Dear
Loved Ones:
With having completed my
first year at Institution Univers I reflect on how much God is accomplishing in
the life of our students and in the ministry itself. We are celebrating 20 years of seeing God at work in Ouanaminthe, Haiti.
As many of you already know, Haiti has had a very special place in my life for
many years. After seven short-term mission trips, as well as serving on the
Board of Directors of C.O.C.I.N.A. (Coalition of Children in Need Association)
for the past four years, last September I began working in a permanent position
as Director of High School Graduate Placement at Institution Univers, the
Christian school that is supported by C.O.C.I.N.A. (www.haiticocina.org). One of the principles of the school is to
raise a generation of fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ that
will change the nation spiritually, socially and economically. With some
students already in undergraduate and vocational placement in Haiti, Cuba, Dominican
Republic, Senegal, and the United States, the foundation has been set for the
high school graduate placement program. Yet, there is much work to be done as
the majority of our high school graduates are still falling back into the poverty
cycle after graduation. This letter serves as an update for those who know I’m
now in Haiti, and an introduction of what I’m doing for those of you who I may
have just met!
When opportunities are
secured for students to further their education, they are required to return to
Ouanaminthe, the city where we are located in Northeast Haiti, to serve the various
entities of C.O.C.I.N.A. equal to the number of years they study outside Haiti.
Every one of the students understands their responsibility, and personally feels,
even if there was not such a requirement, they would still return, for they
know it’s up to them to be the leaders for change in their nation – the poorest
nation in the western hemisphere.
To
summarize the program as it stands today, I am responsible for securing educational
opportunities at one-year certification, two-year colleges, and four-year
colleges and universities, as well as vocational education opportunities and apprenticeships.
My responsibilities also include securing
host family homes for at least the first year of the student’s residence outside
of Haiti, as well as ongoing financial sponsorship while students are completing
their studies. As part of the placement program, the Philo students (grade 13
“seniors”) have completed career assessments and counseling these past two fall
semesters. These assessments are now part of the evaluation process that the
administration thoughtfully completes each year. Occupations specifically
related to the needs within our organization include planting or husbandry
agriculture, education and medical related administration, teaching, business
administration, accounting, computer and technology related professions, X-ray
and laboratory technicians, electricians and plumbers, just to name a “few”!
Thus far, for the upcoming
2014 graduating class we have secured a number of U.S. college tuition
scholarships for our top 10 academic students who are also English proficient.
I am seeking host families and financial sponsors. Additionally, we are seeking
sponsorship for those students who will remain on the island. It is very cost
effective to attend college in Haiti or the Dominican Republic; $7,000 or
$10,000 respectively for all costs including living expenses per year. I continue to work on behalf of other
2013 graduates who have an opportunity through colleges to attend college in
the U.S. but have yet to secure financial sponsorship.
I am in awe to have the
privilege of seeing God in action, by repeatedly proving He has called me to
this position. We have Saturday afternoon Bible studies and fellowship time at
my home as part of developing a young adult ministry. Last fall, we had courtesy
classes of which I wrote the curriculum. When I return to Haiti in January I
plan to conduct the classes with this year’s Philo class. I’m also assisting
with administrative duties at the Univers Farm, health network coordination at
Univers Medical Clinic, mission team coordination with Pastor Dave, and helping
wherever else it is needed in the organization. The skills I have developed from
all the years in business are very useful in my new career!
I so appreciate your prayers
for this step of faith I’ve taken. Because I am now a full-time donor- supported
missionary I ask you to please consider partnering with me financially. Thank
you, again, to those who already are partners. I trust the Lord and my partners
for 100% of the necessary finances for the position’s expenses. The financial support is processed
through Christ Community Chapel in Hudson, Ohio so that it will be favorably treated
as a tax deduction. To financially
support me, you have the option of online or mailing your support. If by mail, please print and complete a segment of the form located in the "PARTNERS" tab of this blog each
time you submit a donation on my behalf. The church’s address is on the form. To ensure that the donation
is applied to my account at the church, this form must be included with each donation. At the bottom of this letter you will
find instructions for online giving and recurrent giving. A receipt for all
donations will be mailed to you at the end of the year, by the church.
For ongoing updates, please
log onto my blog: www.calledbacktohaiti.blogspot.com. The blog serves as my newsletter
to you, due to not having any formal mail service in Haiti. Please check the
blog for my upcoming speaking engagements when I’m in the United States; click
on the “Calendar” tab on the blog. If I’m in your area, please come visit!
Thank you for your prayers
and support as I serve the upcoming generation of Haitians who will be equipped
because of Jesus Christ and education to change their nation. I am forever
grateful for your friendship and partnership.
Glory to God in the Highest,
Marylee
When in the U.S., telephone
number: 440.343.2532
Haiti: 011.509.4829.3130
Here's an update I wrote this past Fall of the ministry and the accomplishments that God has allowed me the privilege to be part of:
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Here's an update I wrote this past Fall of the ministry and the accomplishments that God has allowed me the privilege to be part of:
Institution Univers High School Graduate
Placement Program – Update of Ministry Autumn 2013
Standing at the threshold of my apartment in Ouanaminthe,
the moment I released from my hands two of the five duffel bags I had brought
with me, I said to myself, “I am home”.
And the first year has made me feel more at home with my
co-workers, the students, friends and the community of Ouanaminthe.
I am in a constant state of learning and listening, as my
greatest challenge is the Creole language. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, whether
it is with the language or other environmental or social challenges, I call on
my very big God and He graciously answers my prayers with renewed hope and
energy.
I look forward to see what God has planned for the 2013-2014
school year, and the opportunities that will open for the upcoming graduates of
Institution Univers. To summarize the first year of the “formalized” High School
Graduate Placement Program:
·
Within the first week, both 2012 graduates and
Philo (Grade 13) students would stop in my office to introduce themselves.
Gratefully, my office continues to be a regular “stopping ground” for many
students.
·
Prior to leaving for Haiti last September a
friend invited me to attend a trip with her, to China and Japan, to meet many
new people, and to tell them about C.O.C.I.N.A. At the end of September I was
able to do just that. It was a trip of a lifetime! From that trip I was able to
secure new donors to my ministry personally and to C.O.C.I.N.A. in general.
·
Before returning to Haiti from Japan, I stopped
in Southwest Florida for a few days, to meet with a college in Ft. Myers and a
church in Naples, as well as have a meeting with the staff at ECHO
International and tour their facility. ECHO is an international organization
dedicated to providing resources to small farmers in developing countries,
especially Haiti.
·
In October, Career Assessments were completed
with the Philo students. They were amazed at the technology.
·
One little personal situation: I shipped my car
to Haiti at the end of August. Between customs and the Haitian government, it
took almost two months to receive my car. I picked it up in Cap Haitien on
October 22. It provided a crash course for me in the government and political
system as well as in the Creole language.
·
November and December were filled with new
contacts, networking and follow up with the contacts. I was in the states
December through early February.
·
January and early February were filled with
travel to nine colleges, speaking at two churches, and visiting with my
daughter in Seattle.
·
Because of Hugues motorcycle accident I
cancelled my participation in a mission conference in Southwest Florida in
Febraury, but am grateful to be invited to participate in 2014.
·
The spring months brought hours of coordination
and paperwork as the students were chosen to attend colleges in the U.S. As well, the English as a Second
Language (ESL) Experience students were chosen from seventh and tenth grade,
and I coordinated their host family logistics for their visit to the U.S. in
the month of August 2013. The ESL Program feeds into the College Placement
program, in that all but one of the U.S. College students came to the U.S.
either as a seventh or tenth grader.
·
Each short term mission team, of which we are
blessed with many, but can use many more to come along side us, gave me the
opportunity to speak to them about the graduate placement program, which was
very exciting for me.
·
Due to the generous support of colleges,
families, and churches five students are now attending U.S. colleges as freshmen
from the 2012 and 2013 I.U. graduating classes. We have secured two Haitian
college scholarships; one partial and one full scholarship, as well.
Looking to 2014, I’m excited as I begin working with this
year’s Philo class. Thus far we have 14 families interested in hosting a
student to attend college, and one full tuition scholarship already secured. We
still need churches and benefactors to come around these opportunities to fill
the financial gap. Will you consider becoming part of this program; the program
that helps Institution Univers students be the generation to change the nation
of Haiti through Jesus Christ and education?
For more information please contact me at: Marylee.lewis@gmail.com OR www.calledbacktohaiti.blogspot.com
All for Him,
Marylee
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To support Marylee through Online Giving, here are the
instructions:
To make a one-time gift:
·
Click the "ccb" tab located in the upper right hand of screen, sign up or log on, then click the Give
Online. Use the drop down menu to find “Hudson”, click “Continue”.
· Click “Haiti- Lewis”.
To
make a recurring gift, i.e. automatic
withdrawal payments from your checking account, here are the instructions:
·
Click the GIVE tab
in upper right hand of screen. Click on Sign
Up and follow the instructions. If
you have any difficulty please contact bob.adamov@ccchapel.com.
·
Click “Haiti- Lewis”
**Please
make sure “HAITI-LEWIS” is written on all correspondence you send to the
church, as there are other Haiti ministries connected with the church**
