We had a very quiet holiday here in Haiti, where the true significance of Christmas is not drowned out by the commercialism that is so much a part of US celebrations.  New Year’s Day is actually a bigger celebration here and it is a time to wish friends and family members health, prosperity and longevity for the new year.  Haitians everywhere celebrate the day by eating pumpkin soup and sharing it with others.  It’s a time not only to celebrate the new year, but to celebrate Haiti’s independence from slavery.  It’s said that when they were slaves, Haitians weren’t allowed to eat pumpkins and other vegetables, so when they achieved their independence they celebrated by making pumpkin soup and putting in all sorts of vegetables they had previously not been able to eat.  Many people think that if you don’t start off the new year with pumpkin soup, it won’t be a good year!

We trust that 2008 will be a year of progress for us as we expand our facilities and services to improve the health of Haitians.  We’re grateful for the things that the Lord has helped us to accomplish this past year and look forward to what he has in store for us in the days ahead.  Thanks for being a part of this challenging journey!