BRANCH LUTHERAN SCHOOLS OF HAITI
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Following Haiti's earthquake in 2010, several organizations in the WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod) responded with disaster relief and gospel outreach. These efforts include nutrition programs and health care for eight orphanages. Lutheran elementary schools were established at three of the orphanages. In 2015, responsibility for ongoing operations of the schools was transferred to Branch Lutheran Schools of Haiti, Inc. a para-synodical, non-profit organization. The group has funded the schools since October 2015 and is committed to faithfully continuing and expanding the work in Haiti.
Currently, 654 students are enrolled from the orphanages and their surrounding neighborhoods. Instruction is provided for children preschool through grade seven. Our goal is to add more classes so children continue to receive education through age 18 when they must leave the orphanage. Our orphanage directors are enthusiastic about the positive impact on the children and their community!
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“Many of my children would not learn to read and write if we didn’t have this orphanage school. Our children receive a religion class every day at school. These children are a light to everyone in the neighborhood.“ Yvette, Orphanage Director in Leogane
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“The children at my school are all memorizing the 10 commandments, Bible verses, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Creed. We have church every Sunday at the orphanage, open to everyone. The parents of the poor children of the neighborhood thank us for bringing this learning to their children. ” Boursiquot, Orphanage Director in Carrefour
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“My school is known for the quality of education. Every student receives a copy of Luther’s Simplified Catechism. If we did not have my school, all of my orphans would not learn to read and write – I could not afford to send them to a public school because of the costs. I would have to choose from among my children.” Jeanot, Orphanage Director in Leogane
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OUR MISSION:
Our vision for this ministry centers on the concept of "make disciples who make disciples" and includes three related goals:
1. Provide a pre-kindergarten through sixth grade Lutheran education for orphans and neighborhood children, adding grade levels as possible.
2. Identify children with the potential for maturing into called workers.
3. Plant Lutheran congregations in the neighborhoods around the schools to further support the schools and spiritually benefit the community.
An additional goal is to provide vocational training to prepare and protect the children who will leave the orphanage at age 18. Work on this goal is in progress.
Our vision for this ministry centers on the concept of "make disciples who make disciples" and includes three related goals:
1. Provide a pre-kindergarten through sixth grade Lutheran education for orphans and neighborhood children, adding grade levels as possible.
2. Identify children with the potential for maturing into called workers.
3. Plant Lutheran congregations in the neighborhoods around the schools to further support the schools and spiritually benefit the community.
An additional goal is to provide vocational training to prepare and protect the children who will leave the orphanage at age 18. Work on this goal is in progress.
OUR STATEMENT OF BELIEF:
We are a Bible-based community of international churches known collectively as Confessional Lutherans. This community includes the WELS and ELS synods in the United States, the Haitian National Lutheran Church in Haiti, and other international synods that share this confession:
We are a Bible-based community of international churches known collectively as Confessional Lutherans. This community includes the WELS and ELS synods in the United States, the Haitian National Lutheran Church in Haiti, and other international synods that share this confession:
