Dear Friends and family, As most of you know, I have spent the last year traveling back and forth to the small town of Ouanaminthe, Haiti in an effort to support a local orphanage and school. I want to take a moment to personally thank all you for your patience, encouragement, and support. Haiti's circumstances are desperate to say the least. It's an overwhelming situation, and one that I feel called to. Those of you who know me, know how much I love children, especially my own. Eric and I have worked hard to instill a sense of moral clarity into our children which expands the globe. We teach our children that reaching out to your neighbor is simply not defined by the four block radius of our neighborhood. It’s local as well as global. Having personally seen the need in Haiti, I am drawn to stand up for the children whose voice has been silenced by the overwhelming conditions of their day to day life. I’m currently working on developing an organization named “Restore Haiti.” This organization will be dedicated to bringing support and hope to disadvantaged schools in impoverished cities of Haiti. The people of Haiti place a very high value on education and yet the resources to provide such instruction are hindered by political upheaval, extreme poverty, natural disaster, and the scarcity of public schools. I want us to be committed to building schools, providing financial support, encouraging child development, and responding to the problems that face these vulnerable children daily. Whether it’s building a school from the ground up, securing sponsorship for teacher’s salaries, donating desperately needed school supplies, or providing training to school staff directly in Haiti, I need your help. I’m all about echoing the idea that education should be a right and not merely a dream. About now you may be thinking “just tell me what you need from me.” Glad you asked… Spread the word! Not everyone will be called to reaching out to this part of the world, yet I am confident the right people will be led to help. A large step in establishing this organization is taking people to Haiti to personally experience the need I am speaking of. We currently have trips in November and January to help accomplish this goal. We consider it a privilege to serve along side the people of the Haiti. I give you my word to set up an organization which echoes transparency, accountability and integrity. In the midst of utter poverty, the people of Haiti have taught me more about living, more about pure joy, and more about love than I ever expected. In closing, I’ve often been asked: “What is the driving force behind this project?” My answer is clearer today than ever. We recently celebrated our son Jonathan’s birthday. He would have been twelve. Through his fragile and short time with us, we fought desperately against a rare heart condition that had no cure. As a family, we know the pain of suffering through circumstances beyond our control. Like the children of Haiti, we know the pure grief of letting go of a dream which was simply out of reach. Once again, I’m faced with an opportunity to fight for something which has value and meaning; and this time, it has a cure! I can’t fight alone! I need others who will be committed to making a difference in the lives and future of these special children. Donations can be made to: OSUMC (701 E Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg, IL 60194 Attn: Martha Walker) Please write Haiti in the memo box as well as one of the following categories. ** November/ January Trip ** Teacher Salaries ** Food Program ** ** General Restore Haiti Fund