Weekly Update

There has been good progress lately at the girls’ home. We are already laying the groundwork for some staffing changes at the orphanage as we develop 2014 employment contracts. (I know… it’s still October – incredible!) Hopefully, we have communicated effectively some of the challenges we would like to tackle at the girls’ home as we focus more time and energy there. One of those areas is reconfiguring staffing to move away from a model of the staff taking care of the girls needs to a model where the staff empowers the girls to do more for themselves and the house they live in. Unfortunately, some of that transition means switching out staffers who think of themselves in terms of cooking and cleaning for people with a different skill set, who see their role in terms of training and mentoring as they help the girls do the cooking or the cleaning.

When the girls were much smaller, it made sense to ensure all their needs were being met, but as they grow and mature the care model needs to grow and mature along with them. There will definitely be sadness and maybe even some acting out, but in the long run it will better set each girl up to be able to take care of herself when that time comes. Focusing on their futures and what it looks like to graduate girls out is another area we desire to spend more time on.            There was a special event at the guesthouse, Jean – the yard dude - had his birthday! It is very traditional in Haiti to get a photograph to mark life’s milestones, and we were happy to oblige for him. Bon Fet Jean! He has been doing a great job on all things outdoors. Recent projects include servicing the diesel generator at the girls’ home, pulling down and washing all the screens on the guesthouse, fixing the ceiling fan in one of the guest rooms, and planting a whole new area of ivy groundcover under the ficus trees along the wall. Mesi pou tout bagay Jean! – thanks for everything.