14 new children move into Kay Anj orphanage this week

  Kay Anj Kids We Are the World

What an amazing trip we had.  It started with a short drive to Charlotte, NC to get on a Hendrick Motorsports private plane.  The Hendrick staff treated us like family.  We loaded our supplies, met the team of Doctors including Will Conner and his wife Natalie who invited us to join them on this trip.   We did not tell our kids at Kay Anj Orphanage that we were coming.  We pulled up to the gate and Luciana saw us from the second floor balcony.  She began screaming to the other kids that “they’re here!”  We could hear the screams of the kids all the way out in the van!  We had to hold back the tears.  We brought the kids soccer balls and cleats..they were beyond thrilled!  We brought a basketball backstop, hoop and balls…again screams and hugs.  They all got their very first pillow! 

My daughter Becca, my niece Lauren and Ashley Ellington were wonderful with the kids.  They held them, danced with them, colored with them, played duck duck chicken with them, taught them songs, and loved on them.  It was heartwarming. 

On Saturday we met with Pastor Eustache and Archibal to look at the list of applications from families who wanted their children to move into Kay Anj.  We took in 14 new kids including an 18 month old boy named Emli and a 14 month old girl named Bilande.  We met with the director of the Elim school that the kids will attend in September.  It will cost approximately $200 per child for tuition, uniform and books. 

We had a very successful meeting with Dr. Eugene (our pediatrician) and his wife Lidwine.  Lidwine manages seamstresses that will teach our kids how to sew this summer.  We’re very excited about this “program for their future”.  The kids will learn to sew two items (pajama pants and tshirt scarves), and get really proficient at those two items.  We will bring them back to the U.S. and sell them on our website,  to friends, family, church etc.  We will keep the money earned for each child until they are old enough to leave Kay Anj.  We will then give them the money they earned with the items we sold for them.  It will be a wonderful start to their future!  Our goal is to invest in our kids so that they can invest in their country.

We left late Monday.  The kids sang a song to us…this time we could not hold back the tears.  We cried, they cried.  We told them we’d be back in July.  It can’t come soon enough!

Thanks to all of you who donated your soccer balls, cleats, vitamins, first aid supplies, clothes, games, coloring books, pillows and candy.  Please know that the kids get ALL of it!

What a gift!  10 days ago I got a call from Natalie (she found HHA in March on Google and needed an orphanage for 6 siblings to live after the quake) in Charlotte, NC.  She said Hendrick Motosports offered to fly her, her Doctor husband Will Conner and a team of Doctors to Cap Haitien for 5 days on the Hendrick private plane.  Then she asked the most wonderful question….”Debbie, do you want to go with us?”  I didn’t need to think about it for a second…”of course I want to go!”  What are the dates, from where, etc…

Tomorrow my 13 year old daughter, Becca,  will make her first trip to Haiti with me.  I’m thrilled for both of us.  Leila, Lisa, my sister, Laurie, her daughter Lauren (best cousins with my daughter) and my Aunt Robyn will also be going.  We are all beyond excited!  We will be joining Natalie and her team in Charlotte tomorrow and heading to Haiti early Friday morning. 

We told Pastor Eustache and Archibal we  that we would be arriving Friday afternoon at Kay Anj.  We asked him not to tell the kids at the orphanage, that we wanted to surprise them.  When we left in March we told them we’d be back in July and they were so sad.  It will be priceless to see there faces when we arrive!

We would not be having this amazing experience if it weren’t for the generous people at Hendrick Motosports.  Thank you so much Hendrick  Motosports for making this trip possible for us!  We are incredibly grateful and appreciative.

Our goal was five thousand dollars….we made….drum roll please…..NINE thousand dollars!!

What a blessing for our beautiful kids in Kay Anj orphanage.  Please read the email that was sent to the HHA Yard Sale volunteers… There are many more pictures in on our Gallery page.

Hello everyone,
When we brought up the idea of a yard sale for HHA about 6 months ago we never imagined it would all come together as beautifully as it did this weekend.  YOU are all HHA BLESSINGS!  We’re in AWE of every one of you.  You all gave up your time, sweat, energy,sleep, love,..you got dirty, sweaty, sticky,….all for HHA and our kids at Kay Anj.  Leila, Lisa, Bill and I are “supposed” to do this…it’s our job and we love it but you all gave you so much to help us for two LONG days.  We LOVE you for it.  Leila, Lisa and I were in tears last night (as we got ready for bed on the church floor with our BB gun!) as we tried to come up with a way to thank you.  I’m not sure we could ever come up with a way to thank you that would express how we feel deep in our hearts for you and all you gave for us.  THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts.  The bible says that we should SERVE others before ourselves…you all did exactly that…for two days straight!
Thank you Tony for the awesome BBQ and for donating the proceeds to us…so very generous of you!  Michelle P…you let us borrow tables, made price stickers, gave us furniture and then came at the crack of dawn, not to shop but to give us a generous donation.  Deb and Mark…your drinks kept us alive!  Thanks so much for bringing dinner last night to the church and for just being so committed to HHA!  Scott…you are the man!!  actually for a long time on Friday…you were the ONLY man!!  What would we have done without you?  Thank you!  Linda, you are the yard sale machine!  “that’ll be $8, oh you only have $10 well sorry we don’t have $2, just go pick something out worth $2!”  Love it…and you!!  Thank you to all your kids too for helping!  Hannah Y and Will thank you so much for your help!  Schloss family….you win the’ whole entire family award’!  Barry W. thanks for the containers.  and to think we thought we’d only need one or two!! Emily Duvall..the queen of the bake sale!  Thanks for helping both days…all day!  we love you!  That’s actually pretty funny…..
I could go on and on and mention each one of you but you’d all be reading for days…please just know that we will be
forever grateful for all you did for us and HHA this weekend.

Spring is in the air which means the beginning of Yard Sale season!  May 1st is our first annual HHA yard sale!  Please come out to our new Park Valley Church location at 4500 Waverly Farm Drive in Haymarket.  We will have furniture, kids toys, car seats, house wares, exercise equipment, a designer area, and so much more!  Come hungry…we will also have Chick Fil A, BBQ, French fries, drinks and a bake sale (thank you Park Valley Vertical).  If you would like to donate items for us to sell please let us know and we will come pick it up for you!  100% of the proceeds go to help our kids in Haiti.  All tax deductible!

May 23rd back by popular demand is our 2nd annual Missions Spaghetti Dinner and Auction!  We will start selling tickets in a couple weeks.  The cost will be the same as last year…$10 per person or $40 for a family of 4 or more.  It’s a wonderful family event!  Radio personality Mike O’meara has graciously offered to be our auctioneer…thanks Mike!  We will have lots of kids item for auction, a Restless Street Concert, jewlery, vacation homes, dinners, golf outings and lots more!  Catered by Karen Baker of A La Carte Catering…yum!!

On May 22nd please join us at Broadway Galleries in Fairlakes for a gathering to Help our Haitian Angels.  More details to follow…