The Haiti Education Alliance (THEA) provides education opportunities in Haiti to empower impoverished communities. THEA's objectives are to provide primary, secondary, vocational, and college education, support careers in medical fields, and promote self-sufficient communities. Current programs include a medical education program, agricultural training, sewing education, supporting 42 children in school, and partnership with a rehabilitation training program and hospital. THEA is run by a board and coordinates several initiatives through its field director Diony Etienne and local church in LaVictoire. Western Hills Church could partner with THEA through supporting its educational programs, orphan care, the church, and providing resources like water filters, school sponsorships, and medical insurance

1. The Haiti Education
Alliance
Mission, Objectives, and Role of Short Term Mission Trips

2.  700 miles off the coast of Florida
 Shares Caribbean Island with the Dominican Republic
 Illiteracy rate is about 50%
 Primary and Secondary School cost $80-150/year +
uniforms and supplies
 18% of the country go to secondary school (7th grade
and beyond)
 Few graduate from secondary school
 Most speak Creole, a colloquial language (only learn
French and some English in secondary school)
 Poorest Country in the Western Hemisphere
 80% of population are unemployed
Facts About Haiti

3. Where Jesus appointed, we take volunteers.
Where Jesus sent pairs, we send herds.
Where Jesus admonished for danger and quiet humility along the road, we opt for
vacation destinations and loud self-congratulations.
Where Jesus asks to be bringers of peace, we often bring chaos.
Where Jesus designed an opportunity for a disciple to lean into a new family, learn a
new culture, and serve under the head of a household (who best knows his own need), we
march in with a plan and the resources to “git'er'done” – completely missing out on the gift
of being “a worker worth his wages”.
What if the original picture of “short-term teams” was meant to show us this valuable
step in the process of discipleship, where we can learn dependence on God, love for others,
and how to serve well?
And what if we've taken that picture and turned it into a billion dollar industry,
creating dependence among the poor - not on God - but on the ourselves, damaging
Christ's image in the world, and missing the point entirely?
(Taken from www.theveryworstmissionary.com)
Healthy Short Term Missions – Do
It Like Jesus (Luke 10)

4. Mission Statement:
The Haiti Education Alliance (THEA) provides education opportunities to impoverished
Haitian children and adults empowering them to strengthen their communities and
emerge to a life of healing and hope.
Objectives:
To provide education opportunities at the primary, secondary, vocational, and college
levels for children and young adults in need within Haitian communities.
To support students to pursue career paths in medical related fields (for example:
physical and occupational therapy, medicine, mental health, and nursing) in order to
provide consistent, long-term rehabilitative services to those affected by the
earthquake and others, further enabling them to return to their communities with
valued abilities.
To facilitate community life skill educational programs in order to:
-provide hands-on training to young men and women in their community,
- increase job-readiness,
-improve health, and
-promote strong community relationships.
To promote self-sufficient communities and foster the importance of giving back to
one's community.
To promote advocacy and awareness of vulnerable populations in Haiti such as
children, families, people with disabilities, and the elderly.
THEA’s Mission and Objectives

5.  8 students meeting twice a week for instruction from
medical doctor in LaVictoire on wide range of medical
topics
 Access to Creole Medical Library – assignments using
these resources
 Medical Education Volunteer Program at hospital in
Pignon
 Enrollment of MEVP students in Hospital’s “Half-
Program”, where the hospital will pay for further
education in return for double the years of service
 Sending students to Medical School in Dominican
Republic and other countries – one student currently in
school
 Partnership with Rehabilitation Technicians Training
Program in Port au Prince (Loma Linda University in
Washington State) - 2 students starting this year;
affiliations with Pignon Hospital in the new Prosthetics
Clinic and with hospital in general.
Medical Education Program

6.  8 students enrolled
 Meet twice a week with Angelot, the
Program Instructor
 Work on training garden
 Working on gardens on their
respective properties
 Learning new concepts such as drip
irrigation, composting, natural
pesticides, etc.
 Potential for further agronomy
training
 Certificate of completion
after 1 year
Agricultural Training Program

7.  12 students enrolled
 Meet twice a week with Abel, the
Program Instructor
 Work with 6 treadle machines in
rented store front location
 Learning tailoring and sewing skills
 Working on business development
training
 Exploring the possiblity of making
choir robes to sell regionally
 Certificate of Completion after one
year
Sewing Education Program

8.  THEA run by Board of Directors of 14 members – monthly board meetings
 Pay salaries of Diony, Angelot, Abel and facilitate communication and
collaboration with them.
 Currently paying for 42 children to attend primary and secondary school
 Supporting one student in Medical School in Dominican Republic
 Have two students who will attend a new Rehabilitation Technician
Training Program in Port au Prince
 Have new relationship with Hospital in Pignon – Medical Education
Volunteer Program and affiliation site for RTTP students
 Fundraising – manage website
 The hope is that students enrolled in the 3 tiers of educational programs
in LaVictoire will be inspired and enabled to attend further education in
these fields (This is the first class of students)
 Open to the direction of the Spirit to further the mission and objectives of
the organization in LaVictoire, Haiti
Other THEA Initiatives

9.  Meet in tent
 Approximately 65 members
 Meet on Sunday mornings for
worship
 Meet for mens’ and womens’
Bible studies during week
 Have mens’ leadership
committee
 Collectively care for 22 orphans
– providing for physical,
emotional and spiritual
development
 Have a womens’ choir
Church in LaVictoire

10.  Preacher for the church and Field Director for
THEA
 Attended ACU Preaching School in Port au Prince
 Coordinates all of THEA’s educational programs
 Responsible for 22 orphans along with his family
and the church
 Supports his mother, father and 3 brothers
 Engaged to be married this summer
 Coordinating the building of new home for
orphans and relocating tent church to family land
Diony Etienne

11.  Great need – physical poverty/spiritual wealth, educational deficit/ hungry for God
and for knowledge,
 Close proximity to US – affordable flights from Austin, Dallas
 Great way to plug short term teams consistently into a long term, sustainable
mission effort in one location over a period of time
 Short term opportunities: Support the three educational tiers of this organization
(medical, agricultural, sewing), work with the orphans (VBS type activities), work
with the church to promote local, culturally relevant evangelism.
 Opportunity for every member of Western Hills to be a missionary – unified with a
collective effort.
◦ Provide water filters - $58 each
◦ Monthly sponsorship for children to attend school - $12/month - $144/year
◦ Fundraising opportunities year round
◦ Sponsor medical care insurance plan (Five Loaves) through Promise for Haiti
organization - $200/year per person with family cap of $1000/year (see handout)
 Contributing financially to THEA to add this as benefit for THEA employees
Possibilities for a Western Hills
Partnership with THEA

12. “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers
are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest,
therefore, to send out workers into his
harvest field.”
Luke 10:2