Starthrower Foundation ~ Updates From Haiti

I'm still cooking for 8-10 children each day. We've had rice and beans, soup, and one of the NGOs gave us a large can of pork and beans. I usually boil some eggs, and the kids can have a banana, a glass of milk or water, or coffee or tea, and a multivitamin.

I have been able to buy peanut butter in the market so I try to send some home with them. Jack says his wife can roast and grind peanuts into peanut butter for us a gallon at a time, but she needs the containers to put it in, so I'm saving the old containers.

This week, three students came from Cap-Haitien. They heard that a 'blan with a fondasyon' would help send them to school. I think if we ever open up our sponsorship to include kids from Cap-Haitien, there will be a flood of them coming in. But our mandate right now is kids from St. Raphael.

One man, a 30-year-old, only about 4-foot-two tall, came in with his kids, his birth certificate and his report card. He has been putting himself through school by working one year then going to school the next, and is now ready for his final year. The others were newly orphaned, and in need of help. A few parents came in, hoping we could pay for the funeral for their children, one for a 10 year old girl in grade three. I felt bad that I had to turn them down -- she was the age of many of ours -- but we need the money for the students.

Elorge and I were able to buy some notebooks, pens and dictionaries. This time of year here, they are a lot cheaper than they are in August when all the kids are getting ready for school. The satellite link for the internet cafe is down, so still no e-mails. It's still raining hard from time to time, and yesterday was blistering hot. the power is out again, and the generator is not pumping water. I could really use an engineer or a very handy handyman to help out.

Till next week,

Sharon