Hurricane Irma Impact in Ouanaminthe

Hurricane Irma Impacts Ouanaminthe Thankfully the majority of Haiti has been spared the worst of Hurricane Irma, unlike many of its island neighbors. Due to the heavy rains, though, Ouanaminthe has experienced some significant flooding. Matt White, our Director of Development and Sponsorships is in Haiti now and has sent these photos. Please keep the people of Ouanaminthe and the families of Institution Univers in your prayers. There will be many needs as clean-up of homes, businesses, and the community takes place.

Univers Medical Center and Institution Univers are helping their community in many ways. If you would like to help with the Irma aftermath, please consider a gift to COCINA.  Give Now

Oh PLEASE share this with Everyone you know!

The Univers Story, as told by BittersweetMonthly.com! Univers/COCINA was selected as the Reader's Choice Feature of the Month on BittersweetMonthly.com. Here's the intro... The year was 1991, and just months after swearing in its first-ever democratically elected government, Haiti suffered a serious setback. Hopes for a brighter future were quashed by a brutal military coup. Human rights abuses and destitute poverty drove Haitians to risk their lives fleeing the country.  Boats arrived en masse on the coast of Florida (boats may be a generous term – picture shoddy rafts) carrying desperate Haitians who braved the tempestuous waters in hopes of escaping violence, chaos and upheaval in their home country. But at this very moment in time—one when most Haitians would have given anything for the opportunity to come to the United States, Hugues Bastien sought to return to his homeland. Keep reading (and watching)...

The school year is in full swing!

Praise be to God! We are so blessed with
a new pastor to spiritually lead the students and staff,
with a full school,
with God's faithfulness to our needs,
with students going on to colleges in Haiti because of the generous sponsors God has led to us,
with returning grads employed at the school!

Thank you, for your love, concern and faithfulness to Institution Univers!

Worth Investing In

Please read and prayerfully consider coming to Haiti to see what and Who we are all about!

Additional information and Update on THE JENNIE PROJECT (Gael Jennie Fleurant)

First a letter from Jennie.

Dear friends

 

I am so excited to finish my first year of college. During the year, I’ve completed a whole year of ESL (English as a 

Second Language). I also had an orientation class which were about learning the American culture, and its laws. 

During the last year, my teachers did a great job on teaching me, and I am so thankful for that. I have been involved 

in two clubs, the International Students Club, and the Red Rocks Global Mentors which I was the secretary last 

semester, and I am the president for the summer semester. I am taking advanced classes during the summer, which 

are the last classes of ESL. I am so excited to finish with the ESL classes. I will start the Water Quality Management 

program in the fall. I’ve already registered for some classes. I can’t wait to finally start with my major.

Thank you to all of you who are helping me with my project!

Jennie

Second a letter from her sponsor:

Hi everyone,

What a wonderful summer it has been this year in Colorado. All of our reservoirs are completely full which hasn't 

happened in a long time.Below are some pictures from the Rocky Mountain Conference Dinner which Jennie attended 

with my son, Nate, and myself.   The speaker was Lorie King of UMC Global Health Program Director for WASH & Food 

Security. The United Methodists have been very supportive of our efforts to support Jennie. 

Our new bishop is focusing on food and water issues.  I have added pictures of Jennie, UM Bishop Karen Oliveto, & 

Lorrie King, UMCOR Global Health Program Director for WASH & Food Security. 

Pictured are Nate Yudnich, Karen 

Yudnich, Lorrie King (Speaker), Jennie, and Michael Rowley.

Jennie upon graduation from the ESL Program at RRCC. She will be taking 3 credits this summer and then be able 

to start the Water Quality Management Program this fall.

Scholarships that Jennie will be receiving this next year are: 

United Methodist Women        $10,000

United Methodist Committee on Relief    $2,000

Venice Presbyterian Church, Florida    $2,000

This will almost cover RRCC Tuition and Fees! 

Financial Update

	Tuition /credit hr	Credit Hours	Cost	Fees	Medical	Total
2017 Fall	$578.50	12	$  6,941.99	$     115.00	$           700.00	$        7,756.99
2018 Spring	$595.85	12	$  7,150.25	$     115.00	$           700.00	$        7,965.25
						$     15,722.25
TUITION USUALLY INCREASES 3% EVERY YEAR

$5817.00    Cost for 2017 Summer School Tuition, Fees, Books, 3 Months Bus Pass.

The remainder of money that is in Jennies College Savings and COCINA

$3,272.91        Remainder money in Jennie's College Saving account

$13,105.69     Remainder money in Jennie's COCINA account.

$16,378.60     Remainder money for transportation, yearly trip to Haiti, clothes, books, dental, personal items.  

Thanks again to everyone for their support via monetary or prayers or both, we praise God for your generous support!

Watching God work.

Karen Yudnich,

Jennie's Sponsor

 
 

Update from Jennie, attending Red Rocks Community College, Colorado

Jennie is studying Water Quality Treatment and Management at RRCC. She just finished her first year - quite successfully as you can see! Here are photos from her sponsor in Colorado - Thank you Karen, for keeping us updated!

The first picture is Jennie and Bishop Karen Oliveto. 

The second picture is Lorrie King, UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief), Global Health Program Director for WASH & Food Security. Also pictured left to right Nate Yudnich, Karen Yudnich, Lorrie King, Jennie and Michael Rowley.WASH stands for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene.

The third picture is Jennie finishing up her first year at RRCC

Jennie finished her first year and will be the president of the International Student Association next year.

Congratulations Jennie!

Back in Haiti!

Back in Haiti and have had a great first week back after a very 'eventful' travel journey!

Here's some photos to share of the past week, and of the kids! (The "Peace & Love" is at Miami airport - not only is it a very cool piece of art, it was a good reminder for me in the middle of the 36 hour journey!)

Due to the flight delays I missed graduation which was very disappointing for me; I had to keep reminding myself...God directs my path. I did arrive into Ouanaminthe in the evening after the graduation ceremony. Went directly to the school, and there were still some students remaining for me to hug and congratulate, though, so that made me happy!

Maryann from Ohio joined up with me to visit Univers and see if and where God may use her, so pray for God's direction, as she is seeking His Will, as He has presented this opportunity for her to come check out the ministry.

Summer Camp begins this Monday, so there has been much preparation this week by the staff. The kids are excited! Government exams are upon the students, so many are in the midst of studying for those.

I met with a woman from Kentucky who was here with a mission team this week. She is set to sponsor a college student to go to university in Port au Prince, so Emmanuel and I are busy working on all the details, as well as working on Johnson's housing at Sonlight Bible College to attend this Fall, and raising funding for three other college students.

Please pray we find suitable housing soon for Johnson!

ALL the top scholar english immersion program 2017 students are hosted! Praise be to God! There still is some funding needed for the students travel and ancillary expenses, therefore, it you are so moved, please donate to COCINA, P.O. Box 12695, Columbus, OH 43212 and make sure on the memo line you write "2017 English Immersion Program (ESL)" THANK YOU!!

And, so importantly,

Thank you so much to all my prayer and financial partners who keep making it possible for me to serve these precious kids, friends, and families!

Rice paddies outside of Ouanaminthe...

 Walking to work/market...

A new church built near Caracol...

A Cap Haitien "hardware store" at the market...

 I just love all the little details in this photo of four houses built over street level businesses...check out the staircase to the purple house...I just love this!

 Neighbours and me...

 The kids!