On 9-24-10 my son Bernie, Architect Paul Fallon and Pastor Lex Edme traveled into Haiti to see the land in Grand Goave that one of Lex's parishioner had found for us to buy. It was a beautiful piece of land with a Mango Tree plopped right in the middle of the land. It was up on a hill like the Hotel Montana where Britney perished with Christine, Courtney, Stephanie, Professor Bruno and Professor Hartwick. This is why we chose the site, my son Bernie knew it was the right place the second he stood on it - and even more appropriate as Britney and the Lynn U's Journey of Hope were supposed to travel to Grand Goave the day after the earthquake to build a home. We designed the Orphanage in the shape of the letter "B" with 19,000 square feet of living space and to be placed right in front of the beautiful Mango Tree, Symbolic of Haitian Life, like our Apple Tree!!!
December 23,, 2010 was the day we left Boston for Florida and then Haiti. We had shipped a box truck filled with tools and it had arrived on the 21st in Grand Goave. With me was Gama Parayson who committed to helping build Brit's Orphanage as our clerk of the works, along with Brit's cousin Ross and brother Bernie. We spent the next 3 weeks setting up the work site and on January 9th, 2011 we had our official Ground Breaking. We had my sister Chris come down with Susan Wornick of Channel 5 in Boston to do the 1 year anniversary story and was instrumental in keeping Brit's story in the news. My sister Chris has been a child psychologist and advocate for children for over 40 years. She will head up our Program Committee which will write the instruction manual on how Brit's Orphanage will run when finished.
In 2011 I traveled to Haiti 20 times and spent more time in Haiti than I did in the USA. We hired 100 Haitian workers, Gama was in charge of the site as Clerk of the Works and Boss Fanes was the Job Supervisor. We set up teams of workers to just do the foundation by hand. We had created jobs and contributed to the local economy. We hired our neighbors to show our commitment to the mountain people of Ricondo. We had so many volunteers, it's hard to thank them all, but Joe Chiramonte was the one that stood out.
A man who owned a Mason Business in Saugus, MA saw our story on the news and wanted to help. He traveled to Haiti on his own dime and when driving to Grand Goave though PaP he couldn't believe his eyes, I tried to warn him, but it's unfathomable that 2 million people could live in tents in scorching heat for almost 2 years. Joe taught our Haitian workers how to bend Re-bar correctly, how to create a formula for mixing concrete in the 1 yard mixer by using 5 gallon pails to measure the cement, sand, stone and water. We consistently tested and poured the concrete for the next 2 years, I even brought the samples home to Boston so SG&H, our structural engineers could do the core testing. By the end of 2011 we were coming out of the ground with our first floor walls.
2012 was a year of accomplishments. I took 19 trips into Haiti and again spent more time in Haiti than in the USA. We were bringing the building to completion and volunteers from America were there to help. We had Plumbers, Electricians, Carpenters, Painters, they came from New Hampshire to St Thomas; it was an amazing year to see the face of humanity. All of these folks came to Haiti to help us help make Brit's Dream a reality and most of them on their own dime. The courage it takes to come to Haiti is huge, but to come volunteer in the poorest nation in the western hemisphere knowing that there is a travel warning from the State Dept. and over 100 people were kidnapped in PaP in 2012, is simple amazing to Cherylann and I!!! In October of 2012 we were interviewing for an Orphanage Program Director, whether it be a couple or single person and that's when we met our future Orphanage Director Jonathan LaMare. Jon was a professor at SUNY-Plattsburgh and had earned his Master's in international social work from Tulane University. Jon had done his Practicum in Rwanda at an Orphanage for 100 boys and had on the ground experience that we were looking for in a director. We took Jon on Columbus Day Weekend into Haiti after a few interviews; he didn't disappoint us. He was a doer and not a lot of talk. He was the son of a small business owner and knew how to get things done in a timely fashion and correctly. He was our guy to run the program at BLB!!!
2013 was a year of firsts, the dedication ceremony on 1-5-13 will always be a memorable day at BLB. With 70 family and friends of ours traveling with us to Haiti, it was a weekend full of Love and honor of Britney's Memory. Our friend Fr. Bob Lord who married us, baptized our children and gave them first communion - and sadly celebrated mass at Britney's Funeral; we felt it was only fitting that he bless Britney's Orphanage with a dedicating blessing. It was a day that we were most proud of because we also had Fr. John Madden who is our parish priest and who Britney just loved, he blessed her on her way out of church before he left for Haiti and inspired Cherylann and I to build Brit's Orphanage by saying "we cannot let her die in vain" and of course we said we are not, we are going to build her Orphanage.
We also had Pastor Lex who represented us the whole time in Haiti and kept us out of harm's way, along with Rev. Deb Pallatto Fontaine who is a Professor at Becker College and led the first College Britsionary's to Be Like Brit to help us build it; and Fr Brice our Haitian Priest at St Francois in Grand Goave. To see Brit's friends help us honor her and make this journey was just heartfelt and humbling. So many shared stories on our last night, they were so proud of being part of something bigger than themselves and new Brit's spirit would live within these walls at Brit's Orphanage!
On January 21st 2013 Britney's first child arrived at Be Like Brit, it was only fitting that it was her birthday as well, we didn't plan I assure you, it just happened. When Cherylann and I laid eyes on this little peanut of a boy, we fell in Love with him. His name was Kervince but went by Sha Sha, when I asked him how he was, he softly responded: "Grangou" (I'm Hungry), and Cherylann ran for crackers and I was just staring in his eyes and I saw life begin again. When Britney was born the doctor asked me to kneel down by her face when just her head was outside the womb and with a suction of her mouth, I witnessed life beginning, not knowing whether it was a boy or a girl, just these beautiful blueberry eyes. I saw her in the eyes of Sha Sha that day, I saw her beautiful smile, I felt her loving heart and I knew that his life would change forever as ours had and would continue to do as we brought all the children into their new home at Brit's Orphanage!
2014 was a year of change for us at Be Like Brit as we were bringing in more children and staff at Brit's Orphanage. We were busy buying the land next door to us and building an Athletic Field for our children would have a place to run around and play soccer. Then by chance, I email a neighbor who owns a steel factory and tell him that we are looking for office/warehouse space for Be Like Brit International Headquarters and he offers us 3000+ square feet for free for 10 years, thanks Doug and LeeAnn Peterson, you are another blessing in our lives. This space will give Cherylann and our USA Director Kristin Hervey a place to call home, the poor girl has worked out of her house and our dining room table for the past 3 years!
On top of that, Mark Leff my friend and banker for the past 15 years works on helping us acquire Solar Panels for the roof at BLB and he gets 50 of the 96 panels donated to us by Solect Energy. Then he comes down with a group of Electricians and Solect Solar Installers and they work literally from sunrise to sunset installing the Solar Panels and 48 batteries, I'm happy to say we are off the grid for 12 hours a day in Haiti because of Mark, Harry, Ed, Keith, Greg, Josh, Ben, Gama and my son Richie who drove the Box Truck with me from Worcester, MA to Miami, FL last July in 100' heat without AC.
On November 18th, 2014 our 66th Child, Kathiana moved into Brit's Orphanage. How appropriate that the last child would share the same middle name as Britney Kathleen. I have felt Britney winking at me on many occasions in Haiti and this was another one of those winks. When our 66th child arrived at Brit's Orphanage, it was a dream fulfilled by so many people, from the Advisory Board Members who traveled to Boston to help design Brit's Orphanage to 12 of us in December 2012 that got on a plane to help Zip Up the entire building and everyone in between that helped. The sticks and bricks are done, the Field of Hope is still under construction and the Operations Center in Worcester is a buzz with supporters of BLB stopping in to say hello and drop off a thing or two for the children of Haiti.
These 66 Trips in and out of Haiti have been hard on my body and they are long - sometimes traveling as much as 2 days just to get there - but they are rewarding. To feel the Love that is felt when a child loves you unconditionally has been well worth the effort. We have 66 Children at BLB and our Mission is still clear, "To serve the children of Haiti by establishing a safe, nurturing and sustainable orphanage in an environment where the can grow, learn and thrive". That has been the gift left us when she left us that text message almost 5 years ago. We have gone from saying we are going to build an orphanage to design, build, staff, fill with children, build a support structure in the USA to fulfilling Brit's Dream of starting an orphanage. I was under the impression for my first year in Haiti that I was going to help Haiti when in actuality, it was Haiti who helped me survive the most horrific tragedy a parent could suffer in this world. I continue to Keep the Faith in Haiti and the USA, and we are all grateful for your Love, Support, Prayers and Donations.
If I could ask for 1 gift for Christmas this year it would be for all 66 of our children are fully sponsored; that is my Christmas Wish. If you would like to Help us Help the Children of Haiti, just click on the link and I guarantee you, that it will make a difference in this world. You can sponsor a child for $33 a month or $396 a year. It costs us over $5,000 a year for every child to have the basic necessities in life: 3 meals a day, clean water, an education at school and after school enrichment program along with a strong Faith in God and Medical/Dental care. You can also give a gift this Christmas that keeps on giving as we will supply you with a Certificate saying you sponsored a child for the one you love!
http://belikebrit.org/sponsor-a-child/
