UVa over the tar babies

Georgia Tech
over dook

Miami over USF

FSU over Maryland

Vandy over Tennessee

Oklahoma over WVU

Notre Dame over
Wake Forest

UGA, Bama, A&M, Florida, and S Carolina all beat their cupcake opponents

Upset Special:
NC State over Klempsun

Question for
the Week:
Why are the SEC powerhouses scheduling cupcakes in mid-November?

Raising Up
 A message from Pastor Rick 

Bonjou tout moun!

Epiphany's mission statement is to reach out, raise up, and change the world through the light of the living Christ. For the past four years we also have been a covenant congregation with the Haitian Timoun Foundation. Its mission is to create a future of hope, sustainability, and dignity for the children of Haiti. Epiphany's solid partnership with HTF and HTF's partners in Haiti is making the mission statements of both Epiphany and HTF more than just words on a piece of paper.

One of our signature partners in Haiti is Fondasyon Tetkole pou Demen Miyò. This initiative was founded by Verbo Jean-Julien and is 99.5% funded by HTF. In English the name means "A foundation bringing heads together for a better tomorrow." The use of the word "foundation" does not mean that Tetkole oversees some endowment fund. It means that Tetkole is serving to lay down a foundation for children in the Jacmel area who are in extremely difficult situations.

The children of Tetkole are kids who had been abandoned to the streets, perhaps served in domestic servitude as restavèks, and have been gathered into the Tetkole community. For those children who have just entered the program and who may come from situations in which they were severely traumatized, Tetkole has a temporary shelter where the children stay for about three months. Here they heal from abuse, develop trust, get proper nutrition, and are prepared to live changed lives. When they graduate from the temporary shelter, Tetkole gets them placed in the community with a family, perhaps distant relatives, who serve as foster families. Tetkole then funds their schooling, providing funds for school uniforms, often made by employing a local seamstress, and books. The members of the Tetkole staff serve as advocates and surrogate parents with the school principals. With an open center in the city of Jacmel, Tetkole provides two meals a day, tutoring for kids, and a safe place to gather. Tetkole also provides vocational training, has two gardens where the children grow food, and has an orchestra for the kids.

Frank Ditore and I were in Haiti two weeks ago and we got to experience the fruit of our collective partnership - Tetkole, HTF, and Epiphany - with four of Tetkole's children. These four children are in their senior year of high school and have aspirations of going to college. This is remarkable in a country where almost 30% of Haiti's children never go to school, less than 20% ever make it past elementary school, and where only about 8% ever graduate from high school. Less than 1% ever enter college. For these four young people to have accomplished what they have is simply astonishing and is a tribute to what is possible when we choose to invest in people and believe in people. 

Tetkole seniors (at center) Luliane Benjamin, Darline Grègoire, Elizè Doirin, and Alexandra Mentor Marie Belagese with HTF board members (from left) Verbo Jean-Julien, Adam Hebener, Rick Barger, Brian Rindels, and Luckner Fond-Rose.

One of the objectives for HTF this year is to find funding to help these young people achieve their dreams. I pray that the people of Epiphany will be among those who will say, "Yes, I will help!" After all, to stand behind these kid is exactly what it means to reach out, raise up, and change the world through the light of the living Christ.

 I'll see you Sunday! 

God loves you and I do too! 

Pastor Rick 

pastorrick@epiphanysuwanee.org