9th Grade Leaves for Exam

Here are 15 of our 26 9th graders just before they got on the truck to go to Pignon. Their National exam starts tomorrow. They will have one subject each morning and afternoon Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. They are counting on your prayers.  

RAIN!

We have finally been getting some real rainy season type rains -- what I call gully washers! The people are happy since these rains will save the corn that is already planted and will allow other corn to be planted.
With this kind of rain, it comes down so hard and so fast, it very quickly makes streams out of foot paths
and ponds out of low spots.
And sometimes the wind blows so hard, the rain is almost falling horizontally! With this rain, I was sitting at the computer, almost half way from my front to my back door and I was getting sprayed with blown rain!

Pray for a good growing season for the people of the Plateau! 

Ladies Game Day

Last Tuesday, the Pignon Area Missionary Ladies' Social Club got together once again for food, fun and fellowship. Kristie Mompremier and her girls, Betsy (visiting the Cambells),
Jennifer Campbell with Alina and Chrissie her 2 foster daughters,
Debbie Lucien, Barb Howard
Kara Emerson and I gathered at Debbie's house for a potluck lunch and a game. The lunch was wonderful, the game (Apples to Apples) very fun and the conversation refreshing and encouraging. It was a much needed break with good friends and a time to get charged back up to finish out the week. There are no photos of me since I was taking the photos. And there are no photos of Debbie and Kristie's girls since they were off playing elsewhere! They had a great time too. 

While the ladies chatted
And enjoyed their game day,
Debbie's husband Caleb and his guests and the neighborhood young men had their game day -- cheering for Brazil in the match with Croatia in the World Cup! The Luciens set up a large screen and a projector to show the game.
People not only filled the yard, but lined the steps and the ledges and the railings of the first floor of the house! 

The End of Elementary School

HAFF does not have an elementary school. But HAFF does have a large enough venue that for the last few years, BTI has hosted the National Certificate Exam. Before a student can enter secondary school they must pass this exam and earn their Certificate.
This year, the third one BTI has hosted, there were 115 students from about 5 local elementary schools who took the Certificate Exam at HAFF. Both days of the exam, Tuesday and Wednesday of this past week, the day started with prayer in the school yard.
Then there was a flag raising ceremony with the singing of the Haitian National Anthem.
The students were given their directions as to which of 4 rooms they were to enter.
And for 2 days, the students answered questions about French, Math, Social Sciences and other subjects. Some of these students will be 7th graders at BTI next year. 

Prayer and Thanksgiving Service

Yesterday morning, the 12th and 9th grade classes at BTI gathered in the school devotions room for a service of thanksgiving for a good school year and of prayer for the national exams both classes will be taking in the weeks to come. There were also some students from last year's 12th grade class who are taking the last year of secondary school elsewhere this year. They have their own exam next month.
The service was 2 hours long and included the singing of many hymns and choruses. My cook could hear from my house and she said that the singing brought her life!
There was also lots of special music. BTI has been blessed over the years with many musically talented students. Most Haitians can sing and many play instruments. But BTI seems to have an extraordinary number of students writing music -- contemporary Haitian Christian music as well as worship music. And there are lots of singing groups that spring up during the school year.
There were testimonies as well to God's faithfullness in provision, protection and blesings. And there were many expressions of gratitude to HAFF and the missionaries and the supporters in the States for enabling them to attend school. The testimonies fostered a real sense of thanksgiving.
Finally, as with any Haitian service, there was a message. Jean Jean Mompremier is a former HAFF staff member who is back in the area with his family ministering to the local church and training a number of church leaders. He likes to keep his messages short and to the point. And he spoke to the students about doing their best on the National Exams and not cheating. He challenged them to be people of integrity and to not follow the crowd and just do what is expedient.

It was an inspiring and uplifting service. And the students planned it from start to finish. 

National Exams

Tomorrow at noon HAFF's driver, Elizert will take the 9th grade class to Pignon. They will stay with a pastor friend of HAFF's. Monday through Wednesday of this coming week, they will take their National Exam that will determine if they can go on to 10th grade. Keep them in prayer as they have these last few days to prepare and as they undergo the test during the week. I will try to take a class photo before they go tomorrow and will post it so you can see them.
This is the Rhetorique, or 12th grade class. They too are preparing for a National Exam, this one is called the Baccelaureat I Exam. This is the first of the 2 exams they must pass to graduate from High School. And they must pass this exam to go on to the next, or Philosophe year. The exam will be in Grande Riviere du Nord near Cap Haitien from June 26 - 28. Pray for their preparations, their testing and their travel. The roads are getting dangerous as the rains wash them away.
You might remember these students from a post in the fall. They are last year's BTI Rheto students who received some financial aid to go to other schools for Philo. These students also will be taking the National Exam, the Bacc II, most of them in Grande Riviere. Their exam will be July 3 - 6. Elizert will be driving 16 former BTI students to this exam. Again, pray for their preparations, their exams and their travel. And pray for these students' future. This exam, if they pass, is the end of High School for them. Many of them would like to go on to College but few have the means. These young people are the future of Haiti. Pray for them and thank you for helping us help them. 

After almost a month, I am back!

It has been an extremely busy 3 weeks or so since I last posted things to the blog! We also had some problems with the internet during that time which made posting difficult. Morgan, my cat sleeping behind the computer is not one of the problems!






Greg and Barb and Rhoda left Friday, so I am the only American left at HAFF for another couple of weeks. Sophie and Ti Boots, the Van Schoycks' dogs are keeping me company.
In the evening Chans, Tim and Paige Motis' dog joins us and sometimes I have 3 dogs over for a slumber party!
Which does not impress Morgan in the least! But here is what has been happening!  

13 May 2006 The Young Leaders for God class graduated.
There was music provided by L'Or du Ciel
and songs sung by the Young Leaders.
There were speaches 

and a message

and then diplomas were given and sponsors and family members gave gifts.

Joviana Joseph, BTI teacher Ernest Joseph's daughter, stole the show!

And everyone enjoyed the delicious food at the reception