Child Sponsorship Program Going Strong

Hope Force Reservist David O'Connor recently returned from a nine-day trip to Haiti with a three-man Hope Force team. This was O'Connor's fourth trip to Haiti after coming on as a photojournalist last summer and eventually helping to pioneer the Child Sponsorship Program to aid in reconstruction of the village of Sous Savanne.

After the earthquake in January 2010 forced elections to be moved to November, Haiti?s already unstable political atmosphere became even more volatile. When it appeared that the election results had been tampered with to favor the hand-picked successor of the current president, the streets of Port-au-Prince saw almost a week of riots, burning tires, barricades and violence.

"We worked very hard to time our January trip around a period that would be least risky in terms of further election violence," O'Connor said. "We thank the Lord for leading us to go at the time we did, as there was minimal disorder and demonstrations."

One night on the way home from Port-au-Prince, the team was notified that former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier had returned to the country after 25 years in exile. Shortly afterward, they were pulled over to the side of the road to let his motorcade pass. "There must have been 50 police motorcycles escorting him through the streets with lights flashing, followed by countless vehicles," O'Connor said. "It was an eerie feeling -- his period of dictatorship in the country was distinctively dark and brutal. Many people feel he should have been arrested immediately upon his return."

Despite political unrest, Hope Force's mission continued. O'Connor was able to deliver the good news to families in Sous Savanne who had been approved for the Child Sponsorship Program. Each family was given a professional photograph of the sponsored child, along with letters and photographs from their American sponsor family. Priority for inclusion in the program was given to large families or families with young, vulnerable children.

"The joy on the faces of the sponsored family members was unforgettable," O'Connor said. "Most of them would never otherwise have had a photograph of their child, so you can image how precious this was to them. Also, many of them do not know how they will find food for their families on a daily basis, so being able to provide an increased level of food security for their children is an unspeakable gift."

HFI's in-country partners oversaw December?s monthly food distribution, so in January the U.S. team got their first opportunity to monitor distribution themselves. Representatives from the 51 sponsored families showed up on a Saturday afternoon to receive their food and have their pictures taken for their identification vouchers.

"It's a credit to the character of these people -- the need is so great yet the gathering was very orderly and even enjoyable," O'Connor said. "I must admit we all had a fun time, even in the midst of the work. It was successful in every fashion, and we are confident in the ongoing effectiveness of the food security aspect of the program."

Nearly 90% of the homes in Sous Savanne were destroyed or damaged in the earthquake, and most people now rely on the Hope Force disaster relief tents for shelter. On this trip, the team undertook assessments for a clean water initiative for the village and also deepened strategic partnerships with other agencies that will result in new homes for Sous Savanne and the rebuilding of the church.

"Sous Savanne is made up of people who are very humble, hard-working, caring individuals," O'Connor said. "They are lovely people who have almost nothing, especially after the earthquake. Yet they are able to express their appreciation very easily, particularly the leader of the community, who consistently makes it clear that we are very appreciated in his village."

At a minimum, the goal is for a Hope Force team to return to Haiti on a quarterly basis this year to continue monitoring the growth of the Child Sponsorship Program. As available funding and volunteers allow, additional intervention in Sous Savanne, such as Vacation Bible School, English language courses and work parties to help with home construction, may be on the horizon.

"I would be happy to join any of future teams to Haiti," O'Connor said. "The need is great, and our heart is to make a major impact in this community in the upcoming year. I firmly believe that the hard manual labor exhibited by our teams, the genuine friendships, the repeated visits and delivery of what has been promised is building a strong message of what it means to love others in the name of Jesus."

If you would like to sponsor a child in Haiti today, please click here to make a pledge. You can also print off the Child Sponsorship Flier, fill out the pledge card, and send it to us in the mail: Child Sponsorship Pledge Card