“10 Positive Attitudes and Characteristics Haitians in the Diaspora Need to Cultivate to Contribute to Positive Change and Human Flourishing in Haiti

“10 Positive Attitudes and Characteristics Haitians in the Diaspora Need to Cultivate
to Contribute to Positive Change and Human Flourishing in Haiti” by Dr. Celucien Joseph

1. Commit yourself to a cause in Haiti—such as in the area of education, healthcare, community development, children’s rights, sanitary water projects, business, etc.—and maintain consistency in carrying out this cause;
2. Because commitment is associated with service, responsibility, and sacrifice, you need to keep your promise to the cause in # 1, that is, you would need to invest your time and resources (i.e. knowledge, money, goods) to realize that dream or objective;
3. Find a location, a place, or a zone in Haiti to contribute to that change; it could be a neighborhood in a rural area in Haiti or a metropolitan area (i.e. Port-au-Prince, Les Cayes, Cap-Haitien, Port-de-Paix, Jacmel, Jeremie, Govaives, La Gonave, Saint-Louis Du Nord, etc) in the country;
4. Do not focus on the negativities about Haiti or stereotypes about the Haitian people; rather, focus on that vision of yours and make it happen;
5. Be genuine to the people you are serving and empowering and be truthful about your service and dedication to that cause;
6. Love the Haitian people you are aiding and do not dehumanize or humiliate them; not only you are committing yourself to a cause, you are dedicating yourself to helping the Haitian people grow, flourish, and be independent;
7. Remember that people are not objects or things, but subjects of your affection and zeal;
8. Do not wait on strangers or another country to make a difference in Haiti and transform Haiti’s civil and political societies; be that difference and that change you envision for your country and the hope you want to be for the Haitian people;
9. Get rid of the victim mentality and stop blaming individuals, institutions, entities, or other countries for Haiti’s woes and the plight of the Haitian people; rather, take up your cross by assuming your own responsibility so you can contribute to meaningful and transformative changes in the Haitian society;
10. Remember that committing yourself to a cause in Haiti is not an individual project; rather, it is a teamwork and collaborative endeavor. Find yourself some good people to work with and some credible organizations to partner with to bring that cause or dream of yours to fruition.

 

 

 

 

Update: First Day of Class at Hope Academy de Bois d’eau (Port Margot, Haiti)

Update: First Day of Class at Hope Academy de Bois d’eau (Port Margot, Haiti)

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Hello, Friends: Today (Monday, September 16, 2019) was the first day of class for these amazing and talented Haitian boys and girls at Hope Academy de Bois d’eau. It’s both a joy and delight to see this collective dream of ours is being realized. I truly believe that education is one of the important vehicles to transform a country (Haiti) and help prepare the Haitian youth to become engaged and responsible citizens who will contribute to the common good and human flourishing in the Haitian society. In the context of Haiti, an engaged pedagogy is the most promising tool of decolonization and reconstitution of the (Haitian) mind toward a sustaining community and an effective and strong nation. Investing in education is to foster hope in life and impute optimism in human interactions and relationships; correspondingly, to invest in people and their future is to lead to the good life and the good community we all envision and covet.That is what we hope to accomplish at Hope Academy de Bois d’eau.

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The photos below of these haitian boys and girls attending their very first day of class brought tears to my eyes. I just can’t believe what’s happening today. The staff of Hope Academy de Bois d’eau and Hope for Today Outreach (HTO) and the parents of these little ones would like to thank you for all the support you have provided to make this dream a reality.

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We continue to count on your collective support and the cooperating efforts of various communities so that the students and (their) families at Hope Academy de Bois d’eau could fulfill their their dreams and goals in Haiti 🇭🇹 as well as the mission of HTO: (1) holistic and sustainable development, (2) improved and better human conditions (i.e. economic, political, cultural), and (3) strong civil and political societies in Haiti.

Peace and Blessings,
Celucien L. Joseph, PhD
President and Founder
Hope for Today Outreach

 

Update about the School: Hope Academy de Bois d’eau and a Gift for You!

Update about the School: Hope Academy de Bois d’eau

We would like to thank everyone who made a financial contribution through gofundme to support the opening of the new pre-school “Hope Academy de Bois d’eau” in Port-Margot, Haiti. The first day of class is Monday, September 16, 2019. 75 parents came to the School’s office to enroll their children to attend the new school. Unfortunately, we had to limit the number of students we can take and support fully to 25.

A Gift for you!

Would you please send us an email (hopefortodayoutreach@gmail.com) & provide us with your mailing address so we can send you a free copy of this new book, “The New Life Catechism for Children: 100 Questions & Answers to teach us how to live peacefully & relationally in the world” (Hope Outreach Productions, 2019) by Celucien Joseph

Please continue to keep these precious 25 young Haitian children and their family in your prayers and thoughts.

***By the way, since this book is published in three editions: The English edition, the Bilingual Kreyol and English Edition, and the Kreyol only edition, please do let us know which edition you would like to receive.

 

Blessings and Peace,

Celucien L. Joseph, PhD

President and Founder

Hope for Today Outreach

We modified the mission and vision of Hope for Today Outreach (HTO)

We modified the mission and vision of Hope for Today Outreach (HTO)

Hope for Today Outreach (HTO) is a Christian faith-based and non-profit organization that takes a holistic approach to sustainable development and human flourishing so we can empower the poor, the marginalized, and the economically-disadvantaged individuals and families. To achieve this goal, HTO invests in various (social) development projects and works in the areas of poverty, education, health, water and sanitation, agriculture and food, leadership, trade training, church renovation, spiritual formation, etc. We primarily serve families in the impoverished area of Port-Margot, Haiti to contribute to the Region’s development and growth, and human flourishing.

We maintain that showing compassion to and helping the poor, the needy, the homeless, and the prisoner is an integral part of the Biblical story of God’s restoration of humanity and the goods news Jesus preached.

***Would you join us in this great cause and great mission and great commission for the great people of Haiti?

“Hope for Today Outreach’s Six Major Projects for Rural Haiti Toward Sustaining Development and Human Flourishing”

“Hope for Today Outreach’s Six Major Projects for Rural Haiti  Toward Sustaining Development and Human Flourishing”

1. Establish fully funded (and free) schools (Preschool to High School) with arts programs, pre-vocational programs, medical clinics/facilities, and clean and sanitary water projects in Haiti’s poorest rural areas–10 schools per department;

***Haiti is divided in 10 Departments or Provinces, including Artibonite,
Centre, Ouest, Nord, Grand’Anse, Sud
Nippes, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, and Sud-Est.

2. Create literacy programs for illiterate Haitian adults in the most empoverished areas in the country: 10 literacy centres per department;

3. Establish vocational/professional schools with programs such as carpentry, plumbing, electricity, refrigeration, masonry, barber, culinary arts, etc., in 10 most needing rural areas in the country;

4. Create religious programs and theological schools to provide decolonial spiritual formation and training and to promote postcolonial hermeneutics and indigenous ecclesiastical practices: we’ll need 10 major centres: one per department;

5. Create Community libraries and community-activity centers: we’ll need 10 of those per department in rural regions in the country;

6. Create Teacher Education Programs & Leadership Schools in rural Haiti: we’ll need 10 centres per department

How to fund these programs and projects:

A. Through the development of Haiti’s agriculture and natural resources;

B. By soliciting assistance from Haitian professionals in the Diaspora to invest in these projects;

C. By establishing scholarship funds and grants;

D. By soliciting Haiti’s wealthy class and rich private sector to invest in these projects;

E. By promoting (and selling) Hope for Today Outreach’s intellectual resources such as books, cds, teaching materials such as seminars and workshops on leadership, health, and education, etc.

F. By encouraging generous and humanitarian individuals and families to add Hope for Today Outreach to their living wills, trusts, and estates.

***We are making the first step in realizing a small portion of our goals. In September 2019, Hope Academy de Bois d’eau, located in the rural area of Bois d’eau, Port Margot, will start running with 25 students. In the next five years, our goal is to start a medical clinic and provide sanitary and clean water to the population there.

Dr. Celucien Joseph is the founder and president of Hope for Today Outreach (HTO).

Our motto is “to remember the poor.”

Dr. Joseph’s New Book, “The New Life Catechism”

We are pleased to announce the publication of Dr. Celucien Joseph’s new book, which is available in three versions: The English version, the Bilingual edition: English and Kreyol, and the Kreyol version. All three versions are also available as an ebook on any online bookstore such as amazon.

Click on the link below to access and purchase each respective version of the book:

  1. The English version

The New Life Catechism for Children: 100 Questions & Answers to teach us how to live peacefully and relationally in the world

2. The Bilingual edition: English and Kreyol

The New Life Catechism for Children/Katechis pou yon Nouvo Vi Pou Ti Moun Yo: 100 Kesyon ak Repons pou anseye nou kijan pou nou viv nan lapè ak bon relasyon nan mond lan

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3. The Kreyol version

Katechis pou yon Nouvo Vi Pou Ti Moun Yo: 100 Kesyon ak Repons pou anseye nou kijan pou nou viv nan lapè ak bon relasyon nan monn lan (Kreyol Edition)

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Book Description

The New Life Catechism for Children/Katechis pou yon Nouvo Vi Pou Ti Moun Yo: Bilingual Edition (English and Kreyòl)The New Life Catechism is about spiritual formation and development and so designed to teach children about the great theological truths and ethical practices of the Christian faith. It is written with great theological clarity and precision, and rhetorical eloquence. This gospel-focused guide directs our attention to the relationship between the Christian life, society, and doing good works, and also focuses on how Christian kids should live in society and with others relationally and peacefully. It teaches us about the importance of difference and unity, and the beauty of diversity and multiplicity expressed through God’s creation and the various cultures, races, and ethnic groups God made for his glory. This study can be used in Sunday school classes and small groups on spiritual formation for children. The target audience include two different age groups: 3-7, and 8-11, respectively. Christian Parents and educators will read the catechism to the first age group; children belonging to the second age group can read it by themselves. Nonetheless, individuals of any age group will find this summarized statement of the Christian faith informative, insightful, empowering, and doctrinally sound. The overall objective of this book is to lead individuals, especially Christian children, to love God more passionately and affectionately, as well as to grow more in grace and in our knowledge and understanding of the Triune God and to achieve gradual maturity in our relationships and interactions with our neighbor. I also hope that The New Life Catechism will help the church to construct this new radical life we are called to live in this world and to combat and thus solve the crisis of biblical illiteracy among Christian children and adults in our culture, especially in Christian circles. The book is also available in French and Creole.

 

Katechis pou yon Nouvo Vi a met aksan sou fòmasyon espirityèl ak devlòpman. M ekri liv sa a pou anseye timoun yo verite sou gwo doktrin teyolojik ak pratik etik nan lafwa kretyen an. M mete aksan nan presizyon langaj teyolojik ak elokans langistik. Gid sa a konsantre nan levanjil Kris la e sou relasyon ki genyen ant lavi kretyen an, sosyete a, ak fè bon zèv ; epi li souligne ki jan timoun kretyen ta dwe viv byen, nan lapè, nan bon relasyon avèk antouraj yo ak nan monn lan. Li anseye nou sou enpòtans diferans ak inite, ak divèsite ak konplèksite, ke nou trouve nan kreyasyon Bondye a; e nou trouve yo tou manifèste nan divès kilti, ras ak gwoup etnik Bondye kreye pou chante glwa li e pwopagande renome l sou latè. Amplis, nou kapab itilize etid sa a nan lekòl dimanch ak ti gwoup sou fòmasyon espirityèl pou timoun yo. M anvisaje de diferan odyans oswa de gwoup laj : 3 a 7 an, ak 8 a 11 zan. Paran Kretyen ak edikatè yo kapap li katechèz la pou ti moun nan premye gwoup laj la; timoun ki nan dezyèm gwoup laj la kapab li l poukont yo.Sepandan, moun nan nenpòt laj ap jwenn kichòy e benefisye ampil bagay nan liv sa a. Manyèl sa a se yon rezime oubyen yon deklarasyon sou lafwa kretyen an. Li gen ampil bon enfòmasyon, ampil mo sajès, e li baze sou bon doktrin biblik. Objektif jeneral nan liv sa a se gide moun, espesyalman timoun kretyen, pou renmen Bondye plis ak afeksyon ak pasyon, epi pou ede moun grandi plis nan favè Bondye a, ak nan konesans ak konpreyansyon Bondye ki trinite. Amplis, m ta renmen tout kretyen reyalize matirite gradyèl nan relasyon nou yo ak entèraksyon ak vwazen nou yo. M espere Katechis pou yon Nouvo Vi a pral ede legliz yo konstwi yon vi radikal nan Kris la e konsa rezoud kriz analfabetis biblik ki egziste nan mitan timoun kretyen ak granmoun yo. Liv la disponib tou an franse ak angle.

 

***When you order a copy, 50% of the purchased price will go to fund the preschool school we are starting in September in Port-Margot, Haiti: “Hope Academy de Bois d’eau.”

Order Dr. Joseph’s New Book, “The New Life Catechism for Children: 100 Questions & Answers to teach us how to live peacefully and relationally in the world”

Friends:  We are pleased to announce the publication of Dr. Joseph’s new book, The New Life Catechism for Children: 100 Questions & Answers to teach us how to live peacefully and relationally in the world.
Cover catechism2w
Description
“The New Life Catechism is about spiritual formation and development and so designed to teach children about the great theological truths and ethical practices of the Christian faith. It is written with great theological clarity and precision, and rhetorical eloquence. This gospel-focused guide directs our attention to the relationship between the Christian life, society, and doing good works, and also focuses on how Christian kids should live in society and with others relationally and peacefully. It teaches us about the importance of difference and unity, and the beauty of diversity and multiplicity expressed through God’s creation and the various cultures, races, and ethnic groups God made for his glory. This study can be used in Sunday school classes and small groups on spiritual formation for children. The target audience includes two different age groups: 3-7, and 8-11, respectively. Christian Parents and educators will read the catechism to the first age group; children belonging to the second age group can read it by themselves.
Nonetheless, individuals of any age group will find this summarized statement of the Christian faith informative, insightful, empowering, and doctrinally sound. The overall objective of this book is to lead individuals, especially Christian children, to love God more passionately and affectionately, as well as to grow more in grace and in our knowledge and understanding of the Triune God and to achieve gradual maturity in our relationships and interactions with our neighbor. We also hope that The New Life Catechism will help the church to construct this new radical life we are called to live in this world and to combat and thus solve the crisis of biblical illiteracy among Christian children and adults in our culture, especially in Christian circles. The book is also available in French and Creole.
About the author
Celucien L. Joseph (PhD, Literary Studies, University of Texas at Dallas; PhD, Systematic Theology and Ethics, University of Pretoria) is a Christian theologian who is currently serving as the senior pastor of Jesus Center Community Church, located in Fort Pierce, Florida. He is also an associate professor of English at Indian River State College and a prolific writer in areas of Christian theology, ethics, history, literature, and race relations.”
Click on the link below to order your copy today:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VXWJ5ZX
***When you purchase a copy of this book, 50% ($ 4.56) will go to fund the new pre-school we are starting in Port-Margot, Haiti, in September 2019. The e-book version ($ 8.99) is now available for purchase on amazon, and the paperback ($ 10.99) will be available in a month. Please spread the news for the great cause of educating children for the future and for a new Haiti.

 

Cover catechism