January 2013 Newsletter - Maison Fortuné Orphanage

MAISON FORTUNÉ
Orphanage News
JAN 2013
Published Bimonthly
by the Maison
Fortuné Orphanage
Foundation, Inc., to
report progress of
the orphanage in
Hinche, Haiti.
Publisher: Cosmas
Rubencamp CFX
Editor: Gwen Costello
Graphics: Lauren
Lepper
Printing: The Diocesan
Print Shop, Norman
Howard, Director
www.mfofoundation.org
PO Box 3092
Chesapeake VA
23327-3092
I wondered how different my first Christmas
in Haiti would be from previous ones in the
US and in Kenya, East Africa. At 6:45 AM,
the tropical sun brought light and life through
a cloudless sky and bathed us, stirring 250
of us to awaken, sweep, shower, cook, and
dress for Christmas Prayer. Then at about
8:45, the tinny “dinner bell” chimed around
the campus and called all to gather in the
dining hall. The residents had decorated
a simple desk altar with a table cloth, a
nativity set, nativity scenes, images of the
Blessed Mother, and had then arranged
a circular prayer space around the table.
Four musicians—a violinist, two guitarists
and a drummer—and a residents’ choir led
the Maison Fortuné Orphanage family in
prayer and Christmas hymns in Kreyòl,
accompanied as always by joined hands and
clapping.
The MFO campus minister, Laurient
Leonard, and his campus ministry team
directed the prayer service. (Leonard
proclaims the Gospel in unison with
residents who recite each phrase after him,
a meaningful practice I like in liturgies in
Haiti). Many residents shared in the prayer
of the faithful, asking God for Christmas
blessings and thanking all who support the
orphanage. From the Gospel reading, one
resident asked me what a manger is. At first
I was stumped, but my Kreyòl and English
helped me explain: in Kreyòl the word
“manje” (pronounced “mon jay”) means
“food” or “to eat.” So I was able to tell her:
“a manger is a box from which animals eat
their food.” Her charming face lit up as she
connected Jesus’ birthplace with her own
hunger for food.
As is customary, whenever we pray as a large
community, we have a “family” meeting
beforehand to discuss whatever the director,
Lefort Jean-Louis, the residents, or the staff
CALLED TO BE “BREAD THAT IS BROKEN”
Brother Bill Griffin CFX
feel should to be brought up. Jean-Louis
challenged the older residents to reflect on
the reality that Jesus comes to us as a child;
and that the spirit of the orphanage must
embody great reverence and respect for
the youngest among us, who are Jesus in
our midst. He stressed that at all meals the
older residents and staff have to insure that
younger residents have food first before the
staff and older residents have theirs.
As the prayer service and meeting ended,
older residents distributed a Christmas
morning treat of candy to each person and
then a plentiful brunch was served. Christmas
carols played throughout the day, and an
evening supper ended as the Walt Disney’s
classic film, A Christmas Carol, greatly
entertained, delighted, and enlightened
the residents. What truly made my first
Christmas in Haiti different and meaningful
was a deeper appreciation of our Lord as our
daily bread, and our call to be bread that is
broken and given away to others in loving
service. May we feel in the human hungers
of our young and old our call to live as the
bread and wine of Christ’s body and blood.
Children pray at the Christmas
morning service.

The sport I like to play more is basketball. I’m in the eighth
grade. The name of my school is Lycée Dumarais Estimé.
The subjects are: Maths, Applied Science, Social Science,
Spanish, English, Kreyòl, and French. My favorite subjects
are English, Applied Science, French, and Kreyòl. I’m not
very good in English but I want to be better. My teacher
English is Brother Harry. Brother Mike is also my teacher.
THREE TAKE UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAMS
This month three of our recent secondary school graduates
sat for the three-day entrance examination for Quisqueya
University in Port-au-Prince (“Quisqueya” is the Taíno
Indian name for the island Columbus called “Hispaniola”—
now home to Haiti and the Dominican Republic). “Uni-Q,”
as the locals call it, is a private university with a good
reputation for arts, science, and medicine.
Marie-Denise, our oldest girl, distributes
Christmas candy.
THE “ENGLISH CLUB” IS BEARING FRUIT
At the beginning of the Christmas vacation Johnny asked
me if we could practice more English than is possible when
school is in session. There were other boys too, and we called
it the English Club and agreed to meet every day. Johnny
didn’t miss a day, so a few days ago I suggested he try
writing, and below is the unedited result.
The club has voted to continue to meet on weekday
evenings. I hope that means that you’ll see more of the boys’
writing in the future. Most of the girls are younger, but they
also have a club with Brother Bill as moderator.
The Story about My Life
by Jeanty Edouard
Today I’m so happy to talk about my life. I’m from Hinche.
Now I’m sixteen years old. My mother died when I was
ten years old; my father is dead too. After the death of my
father and mother, I stayed with my aunt. She already had six
children so she could not take care of me. I couldn’t stay with
her.After that I returned to my home. I have four brothers and
two sisters who are older than me.
My brothers and sisters didn’t have the possibility to help
me. There is a woman named Nounou. She worked in the
house of Mr. Jean-Louis. I tried to talk with her after the
earthquake for she speak with the wife of Mr. Jean-Louis to
enter the orphanage. One of my brothers is also at Maison
Fortuné. I have a nickname; it is Johnny.
University-bound: Gulno Cambron,
Kenel Pierre, and Fernand Louis
Gulno aims to study medicine; Fernand, computer
science; and Kenel, agronomy. Their studies will, if they
are successful in the exams, be sponsored by generous
individuals in the U.S. We’ll let you know how they fared as
soon as the results are in.
UPDATE ON THE McKENNA TECHNICAL
INSTITUTE
On January 3 at 6:30 a.m. work began on the trade school,
which will rise on property across the street from Maison
Fortuné. We have every hope that classes will begin on its
projected agronomy and business administration programs
this fall. Young men and women from the orphanage will
be eligible to attend.
If you wish to receive a copy of the MTI plan, please
contact the Foundation Secretary at crubencamp@comcast.
net

JANUARY NEWS ROUNDUP
Brother Michael McCarthy CFX
Never a dull moment on campus! The Christmas vacation
provided ample time for a host of activities here on campus
for the young men and women who call Maison Fortuné
home.
• An average of five to seven young men gathered each
morning at to participate in the new English Club under the
direction of Jeanty Edouard, the president. They practiced
for 60-90 minutes with their senior teacher and friend, Bro.
Harry.
• A vacation wouldn’t be complete without a chess
tournament! In late December Olichard Jacques gathered
fourteen eager competitors in the game room and directed
them through four rounds of cut-throat matches. Bernard
Fabien took first place and the coveted prize of a large bottle
of shampoo; Hadad Jean-Baptiste ended in second place and
took the large deodorant; Jean-Roblin Florestal was third and
received his smaller deodorant, while Wesly Florvil was in
fourth place with a consolation prize of a large roll of toilet
paper—to the great amusement of all (don’t worry, we gave
him another prize as well later on).
• BINGO always draws great crowds. This year we had
144 who played including a session for the 3rd and 4th
graders, who were so happy and felt so grown up! Then
we did groups for 5th and 6th graders; two for the girls of
all ages and two for the high school boys. We separate by
age because of the nature of the prizes, which range from
marbles and match-box cars for the little guys, to basketball
shorts and deodorants and even small suitcases for the older
folks. This year we featured a coveted prize of a watch for
the high school students.
• A vacation night wouldn’t be complete without the refrain,
“Frè Bill, do we have a movie tonight?” and during this
vacation the common response was “yes,” followed by a
stampede to the dining area where Bro. Bill featured many
films for the boys and girls. When school resumes, such a
treat is limited to Friday and/or Saturday nights.
• We have been gifted with many visitors: Fr. James Griffin
brought some parishioners and family members from St.
Mark’s in Virginia Beach; ten students and two professors
of health-care management from the University of Colorado
stayed with us; Seton Hall University’s 15 students enlivened
the campus with much joy and gifts for the kids; Virginia
Tech’s Newman Club spent a weekend, followed by a team
from Eastern Virginia Medical School; a dental team of 20
saw many of our residents; and they were followed by Cindy
Bailey’s mobile clinic team of seven. This year we hosted
for the first time a visiting group from Siena College (near
Albany NY) and look forward to their return in the future.
Chess tournament winners Wesly,
Bernard, Hadad, Jean-Roblin, and Club
President, Olichard
These visiting faces encourage all our budding artistsentrepreneurs
to display their paintings, bracelets, baskets,
and most recently, painted rocks, in hopes for some purchases
and pocket money for the beginning of the new semester. It’s
a hoot!
Yes, we are blessed indeed; our God is a God of connections,
who enriches our lives with people who support us
spiritually, socially, and financially. Mèsi, Bondye, mèsi;
thank you, God, thank you.
THE ENDOWMENT CAMPAIGN 2007-2012 IS
CONCLUDED
On December 31, our five-year endowment fund
campaign, launched in October 2007, concluded. As you
know, the purpose of the invested Fund is to providing
sustaining support for the orphanage for the future. The
Fund is managed by a committee which includes the
Foundation Treasurer and Secretary, plus four folks with
financial expertise.
We will keep adding to the Fund until it reaches at least
$3,000,000 and then begin to use the interest for the
support of the orphanage.
We await the year-end report from our investors, and will
report next time on the results of the campaign. Many
thanks to all who have participated in this long-range
project!

GREAT (AND CONTINUING) SUPPORT
Chip Wirth, Foundation President and Rick Martin, Board
Chairman, participated in this year’s Beaver County
[Pennsylvania] St. Vincent De Paul Society’s annual golf
outing. Beaver County SVDPS hosts the outing every
summer to raise funds for their organization’s charities,
but they donate 75% of those dollars to Maison Fortuné
through the Foundation. It is remarkable that the Society
donates that much, but what is more remarkable is that
they have raised over $100,000 over the last twelve years
to support the orphanage.
Great organizations like Beaver County SVDPS make it
possible to house, feed, clothe, and educate the children.
Though our Board members enjoy playing golf, it is
meeting the wonderful people of Beaver County and
thanking them for their generous support that really is the
blessing. The Foundation is grateful to all the Golf Outing
sponsors and friends, especially those that continue to
donate gifts, money, and prizes that make the event so
successful. Special recognition and thanks are due to
John Dudo and his sons for organizing and executing the
event, and to Rick Yarosz and Holiday Inn for supporting
our visit. The Foundation is humbled by Beaver County
SVDPS’s generosity and really appreciates the lasting
relationship it has enjoyed over the years. Beaver
County SVDPS is definitely helping us build leaders for
tomorrow’s Haiti.
DID YOU KNOW…
You can continue to support the children at Maison Fortuné
Orphanage even beyond your lifetime? Simply include a
bequest in your will (either a percentage or a fixed dollar
amount) to the Maison Fortuné Orphanage Foundation, Inc.
If you already have a will, but have not included MFO as
a beneficiary, you can do so by simply adding a codicil to
your existing document. By including the children of Maison
Fortuné in your estate plans you can extend your existing
generosity beyond your own lifetime—and what a wonderful
gift this will be for some of the poorest children in the world.
If you have questions or need help about including the
Orphanage in your estate plans, please email Richard
Costello (Chair of our Development & Marketing
Committee) at rcostello@xaverianbrothers.org or call
Richard at 804-966-2022.
PLEASE CONSIDER SPONSORSHIP
Meet Maxson
He has a wonderful spirit! Maxson is one of our 11th
graders at St. Martin de Porres Secondary School in
Hinche. He was elected class president two years running.
After graduation in 2015 (secondary schools in Haiti
require 13 years for university eligibility), he would love to
go to college.
Maxon was elected Minister of Arts and Culture at the
orphanage and he’s also a gifted artist. He can play the
guitar, sing, draw, and paint! He founded a small singing
group called “Lucky Boys Crew.” He writes most of their
rap songs and greatly enjoys performing them.
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Maxson,
email sponsorship@mfofoundation.org.
THE ORPHANAGE DOCUMENTARY IS
AVAILABLE
As you might remember, videographer Nathan McCann was
at Maison Fortuné last year to film a video documentary
about the past, present, and future of the orphanage. It’s
called “The Children of Haiti’s Future: Maison Fortuné
Orphanage.” This 26-minute DVD is ready for mailing to
any donors who wish to have a copy and is available as a
thank-you gift for donations of $20 or more. The DVD can
be used to host fundraising gatherings of your friends and
neighbors or just to get better informed about the kids at the
orphanage. To get your copy, send your check payable to
Maison Fortuné Orphanage Foundation, Inc., in care of the
Foundation Secretary, Br. Cosmas Rubencamp CFX, 1621
Grove Avenue 3-D, Richmond VA 23220.