“WINGS OF HOPE” HAS BEEN BLESSED BY “WINGS OF SPEED”
“SOLIDARITY” WITH THE ST. JOSEPH FAMILY!
Haiti – We Haven’t Forgotten
By Marianne Boehme
It has been one month since I returned from St. Joseph Family Homes in Haiti. I realized as I began to write this article how quickly things are moving at the houses of St. Joe’s. The “Resurrection from the Rubble” can only begin when the old is taken down. That project is moving with great speed at the St. Joe’s and Wings’ sites. Last week, the demolition of “Wings of Hope”, the home for special needs children, began. It was a very large building, built on the side of the hills above Port-au-Prince. To see it being destroyed was difficult because we remember how happy and secure the children felt there. It was truly “home” to them. Wings of Hope was a place of hope, light, laughter, love, and God’s presence.
When we visited the rented home that the children moved into several weeks after the earthquake, we realized how limited their lives had become there, and how difficult it will be for the staff to continue to serve their physical and emotional needs. Ramps have been built over stairs to make them wheelchair accessible. The space is limited for education and physical therapy classes, and we saw the real need to change this situation as soon as possible.
The staff is dedicated to keeping a high standard of care for the children who suffer from autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, blindness, deafness, and dumbness, along with physical handicaps as well. Wings of Hope is blessed to have a sister school—Cotting School for the developmentally impaired, in Lexington, MA. Cotting School sends teachers and volunteers to Haiti on a regular basis, and directors from Wings also receive training in the U.S. at Cotting as well.
St Joseph Family and Wings have been blessed by a young woman who has dedicated her life to these special children. She truly loves the Haitians and their country. KC Bersch has spent the last ten years of her life working at Wings of Hope and the other three homes of the Family. She represents the kind of dedication it takes to love the poorest of the poor. KC was a real inspiration in helping me to continue with my work with Haiti Outreach Ministry. KC will be the first to tell you that the children of Haiti have given more to her life than she has given to theirs—once again supporting the belief that “You can’t outgive God”.
Original Wings of Hope entrance before demolition, Fermanthe, Haiti
Demolition should be completed sometime in July 2010
Wings of Hope temporary facilities
Community gathering of the students at Wings of Hope
Students dance and play drums to celebrate Flag Day in Haiti
KC Bersch, Director of Education walking down the stairs with Steve
KC attends to LuLu