Muskoka Canada. Refreshment and rejuvenation at "Fairhaven North", as our family has named it many years ago. Named after Fair Havens in the book of Acts.
Please keep Junior Filsto in your
prayers, as he was one of the first students I worked with when I arrived at Institution Univers as High School Graduate Placement Program director in September 2012. Junior had just graduated that previous June, and had been a shining example of leadership all through his secondary school career at Univers. His leadership and tenacity didn't waiver as he didn't find opportunity immediately to attend college in the U.S.
Rather, he applied and was admitted to the university in Limonade, in the North of Haiti. Even though after one semester the funding proved futile from the Haitian government to continue funding the university's programs once the Dominican Republic funding was departing (the D.R. gave a gift to Haiti after the earthquake, to build a university in the North and fund it for one year and then it was up to Haiti to take over the expenses to run the university - seems likes a responsible request for a limited gifting). Well, the professors saw "the writing on the wall" and began seeking jobs elsewhere. Junior went from having nine classes to four in his first year of university. The 2013-2014 school year fared worse with constant opening and closing of the campus during the school year. He was able to receive his credits eventually; to request and receive the transcripts is another whole story that I won't go into detail here, but let me just say this one thing to give you an idea: It took a year for us to obtain an official transcript from Limonade - Enough said.
Junior re-took the TOEFL test this past year and received a high enough score to catch the interest of Bunker Hill Community College in Boston, Massachusetts. He went through the application process, sought and obtained the funding from the generosity of donors to go to get his U.S. Visa in Port au Prince. Emmanuel and I worked diligently to get Junior to appointment day. Then...
This past Thursday was the appointment. He was denied the Visa. I have requested the college to intervene in any way they may be able to, and now we wait for their response. In the meantime, Junior, Emmanuel and I are trusting God in the decision from the U.S. Embassy, but will pursue whatever avenue God leads us to pursue. I request that you please keep this dedicated young man in your prayers; to remain strong in his faith and trust as he goes through this crucible.
Marylee
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Here's Junior cutting my hair in 2012, after teaching himself how to cut hair through YouTube videos so he could be employed at the Univers Barber Shop
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Some have asked how to add COCINA (www.haiticocina.org) as their preferred charity on AMAZON: Go to smile.amazon.com and sign in with your amazon password. Search for Coalition of Children In Need Association or COCINA and select it from the list. I then personally added it as a Bookmark (Favorite) so in one easy click I can order and donate to COCINA!
Blessed be your day!
Marylee
