Rebuilding Haiti One Child at a Time

A Port-au-Prince survivor: The earthquake had a devastating impact on Haiti's already vulnerable children (Ivanoh Demers/Montreal La Presse/Associated Press)

Haiti has been very much in the news this week as we mark the one-year anniversary of the 7.0 earthquake that devastated this already struggling island nation. Short-term efforts to help rebuild Haiti’s infrastructure and housing are still desperately needed. However, before the news cycle ends and the devastation fades from public memory, I want to ask you to consider being part of long-term strategy for Haiti’s recovery by sponsoring a child from Haiti.

As many of you know, Sue and I have a long association with Compassion International: an international relief agency specializing in locally directed child sponsorships.  Compassion’s unique strategy enables them to direct over 80% of all donations directly to local relief. Their efforts have earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator: putting them in the top 1% of all international relief agencies.

Micaiah Hesed with our Peruvian Compassion daughter, Melanie.

My daughter, actress/singer Micaiah Hesed, and I speak and sing for Compassion (guess who sings) and have witnessed their in-country work first-hand. (See picture.) I cannot begin to express my enthusiasm for Compassion’s work as Two Handed Warriors building faith and making culture in Haiti.

Long before last year’s earthquake, Compassion was on the ground exerting significant culture-making leadership in Haiti. Compassion’s 40 years of work in Haiti salted the nation with over 50,000 graduates of their child sponsorship program. They now comprise a significant percentage of the leaders of this devastated nation.

Compassion sponsors now support over 64,000 children in Haiti, but it is not enough. Our family already sponsors three Compassion children around the globe, but we have recently added a fourth, a six-year-old Haitian girl named, Neïsa.

The Newest Member of the Stratton Family, Neïsa, from Port-au-Prince.

Would you be willing to join Sue, Micaiah, and I in contributing to Haiti’s long-term recovery by sponsoring a Haitian child? Simply click this Compassion link and select a precious child to become part of your family.

You will never regret it.

Grace and great mercy,

Gary, Sue, and Micaiah

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Next Post: Buried Alive: 64 Hours in the Rubble of the Haitian Earthquake