There are over 50 children in the free school  in Chauffard, Haiti who  come every day to learn  and prepare for their  future.  The families of  these children are  responsible to provide at least one uniform for their  child to wear to school.

Although this seems like a small expense to us here in the U.S., it is a significant expense for the Chauffard families.

Our CPI team is working on the long-term challenges of the school and have some HUGE goals for 2011 (more to come later).  However, for now we thought we would invite our friends and partners to help us provide uniforms for the children who need them.

If you would like to provide a uniform for one of the children, the cost is $20 and includes shorts and shirt.

The uniforms will be delivered by the CPI team when they go to Chauffard in October.

Simply click on the “Donating” tab above and select the “Set Your Own Amount – One Time” button and follow the prompts.

The deadline for donating towards the uniforms is September 5th.

Thanks for your partnership!

The CPI Team

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Months of work and dedication from both our U.S. and Haitian teams led to an amazing 14 days of impact in Chauffard, Haiti.

The Crossing Church team kicked things off with a medical clinic, children’s outreach, building demolition and leadership training workshops. Kendal Anderson (Pastor) and his team continue to invest in the future of Chauffard.

The First Presbyterian Church Team came the next week with 23 people. The team was amazing!

The building supplies – with which we were going to build homes with – were held up in the red-tape and chaos of the port. This meant we had to shift plans and redirect our efforts. We have become experts at “rolling with the punches” and trusting that God has his own trip agenda each time we go. So, here is a quick summary report of what our team was able to do with God’s re-assignments:

We sat down with a select group of Chauffard community leaders to truly hear their hopes, dreams, concerns, frustrations and vision for their future. These Visioning Sessions helps us know how to best partner with them as they do the hard work of developing their community.

Jennie and Marissa made several home visits to meet with, photograph and survey the families, to give us another perspective on the daily life of our friends in Chauffard. They also were able to distribute clothing and school supplies to these families.

The Children’s Team (led by Brian and Liz) led small group sessions with the Chauffard children learning English, practicing math, and playing games.

The whole team had the privilege of repairing the ravine road which had been washed out by a torrential downpour of rain. It was an awesome privilege to work with the locals and get the job done!

The Construction Team bought some materials and got busy on a whole new list of projects. They built benches and desks for the church/school, replaced and repaired doors and windows, and built a food pantry and shelving in the school building.

The team also built a platform system which allows the school and church to position the generator on the backside of the facility and run power to the main area. It may seem like a small thing, but this cuts down on the noise and smell of gas in the main meeting area.

The most encouraging aspect of all of this construction was the way in which it was done. Our team was committed to teaching the local Haitians how to use the tools and equipment we had brought so that they could use them for future projects. Most of the locals had never seen a circular saw or power drill. They were so eager to learn and practice the skills they were being taught.

Our team was also able to build 2 soccer goals and donate several balls and pumps. The locals could not get enough soccer. They proved to be much more adept at playing on the rocky surface than we were – no surprises there.

Regardless of whether we were busy with a project or waiting out a rainstorm – we kept our “main thing” the “main thing”…investing in the relationships we have with the Chauffard community.

One story has to be told (and shown in pictures). We were all under the tarp in the main building with over 50 locals (children and adults). We started leading songs and playing games and then someone suggested we have a dance competition (I think it was Jennie Ellis). Before we knew it, a circle had been formed and we all took turns dancing, laughing, playing and enjoying the gift of friendship and relationship God had given us. It was a blast!

We found an alternate water source and will begin thinking of possible solutions to capture, purify and pump the water up to the village area so the people will have better access to clean water.

Jonathan, who leads the Haiti team, deserves a HUGE “shout out” for his tireless, humble display of leadership and service to the U.S. teams and the people of Chauffard.

We are planning to send a small team back to Chauffard in Haiti to finish the House Project. The materials should be out of the port next week and then the Haiti team will transport the materials out to Chauffard. Our team will build at least one of the homes while training the locals so that they can complete the others.

Thanks again to all of our partners and friends who funded the house project, donated to send a team member on the trip, or who continue to support CPI through monthly contributions.

Click on the “Connect!” button at the top of the page
if you want to join this awesome cause.

Most Sincerely,

The “CPI Guys”
Kenny Ellis & Grant Nieddu

And all of the CPI Guys and Gals

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Haiti Media, Life In Haiti & Voices of Haiti

Now that many various photographers, videographers, and other artist-humanitarian types are arriving in Haiti, we are discovering amazing images and video that is very touching, sparking a softer side in all of us.

Life in Haiti Video

Gorgeous footage of the powerful Haitian people. Thanks to Mike Wong for sharing this one with me.

Life in Haiti-Canon 5D MKII & Glidetrack from Leclerc Brothers Motion Pictures on Vimeo.

Voices of Haiti, Daily Photo Essay by Jeremy Cowart

Jeremy Cowart is a photo-journalist who recently visited Haiti.

His mission was to simply ask, “What do you have to say about all of this?”

Some of the Haitians were short with him. But many received him warmly, as many Haitians do.

His images are powerful and the proceeds go to the Home in Haiti project.

My favorites are Days 36 and 37. They really capture the spirit of the Haitians I have met in our time there.

A shout to Blair Traylor for finding this one for me!

##

Grant R. Nieddu

(reposted from www.StateoftheSpark.com.)

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This was a powerful trip, as we laid the foundation for our summer teams and trips, as well as assessed the full extent of damage in the village we are working on.

Our team included Kenny Ellis, Jerry Carpenter, Tom Younger, Kendal Anderson and Jonathan Capre.  This was Tom and Jerry’s first trip to Haiti (I know, we made several references to the cartoon duo…and down deep I think they thought it was funny).

Jerry and his wife, Jorgeanne became CPI partners last year at our community dinner.  Tom is a General Contractor from The Crossing Church who was willing to assess the damage to our partially constructed church/school building in Chauffard.  Whether this was the first trip for those on the team or not, none of us could have prepared for a post-earthquake Haiti.

Port-au-Prince Post Earthquake

We left the makeshift airport and began our journey through the bustling, crowded streets of Port-au-Prince.  Regardless of how much media footage we had seen, nothing could prepare us for the undeniable and overwhelming reality of a city and a people shaken and crushed by the earthquake – literally and emotionally.

Amidst the endless piles of rubble and the overly-congested streets, you could easily spot those who had lost arms or legs in the quake.  The tent cities were a new reality and seemed to occupy every piece of land not already covered by rubble or buildings.  Our hearts swelled with sadness and compassion as we made our way through Port-au-Prince and began our long journey out to Chauffard.

Our Friends in Chauffard

We reached Chauffard at dusk and were greeted by playful children and their parents who had been waiting for us to arrive.  The rain had begun to water the mountainside and we unpacked quickly, visited with the few who had anxiously awaited our arrival and then bedded down for the night.

The next day we took a hike to the top of the mountain while visiting withfamilies at their homes along the way.  One of our school teachers, Willy, is standing next to what is left of his home after the earthquake.

He and 6 others lived in this home and now are making due with the shack and tent you see in the other picture.

The shack had been their “kitchen” but now has become their home.  We will begin to help rebuild Willy’s home and 4 others that were destroyed in Chauffard in the coming months.

We were able to deliver and distribute almost 1,000 lbs of rice and beans thanks to the much-needed support you gave.

We also helped purchase a generator that will enable the church and school to use the building at night for classes, community gatherings and services.

The people of Chauffard are hard-working, filled with warmth and hospitality and sustained by a relentless hope.  It was a privilege to be with them and demonstrate our resolve to continue working with them for a better future.

Although there were only a few of us physically there, we represented a growing number of friends and partners here in the U.S. who funded our compassion and continue to promote the cause of CPI.

Hope For Summer and Beyond

The trip was not only a HUGE source of encouragement for our friends in Haiti, it will also go a long way in helping us finalize our plans for upcoming project trips.  In fact, we will have our first team meeting with the First Presbyterian Church team on Saturday, preparing for our trip in July.  Kendal and The Crossing Church are also gearing up for the next wave of projects and trips to Chauffard.

Whether or not you can make the summer trips, you can always remain active and partner with us. Use the “Donating” and “Connecting!” tabs to get involved and join the cause! Thank you for all you do, and we look forward to hearing from you soon.

Gratefully,

Kenny Ellis
Director, CPI Haiti

Grant R. Nieddu
Assistant Director, CPI Haiti

CPI Guys Uncategorized

It is amazing to ponder how much our view of the world has been changed by advances in technology and transportation.  The internet connects people from around the globe in relationships centered on business, politics, friendship, romance, common interests and new ideas.  It places information about people and events thousands of miles away right in front of us through a screen.

The improvement of travel options also means that we can be in Miami at 9 am and be in Haiti before lunch.  All of this gives us the opportunity to live “glocally”.  This term means that we can be completely engaged in our local community and choose to make an impact in the lives of people around the globe – in places like Haiti.

Jennie and I enjoy a friendship that we have invested in for years with Ben and Cheryl Pace.  They are both school teachers at Philip O’Brien Elementary School here in Lakeland.  They are amazing teachers with classrooms full of bright young children.  They also happen to share our heart for Haiti and the work that is being done through CPI and our partners.

As a result, Cheryl asked Jennie to come share with the children about life in Haiti.  Jennie came and shared pictures, told stories from previous project trips, and used objects to help the children understand a “day in the life” of a Haitian child.  In response to Jennie’s presentation, the children began collecting money to be donated through CPI to purchase food for our Haitian friends who live in a village named Chauffard.  After a few weeks of collecting funds, the children had raised over $160.00.  This money will purchase 3-50lb bags of rice that will be distributed to families in Haiti in the coming weeks.

These children are living in a glocal reality and making a glocal impact.  They live and attend school locally, but have chosen to make a global impact through a partnership with CPI.  As a result, Mrs. Pace and her 3^rd grade class are touching the lives of children and their families in Haiti.  They now join a growing community of world changers known as CPI Partners.

Are you taking advantage of the opportunity to have a “glocal” impact?

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This past weekend, CPI was able to send our Haiti Network Leader, Jonathan Capre, to Haiti to deliver relief funds and purchase food and supplies for our friends.  He was able to connect with Jean Jacques, Claude, Jeremie, Chester and Moses in Port-au-Prince.  Each of them is living in tents – along with most of the rest of the residents in the capital city who are fearful of future quakes.  Jonathan was able to assist each of them with funds to purchase food and basic supplies they needed for their families.

Jonathan then began the journey up to Chauffard.  After several hours along winding, mountainous roads, he reached the village where we have invested so much over the last two years.  The people of Chauffard were spared widespread loss of life and injury, but did sustain damage and destruction of many of their homes.  As it turns out, the church/school facility that we have constructed is only partially damaged.  The walls and temporary shelter are still intact and serving as a rally point in the community.

Jonathan delivered rice and beans that were distributed to the people of Chauffard.  He told me yesterday that the people could not believe that he came. There has been no sign of international aid in these rural communities and the people feel as if they have been forgotten.  However, Jonathan’s presence sent a clear message that we have not forgotten them and are committed to our life-long partnership with this community.

We will be traveling to Haiti in April with a small team to finalize our project plans for the Summer and to deliver more relief aid to Chauffard.  Our personal partners, along with our Church Partners (The Crossing-Clermont and FPC-Lakeland) are gearing up for HUGE impact through our Summer trips.

There are several ways for you to continue your involvement or jump in for the first time.  Here are at least three ways to be a part of our mission:

1.  We need financial resources for the work.  No apologies – great work involves great resources and you can make a huge difference through an act of generosity.  Click on the “Donating” tab to give.

2.  We need people with big hearts and willing hands to join our project teams.  Click on the “Connect” tab to fill out an online form.

3.  We also need help with projects here in the U.S. as we strengthen our home base and prepare for the future.   Click on the “Connect” tab to fill out an online form for involvement.

If you want to be involved – we can find a way to connect your heart and hands to a meaningful role in the mission.

The choice is yours – do something great with your life!

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What is the PLAN for CPI?
1.  Jonathan Capre, who leads the CIM network of churches and schools in Haiti, will be traveling to Haiti as soon as it is feasible to assess how the people of CIM have been affected by the earthquake.  We have 4 CIM churches and schools that are in Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas.  Jonathan will be our hands and heart to these folks until we can be there. He will also be able to assess the roadways and transportation options available for teams to travel to Haiti in the next 6-8 weeks.

2.  30 – 60 days after that, we will have a small team of Personal Partners travel to Haiti to begin addressing the most pressing needs in the communities that we work in.

3.  3 – 6 months after that, we have at least 3 team trips planned with our Organizational Partners to continue our efforts and keep working our mission

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TED.com has offered the following powerful resources.

Google Haiti Crisis Response Page

TED talk Stories of Haiti by Edwidge Danticat

Ushahidi partners with Digicel for survivors to report in, areas of need, and a culmination of earthquake-pertinent information.

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We just heard from Jonathan and wanted to share good news.  Jonathan’s brothers and their families (Jeremy and Claude), Chester and Nehmie, Moses (Mois) and his family, and Jean Jacques and his family are all alive and well.  They are displaced from their homes, but they are alive and unharmed.  Thank God!  We will keep you posted with any new information we receive.

Also, Luke Remmer, our friend from HandsAcrossHaiti.org, will be on the Today Show this morning.

CPI Guys Updates, haiti, news 2010, earthquake, haiti, jonathan capre

GRATEFUL

First, we want to thank everyone for the continued prayer, phone calls, text messages, e-mails, networking, and fundraising that has occurred in the last 24 hours. We have been astounded at the immense support and encouragement that we have received.

The CPI GUYS’ RESPONSE

Second, we have been wrestling over how to respond to the extreme devastation in Haiti. Waiting for information from our Haitian partners has been nail-biting. We still have no information about the health of our friends in Chauffard, the safety of our friends in Port-au-Prince, or the condition of the new building in Chauffard.

It has been on the calendar for a survey and expansion trip with Personal Partners in late February or early March. Obviously the shifting of the land has shifted our priorities for the next 60 days.

To handle the many requests for immediate emergency support, we have set up our Earthquake Emergency Relief fund. This will help with our aggressive reconstruction and damage assessment efforts over the next 60 days. This will be immediately followed with preparations for a massive reconstruction and recovery effort over the summer with our current partners, The Crossing, and our new partnership with FPC-Vine here in Lakeland.

This is a restricted fund used solely for Earthquake Reconstruction & Restoration.  Please find out more and donate here.

HEEDING THE REQUEST OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE ORGANIZATIONS

1.  Jonathan Capre, who leads the CIM network of churches and schools in Haiti, will be traveling to Haiti as soon as it is feasible to assess how the people of CIM have been affected by the earthquake.  We have 4 CIM churches and schools that are in Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas.  Jonathan will be our hands and heart to these folks until we can be there. He will also be able to assess the roadways and transportation options available for teams to travel to Chauffard in the next 6-8 weeks.

2. To ensure that our friends and partners can participate in our efforts, we have set up our Earthquake Emergency Relief fund. This will enable us to send a small team (as soon as it is feasible) to deliver supplies and assess the long term needs in the CIM communities where we work.  This assessment will help us plan for late Spring and Summer projects with our current partners, The Crossing Church, and our new partnership with FPC-Vine here in Lakeland.

The CPI Guys and our partners are committed to this reconstruction and recovery, especially in the rural and outlying areas where aide and support are unlikely to reach for many months. You can help instantly by donating, joining our team in the spring, or, if you are a medical or search-and-rescue professional, please see The Red Cross.

Thank You so much for all you have done. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Most Passionately,

The CPI Guys

Kenny Ellis &

Grant Nieddu

on behalf of our Haitian friends and partners who still wait breathlessly to hear from.

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