March 2016 Newsletter in PDF format

Maison Fortuné
1st QTR, 2016
orphanage news
Hinche, Hati
A Return Trip Long Overdue
by Bro Harry Eccles
When I left Haiti in November 2013, I expected to
return “soon”, but “soon” stretched to two years!
Making the return trip this past November 2015,
with Jonathan Dohanich and his seven-year-old
son, Jarren, was a big plus. (Jonathan was a
volunteer in Haiti for a year, returning often, once
with Jarren when he was two!}
The icing on the welcome-home cake was the swarm of
boys who gathered on the porch with noisy greetings. They surprised me with a chorus of “Share. Share! Don’t be a pig!” That was my theme song when we had
goodies to share.
At Maison Fortune in Hinche, I caught up with
Mary Kwasniewski, Executive Director of the
MFOF in Virginia. I just missed another segment
of the amorphous US group which had been
planning a visit for a long time. Julie Thomas,
Susan Schrack, her daughter Margaret Schrack,
Emily Burke, and first time visitors David Esposito
and Laurie Salerno. The Haitian welcoming
committee was headed by Jean-Louis Lefort,
Founder and Director of MFO, and a friend from
1989 when I found my home in Haiti.
A new staff member was Jonel Derosier, an alum
of Sant Zaveryen. Bethanie, the guest house cook,
was on hand, and so was Noose, the veteran
watch-cat.
Brother Harry
and
Watch-Cat,
Noose
Brother Harry with MFO Boys
Gatherings on the porch were continuous. The boys
had classes, both off and on-campus. Just a short
hike to the girls’s campus and more warm welcomes.
Veronique Joseph is the director there and walks a
beautiful line between discipline and love for our girl’s
who numbers continue to grow.
When I lived a MFO, one of my roles was English
teacher for informal groups which formed and reformed all the time. I was happy to be invited by
the present members, now dignified with the name
“Helping Boys Understand.” I was glad that I had
brought some fresh copies of the New Testament, our
basic text.
Returning to the States with Mary, Jonathan, and
Jarren, I had two portraits of Noose, one on paper by
Oday and another on stone by Junior Michel.
Time to start planning the next trip. This trip was a
blessing!
The Haiti Tree at St. Therese
Last autumn a newly formed Haiti committee at The Church of St. Therese, Chesapeake, VA decided to try a different
approach to our annual Advent fundraiser for Maison Fortune’ Orphanage. Parishioners were offered several different
ways to contribute. Since a steady income is needed by the orphanage, monthly sponsorships were encouraged. Students
from Portsmouth Catholic Regional School created lovely ceramic star and
heart ornaments that were used at as a “thank you” for anyone signing up for
a sponsorship. The ceramic ornaments were also given to anyone making a
donation of $25 or more. Sponsors and larger donors also received a handmade
paper ornament with a picture of one of the children of Maison Fortuné.
Parishioners were encouraged to help decorate the “Haiti Tree” by placing
colorful Haitian straw angels on the tree to reflect their donations.
Church members making a smaller donation wrote their name on a small heart
which was then attached to the front of a small ($5) or large ($10) angel. The tree
was displayed throughout the Advent and Christmas seasons.
Our Haiti tree donations quadrupled from the previous Advent. Much of that
increase is attributed to the wonderful verbal support given from our church’s
pastor, Fr. Kevin O’Brien. At each of the three Masses, over two weekends,
he discussed the foundation’s efforts to improve the nutrition, education and
medical care of the children resulting in increasing costs at the orphanage.
There was a wonderful flyer and video created by graphic art students from
Regent University. The flyers were placed in the church bulletin in the weeks
before the fundraiser and the video ran on the screen in the Commons. There
were also many volunteers manning the tables before and after each Mass. We
are hopeful we can repeat our success next year.
McKenna BioScience Program Opens at the
University of Notre Dame Hinche
The fall of 2015 was an exciting time for our longtime
partner the McKenna Technical Institute as they opened
up the first Bio Science program in Haiti. They did
so in partnership with the University of Notre Dame
Hinche. Maison Fortune is pleased to have 8 MFO
alumni enrolled in this first time 2 year-program.
The students will receive hands-on laboratory training
and develop the skills necessary to work in the
bioscience industry. The school is outfitted with a fully
equipped Bioscience Lab where students apply critical
thinking in data analysis including the interpretation of
experimental results.
We are extremely grateful for the partnership with
McKenna Technical and their commitment to help
assist with the cost of tuition for our MFO alumni.
Together with our MFOF supporters we believe that the
power of education can transform Haiti and its future.
Students Studying at the MTI
BioScience ProgramPenn State visit
Our boys grow up!
If you are anything like me, on January 1st you asked yourself
what happened to 2015?! The time has flown by and the same
rings true for our boys in Haiti. This year we are helping
transition several of our older boys into the community. Many
of them have been at MFO for the greater part of our 15 years of
operating and wow how they have grown!
Over the past year Jean Louis has been working with the “young
adults” and preparing them for this new transition. He has held
meetings with the boys over the past several months and we have
laid out the plans and expectations as they start this new chapter
in their lives. To aid them in their success we will continue to
pay their school tuition and school expenses. Additionally they
will be allowed to visit the campus between the hours of “dawn
to dusk” and take their meals at MFO. We will also provide
them a small stipend for lodging and transport that they arrange
for themselves. The stipend is dependent upon their school
attendance as well as grades and good leadership behavior. We
hope that by assisting in the transition the boys will have the best
chance of success. The list of boys who are participating in the
“18-and-over” program are:
Name
Alcidonis Shelton
Bastia Hary
Cambron Walno
Charles Delince
Charles Johnny
Denis Louis Jean
Dorcius Frido
Edouard Jeanty
Etienne Waldo
Innocent Robenson
Jacques Kesly
Jean Exilien
Jean Louis Claudinel
Joseph Jimmy
Age
20
19
22
30
24
19
24
19
26
22
19
24
21
20
Name
Joseph Missam
Louis Adler
Louis Robert
Matial Salens
Noel Djocena
Noel Elibert
Philogene Kedner
Regulus Emane
Saintil Exxone
Simeon Sufrance
Sylvanor Fedner
Sylvanor Ulrick
Sylverin Wosnel
Therame Wilson
Age
23
33
21
19
22
19
20
25
26
22
25
23
24
27
As these young men reach out to our MFOF supporters and
visitors we hope you can encourage them to keep a positive
outlook. They have had numerous opportunities most Haitians
would never have dreamed. Our hope continues to be that as
they mature they realize that the power of giving back is far more
rewarding than the power of receiving. We know that these
young men are the future of Haiti and they will work to make
Haiti a better country for all.
If you have any questions about the program please contact us
directly at helpthechildren@mfofoundation.org.
Maison Fortuné
Orphanage Foundation
Financial Update
Rick Martin, Treasurer
As I write this, we are halfway through the
financial year and I think it is important to
give our donors a financial update. During
this past summer and fall the Maison Fortuné
Orphanage Foundation went through our
annual audit by an independent auditor. We
are thankful to Mrs. Randi Clifford of Clifford
Accounting Services, LLC who performed
the audit. We are proud to announce we
received a clean bill of financial health! In fact
we have received clean annual audits for the
past ten years. Auditing allows us to check
our work and to show you, the donors, that
we are using your generous donations in the
best way possible to support the children of
Maison Fortuné. I especially want to thank
Mary Kwasniewski, our Executive Director,
and Edna Nweke, our bookkeeper for their
help in keeping the daily books and preparing
the needed information to complete the audit.
Both Mary and Edna do a great job keeping me
straight with our payroll, taxes and monthly
reports. The audit reports can be downloaded
from our website, www.mfofoundation.org.
This year we are continuing our quest to reach
out to new donors to establish an individual
donor base of 1500 people donating at a
minimum goal of $25 per month. Though
we are making some progress moving toward
that 1500 number, it is well below what we
need to provide for the monthly operating
requirements. So, if you can donate monthly,
please do so. You can help us by introducing
MFO to your friends, community and
workplace. Please contact Mary Kwasniewski
at mkwas@mfofoundation.org for more
information on how to spread the word.
With your continuous support the Foundation
impacts more than 200 children who are
living in the poorest country in the western
hemisphere. Together we can change the cycle
of poverty one child at a time. Thanks to all of
you for your generosity and continued prayers.
MFO Foundation
PO Box 3092
Chesapeake, VA 23327-3092
Maison Fortune Orphanage News
1st Quarter 2016
Meet Valentin!
A sweet new girl. She is so new her school
uniform has not been made yet. She enjoys her
rice and beans with the other children for the
mid-day meal at Jean Louis Primary School on
the Boys’ Campus. Valentin loves school, jump
rope and singing!
To sponsor a child contact Julie at
sponsorship@mfofoundation.org
Published quarterly by the Maison Fortuné Orphanage
Foundation, Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) organzation, to
update donors on the orphanage in Hinche, Haiti.
www.mfofoundation.org
Editors
Mary Kwasniewski & Julie Thomas
Graphics
Lauren Lepper