If you are desperate, the little ones from Bois Negresse's preschool classes are not. They Know Santa Claus will not come by car this time because the road to Bois Negresse was damage by hurricane Sandy and still in bad condition. They all think that Santa Claus will come from the sky. Happy and on the mood of Christmas, they all step out and waiting for him to come and bring gifts for them.

This year SOH wants to do better than last year, but still can't reach its goal to give all 3050 children through our sponsorship program a gift for Christmas. So, it's not too late to share even the change of your pocket by donating it to buy a Christmas gift for a child. Please do, they are on their school yard every day waiting for Santa Claus to come. You are their real Santa and you can make it happens!

Myrtha Dor

Director

Star of Hope, Haiti

In some ways giving during the Christmas season can be every bit as daunting as going to a black Friday sale at a technology superstore! The solicitations and information from each non-profit and mission can overwhelm the best of us. How do we choose? How can we truly be a cheerful giver?

Idea #1 – Pick a cause that excites you, not one about which you feel guilty. If you want to be a cheerful giver, give to something that gets you passionate enough to share it with your friends. We’ve all seen images that make us want to help from a sense of guilt. Rather, give to an organization whose vision and goals get you excited.

Idea #2 – Be generous, but not foolish. No matter how much we give, the needs are there and often we feel we should give more. But if we give beyond our means, it ceases to be fun and becomes poor stewardship on our part.

Idea #3 – Do your research. In addition to the material before you, check out other sources to be sure the organization is legitimate. Sites like www.guidestar.org can serve as a great resource to help you relate what the organization says with what it truly accomplishes.

Idea # 4 – Give locally as well as globally. We live in a big world, but hurting people can be found everywhere, even in your own neighborhood. Find non-profit organizations and ministries to give to in your city as well as some that work nationally and internationally.

Idea # 5 – Give more than your money; give your time. It is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. To be a cheerful giver, give of yourself this year and serve somewhere. It is more likely you will find greater joy in this than any other activity.

Idea # 6 – Talk to your friends and family about giving. They might have some great non-profit organizations they know about and can offer insight through their experience.

Idea # 7 – Check out organizations that have local offices. They offer the advantage of being able to visit and talk with someone you might know.

Remember, when you begin to think, “What can I possibly do to help end hunger around the world? I can’t even help the hungry people on this street!” -- Mother Teresa responded to this question with, ”you just need to do the thing that’s in front of you. No more.  No less.”

Barry Borror
President & CEO
Star of Hope
www.starofhope.us

Report from Elena Titova and the "Belarusian association of assistance to children and young people with disabilities"

BelAPDIiMI participated in the preparation and carrying out of the conference "Modern approaches to diagnosis and treatment of mental and behavioral illnesses".

Key specialists from the Ministry of Health, specialists from medical educational institutions, chief psychiatrists and directors of residential institutions, specialists in the field of psychiatry and psychiatrical support from Germany and representatives of NGOs were among the participants of the conference.

Our organization made a report about new opinion of people with intellectual disabilities and about creation of new alternative forms of living for people with disabilities outside big residential institutions.

There are still more than 17 000 people (4 000 children) living in residential institutions in the Republic of Belarus.

In the country side meat is present on the table only on market day that is usually once a week. But, as meat holds the same vitamin as beans, people cook and serve beans more often as soup to eat with any cereal available. Black, Red, Butter, Pinto, Pigeon, Sweet peas and Lima, they are all different kind of beans and the first component in the daily Haitian meal and the most expensive cereal today in Haiti. In Haiti the eating habit is "eat beans". Beans are served either as a soup or it's cooked together with some type of cereal such as: rice, corn meal or millet.

...different beans of Haiti

one of Star of Hope's Schools, beams on the menu; lots of beans

When the beans are cooked together with any cereal, the food must be topped with any kind of meat sauce to make it easy to eat.

Haitian eating habits and the survival farming culture makes it a must for all peasants to plant beans in their fields or in their little plots; sometimes even around their house. Within 2 months they start eating the soft pods as vegetable, later as green peas this pick and eat behavior will continue until they harvest and dry the beans. Once dried, some of the beans are sold and the money is kept as savings or for daily expenses. The remaining beans will then be used as consumables until the next season. It is so that the Haitian peasants base family bean production on their own eating habits and customs. The bean production is a consumable as well as an insurance to renew the next plantings as in a stock of bean seeds is always available after each harvest. This is "NOT" the case now.

sustenance farmers and families have lost the bean crop

When Sandy swept over Haiti 3 weeks ago, the flood that it caused is the worst enemy for beans; the flood had killed all beans plantations. The nationwide plantations were just 1 week away from harvest. . From the loss of beans plantations the price of 1 pound of beans went from $ 1 USD to $ 1.80 USD and today to $ 2 USD making it really impossible for the substance farmers and the peasants who have no revenue to EVER be able to afford eating or serve beans on their family table. Furthermore, it is now very difficult for our schools to run the feeding programs because of the high price of beans that we consume everyday as soup in our feeding program. Star of Hope can't skip a day because for many children it is the only hot meal that the children have for the whole day.

mother and son with a bean meal

Now the time for turning the soil is approaching to prepare for the next season. No government assistance is available. They said and feel that Santa Claus is already on his way with a donkey carrying a loaded basket that holds on one side: goats, chickens, shovels, pix, Chinese knives, seeds and fertilizer to restart life back in the communities. And on the other side of the basket: rice, beans, oil and sugar for the family to cope with the actual starvation while Santa will not forget to garnish the basket with toys for the children.

I wish that Santa will make no stops around and coming straight to the peasants' door as everyone in the country side is living on God's Mercy.

Myrtha Dor, Director - Star of Hope, Haiti

Friday Nov 16, 2012

Giving Thanks for Giving Hearts

I have been encouraged this week in an unexpected way.

I learned this week that our co-workers in Moldova, the poorest country in Europe, were moved to help the Haitians recover from the tropical summer storms. Our co-workers there in Moldova don't have much, but together they gave more than $300 toward relief efforts!

Reminded once again that it is our people who make the difference really encouraged me and reminds me to give thanks for them. It also makes me want to do even more.

This Thanksgiving please remember to give thanks for those who give of themselves to help others. Be encouraged that with all the turmoil in the world, there are good people and good things.

Facebook? Twitter? 

By sharing Star of Hope with your personal followers and friends you might multiply the good that you do yourself. Would you please share your involvement with Star of Hope?

It is easy and fast. Simply click on these share buttons and add your own comments. Together maybe we find a sponsor of one more child.

Now that would be a special thing this Thanksgiving.

Thank you

Barry Borroor

This week we had a visit from Star of Hope Trinidad Manager, Naomi Reed.

In Trinidad Star of Hope supports two preschools located in poor slum areas. By law, primary school in Trinidad is available to all and it is both free and compulsory. The reality is, however, the children need to have a basic knowledge to be admitted. To have that, they need to have gone to preschool before they begin primary school. Read More

Naomi informed us that she is in need of extra support; a large stove is needed to replace the old one that is broken. This stove and a 200 pound gas cylinder and installation is priced at $2,800.00 U.S. The cabinets for the kitchen remodel will cost around $2,500.00 U.S. The new kitchen size is around 9 wide and 28 feet long, they will have room to store everything and room to prepare the meals for the children and for a soup kitchen for the area!

Naomi and Mark talking in the office