The Children

                      Power is also a luxury in Haiti. Many areas don’t have electricity at all and in the areas that are supposed to have electricity, the people spend days, weeks and sometimes months without seeing the signs of it. The average person can’t afford it.  The classrooms are so dark, they depend God to provide sunny day but when He does sometimes, candles must be used.  The children can barely see the board or to read their textbook. This also can affect their future vision. Parents can’t afford glasses. Power can be obtained by using an inverter. An inverter is a small box that is connected to a regular automobile battery. The inverter converts the power from the battery to standard household type current. The cost of a descent inverter ranges from $700.00 to $1500.00. The cost of a regular auto battery is approximately $65.00 based on the Haitian market. The combination of the battery and a standard inverter provides enough energy to power the school.

 These wooden benches, which are used to seat the children, are not comfortable yet due to the cost of wood in Haiti, they are very expensive.

Due to the limited number of benches, many of the children must stand during class. These wooden benches cost about $75.00 to $100.00 each to make them. You can help by providing one or more and that would relieve some physical stress to some as they sit while learning.

  Cooking is a whole day process in Haiti. No one can afford gas even if gas stove were available. They have to use cooking grills and charcoal to cook. Unfortunately, nothing can be done about this except providing funds to buy charcoal. If we have commercial inverters, we can hook up an electrical stove.

These young students are proud to display the clothing that was donated to them from stateside churches. Many parents saw the opening of the school as a miracle. The school was originally supposed to open in 1995. It didn’t take long to see children come in from all over, with ages ranging from 3 years old to about 17 years old.

 This is an old house Cornerstone leased to house the school for $1,100.00 per year. The rooms are very small however somehow, with only four classrooms; we squeeze 250 children in there. 

You asked about the condition?

  Horrible!

  If you help Cornerstone, we can fix this home, or lease somewhere else to provide a better environment for the children.

As you prayerfully consider giving to Cornerstone, just remember if God gives you more than others it is because He expects you help others from the resources He made available to and all is done for His glory.