Dear Ones,

Greetings from Haiti! Late winter is my favorite time to come to Hinche; the mornings are crisp and cool, and the rains, which turn our dusty streets into rivers of mud, have not yet returned. My reptilian roommate, a tiny lizard I have named Penelope, was here to greet me, and it was wonderful to see the staff and meet the new class of students.

I’m delighted to share that Hinche is currently calm, after the unrest of last year, and Carnival celebrations are in full swing. With luck, we very much hope to welcome volunteers back this year. We have missed you all so much! Volunteers bring us new energy, ideas, and of course, baggage allowance, which allows us to bring much needed supplies down to Haiti. The unrest in Port Au Prince has negatively impacted our shipping practices, and made it almost impossible for us to receive needed supplies. One more challenge working in Haiti!

MFH continues to serve the families of the Central Plateau, and we have begun to support a new clinic in Layaye. We are on track to begin building the new Carrie Wortham Birth Center in Fom Brun; we are planning to break ground next month!

Relationship building is such a huge part of who we are; we could not exist without our friends and supporters in the Central Plateau. Maternal health affects everyone in Haiti, whether directly or indirectly, and anything we can do to create strong families is welcomed. In the interest of deepening these ties, we have created the Carrie Wortham Birth Center Advisory Committee, made up of citizens of Fom Brum. We look forward to their input as this new center is born!

Additionally, we now have a Haitian School Board, comprised of community leaders in Hinche and beyond. Local input is essential for our continued growth, and we can only benefit from more voices as we work to educate the next generation of midwives.

We are also planning several online events for our family outside of Hinche, so watch our social media and your inboxes for more details. A big thank you to Community Engagement Specialist Anna for putting so much time and energy into keeping us connected, regardless of distance.

And as always, thank you so much for your continued support of our vital mission. Because of you, we can continue to provide compassionate healthcare, based on the most current evidence and bathed in love

Best wishes,