But for ACFFC special projects, in general nothing is changed significantly in Jacmel, but for rubble being cleaned up.  Despite the fact that many government agencies are pulling out of Haiti, declaring the emergency over, it is far from over. Rainy season is upon us. Shipments are getting held up in customs which makes relief supplies that much more difficult to send/obtain.

And the need becomes all the more great.

We are fortunate that our children are back in school, eating and all are sleeping in tents, rather than under woven banana leaves and bedsheets.  However their extended families and neighbors are not and this troubles them, and us. (Thanks to friends, we have 20 more tents headed down to Jacmel in the next week or so.)  They are distracted and absolutely terrified at the idea of sleeping indoors.  The cost of food is skyrocketing.  Cases of typhoid, diphtheria, and malaria are being reported.  And tension is building. 

So please do not forget our children, and do not forget their reality. Help them to be the hope for Haiti that they are. They are trying so very hard.  They are doing well but are traumatized by the earthquake - our logic is that if a building is standing now, it is fine - those who lived through the earthquake see it otherwise; can be another earthquake and the building can come down.  

I know that I keep asking for donations - please know that by supporting these children ongoing, you have become a part of a larger family which, by its size and generosity, moves mountains. And while we can not help every person in Haiti impacted by this horrific event and the start point of unimaginable poverty, by helping our children to be the hope of Haiti, we are helping to do so.

I was asked the other day whether or not all of our staff in Haiti is Haitian. Many NGOs are run a 'blan' or foreigner on site and the Haitian staff reports to him or her. Not us! All staff is Haitian. In fact, we have provided 14 jobs within the community (all staff paid fair and equitable wages), contribute to the economy (as a market researcher, I need to compute and project economic impact), and help to prepare our children for the future.

So, yes, it is about our children. And they glow. And they giggle in the night, whispering from one tent to the next in the cluster. It is also about those whom they love and who love them.

We continue to provide updates to share information related to our children, their amazing accomplishments, and the situation at hand.

- Each child has selected a piece of rubble from the earthquake, meaningful in terms of place, written about it and painted about it.  This is to be curated and will become part of an exhibition of ACFFC and post-earthquake art.

- We have begun a Memorial Wall project (thanks to Mayor Edwin Zenny who has provided approval and location, as well as Laurel True, mosaic artist and Nancy Josephson, mosaic artist, musician and ACFFC Board member) which will be completed before January 12 2011 and a Remembrance Ceremony is being planned. 

- Some of our children are working with the Canada Globe & Mail to provide images ongoing for the newspaper's Jacmel Project (thanks also to Jen and Guy Pantaleon, Zanmi Lakay and the photo workshops they conduct at ACFFC). 

- Tara Langlois & Patti McIntosh of Junior Global Citizen Club visited in May. They are the authors of 'Theo in the Spotlight' as well as several other children's books. "On May 14, Theo in the Spotlight was recognized in two categories at the 2010 Alberta Book Publishing Awards; Book Illustration, and Children’s & Young Adult Book Award. Theo in the Spotlight: A Concert for Haiti is taking to the stage at the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival this August. Follow Theo and Ollie getting ready for this very special production … especially the production sets by the students of the Art Creation Foundation for Children in Jacmel, Haiti! http://juniorglobalcitizen.org/blog." 

- And having met Georges Valris, some of our children have designed and are now working on sequin and beaded flags under the guidance of several drapeau artists.   Incredible.

It is good that they are busy for otherwise it would be harder for them, as it is for so many children in Haiti.  All a part of the 'new normal.' All I know is that Haiti is a struggling and vibrant nation and that our children are the hope of and hope for Haiti.

Mesi anpil.
Judy