Thank you. Because of your prayers and financial support, a team of 11 students and staff were able to give their spring break to the children of Haiti, working with Convoy of Hope and Chi Alpha Campus Ministries. The week the students spent ministering in a Haitian orphanage continues to have an impact on those children, the students, the nation of Haiti, and the campus of Boston University. In that way, it is a gift that keeps on giving.
The Children
The theme of this week was seeds and small beginnings. One of the first stops in Haiti was a school that we've worked in the past couple years. We worked on a roof, helped build a bathroom, worked on walls and support beams. It was hard work, but it sometimes seemed like such a small contribution. But each year, we saw the school grow as more and more teams played their part. This year, we got to see a fully functioning school with modern facilities and the opening of a connected vocational school. Out of small seeds something big has grown.
Even greater has been the impact on the children. The small seeds of love, time, and affection also add up. Being able to hug, play with, and teach the children let them know that they are valued. It is important to us that we are involved in a program that is feeding children that would go hungry and starve otherwise. It is equally important that to us, that we get to personally show our love and concern for these children. Thanks for being a part of the team. You touched each of these children through us.
The Students
You also invested in our change as well. Hunger and poverty is not just a concept to us anymore. It's not impersonal. We see faces now instead of statistics. We hear the difference love makes in the laughter of the children we meet. We feel its weight in the hug of a child we held. Our values have changed. We've grown. Not with world weary pessimism, but with the knowledge that real change is possible. We will never solve all the worlds problems, but our continued service wherever God plants us will act as seeds of change.
The Nation
Convoy of Hope and it's feeding initiative, Feed One, are transforming Haiti for Haitians. Orphanages, feeding programs, and schools all work towards Haitian self-sufficiency. The feeding programs work with local farmers to rebuild the countries infrastructure. Haitians are being trained and equipped to take over every aspect of the work in the country. Training and vocational schools are completing the work. Someday, there will no longer be a need for Convoy of Hope to be doing this work in Haiti because Haiti will have completely recovered from the devastation of the past. In fact, we see a day when Haiti will be coming to the aid of other troubled nations, leading the way in aid.
The Campus
Now that we are back in Boston, we are spreading the word about what God is doing through Convoy of Hope by sharing our experience. We had a special event this last week where we shared our experience in Haiti and explained the work of Convoy of Hope. It was a great night of celebrating what God is doing in the world and representing the heart of God to the campus.
So you have made an ongoing impact on the children of Haiti and on us. By extension, your gifts continue to make an impact on Haiti and the campuses of Boston. Thank you for being part of the team.