Congratulations Adam Wainwright!

We’re offering our biggest congratulations to Adam Wainwright on winning the 2020 Roberto Clemente Award! Adam and his organization, Big Leauge Impact, have changed lives worldwide, and we’re thankful to work together in Haiti. Big Leauge Impact has helped ensure that students at IDADEE are cared for and have what they need to succeed in school. Partnering with Water Mission, Adam and his team have been instrumental in ensuring that the IDADEE campus and the surrounding community have access to safe water and sanitary latrines.

Congrats on a well-deserved award, Adam!

Watch: Wainwright on Clemente Award win on MLB.com

How COVID-19 is Affecting Our Work in Haiti

Despite the rise of COVID-19 cases in Haiti, social distancing is near impossible. At this time, John Hopkins University reports 7,146 cases in Haiti, though that number is likely low due to a lack of testing. 

The kids and staff at EBAC, IDADEE, and New Vision Children's Home have quarantined as best as possible, sending a few people to gather food and supplies as seldom as possible. Due to these efforts and by God's grace, none of the children at EBAC, IDADEE, or New Vision Children's Homes have contracted COVID-19. 

All through this pandemic, health officials have reminded the world about the importance of proper handwashing and sanitation. We're incredibly thankful for our strategic partnership with WaterMission, who has provided safe water for all three children's homes, CHIDA, and the IDADEE community. 

Dr. Wislyn in front of the CHIDA Hospital

Dr. Wislyn, our Medical Director and the Director of the CHIDA Hospital, reports that CHIDA has seen seven cases of COVID-19 confirmed by Haiti's National Lab, along with numerous probable cases that went untested due to a lack of tests. Due to the nationwide shortage of tests, and ventilators, CHIDA is unable to care for COVID-19 patients. When someone showing symptoms of COVID-19 arrives at the hospital, a doctor evaluates them, and if necessary, CHIDA staff transfers them to the nearby hospital in Milot, where they receive care.

Through our strategic partnerships, we've been able to send a container of much needed medical supplies to CHIDA as well as a container of food to IDADEE to be distributed.

Surf City Haiti 2020

Every June now, for the last nine years, we have taken a team to Haiti to co-run a one-week camp called Surf City Haiti. Surf City Haiti provides fantastic opportunities for American students to serve with older Haitian students and run a fun summer camp. For the past three years, we've worked with a core group of student-leaders from EBAC to plan camp. We hoped to empower these student-leaders to plan camp all on their own one day. While we were heartbroken when we canceled our plans for Surf City Haiti this summer, these young leaders stepped up and planned a fantastic experience for their peers and the younger kids!

Because of your prayerful support and faithful giving, we could send a little extra money to ensure that Surf City Haiti still happened, even in our absence. Watching the highlight video on the last night of camp is a tradition, and we were grinning ear to ear when our friends in Haiti sent us the official 2020 Surf City Haiti camp highlight video. Take a look at what you made possible!

Fun facts

• Surf City Haiti was planned and led by older Haitian students this year.

• Each day of camp, the students got a delicious hot meal of rice, beans, chicken, beet salad, and fried plantains cooked by the women at IDADEE and EBAC.

• All of the activities were held outside and rotated daily between the IDADEE and EBAC campuses to promote healthy social distancing.

• Michaelson, a student at EBAC, hand-made all of the Surf City shirts this year. Talk about limited edition!