Friday, January 28, 2011

The Jubilee School - Our Story



The dream of a school in Jubilee Blanc, Haiti was realized in October of 2009. Pastor, Emory Wilson, had a burden for the 12,000 poorest of the poor people of Jubilee. The adults were without permanent homes, without jobs. The children starving. Schooling was not an option for most. Yet, somehow these are a happy people.
Pastor Emory built a one room corregated tin room to feed 250 children each day. It had a dirt floor, no water, no restrooms. We soon learned that's all you need to help a dream come true!
In July of 2009, we set out to begin a school! That entailed finding teachers, finding children, finding materials for each, devising a curriculum, and uniforms for all! All supplies needed to be carried in from the US. Yes, God can do all of this! With six weeks of preparation, we began school.
Deciding to begin with 5 year olds, we set out to identify the 50 we felt we could handle. The children, living nomadic lives and having come through flood experiences, did not have birth certificates. We looked for missing teeth! Parents came to meetings all dressed up. Fathers, brothers, and mothers turned out to sharpen pencils, sweep, and add another room. Water brigades of women helped at cement pouring time, young boys pushed large carts with dirt. Dads learned to build rafters. Inside, two Haitian teachers and 48 adorable
toothless children began a journey toward a graduating class of 2021.
Not only was this an opportunity to show God's love, teach God's love, and open doors to choices for a people, relationships were built. After pounding the last nail in the now 2 room tin school, dad's came in and peered over their children's shoulders, people peeked over and under the tin. We learned each other's names. The world tilts differently.
In 2010 we began the school year with two more classrooms. 105 children are learning math, reading and language arts, French, music, art, and Bible. The staff has expanded to a stateside administrator, an on-site administrator, 3 American teachers, and most importantly, 3 Haitian teachers, and a host of volunteers. Several short-term missionaries have blessed the school with their service.
All materials still need to be carried in from the US. Our walls are turning from tin to concrete block, a teacher education program will begin in March 2011, and children wanting to come
in still peek.
When God works like this....selah!
The needs are many and all talents are useful. Join us and see God in action!