An Opportunity To Celebrate
We are pleased to announce today that Deborah Straughan will be joining the COHH staff on October 1st as our new Executive Director. Deborah comes to us with experience in working with NGOs in Belize to build housing and schools and fundraising to support the efforts in Belize. Deborah is committed to the well being of children. When asked why she chose COHH, she responds with enthusiasm – “COHH is all about making a difference in the lives of children in a country where for all intents and purposes they have been neglected and forgotten.” “I want to be a part of the drop in the bucket that changes the future of these children,” she continues. Today we celebrate Deborah for her commitment to the vision of COHH.
We also celebrate Jean Gabriel, our new Executive Administrator-Hinche who will be joining us November 1st to lead our staff at the orphanage. For Jean, his coming to Hinche will be a return from the United States to his homeland. We are excited Jean’s leadership in opening our home to orphans for the first time. Jean will also lead the effort to complete construction of our school. We are looking forward to having the new space available for our growing number of classes. Both of these efforts will, of course require additional staffing to oversee the children and to maintain and operate the orphanage and school. “I am anxious to get started” says Jean. “I know we are at an important point in the history of COHH and I am happy to be a part of it.”
We invite our friends to help us celebrate. Your continuing support made this time of celebration possible. Every contribution makes a difference. The concert in Melbourne (Australia), the 3rd grade class in Alberta (Canada), the single donor in Auckland (New Zealand), the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.-Tempe Alumnae Chapter in Tempe (Arizona), the children that invite their friends to donate to COHH in lieu accepting birthday gifts, the wedding couple in San Francisco (California) that included COHH on their registry, and the artists that donate their works to COHH for auction, are all examples of our many friends.
Finally, we celebrate God’s blessings. With the retention of Deborah and Jean, the outlook for achieving our vision has never been brighter. No, we have not solved all of the challenges and the road ahead remains uncertain. However, we celebrate milestones that give us renewed hope and spirit that we can achieve our vision. For this we give thanks to God and celebrate.
