Home ~ Calendar ~ Newsletter ~ Commissions and Ministries ~ Preschool ~ Photo Gallery ~ Contact Us

International Mission

House of Hope Orphanage, Haiti: The House of Hope provides s home and education for 115 children.  Since 1995, Good Shepherd has supported this orphanage with monthly contributions for food and basic support for the children.

For years now, Good Shepherd parishioners have been sponsoring the education of many orphans who live at the House of Hope in Haiti.

This year 56 students, residents of the House of Hope, are attending Ste. Croix, the Episcopal School in Leogane. That's a few miles from Gressier where the House of Hope orphanage is located. An additional 4 students were scheduled to attend the state supported Philosophy School for one year in preparation for higher education.  The state Philosophy School did not have places for the four students who graduated from Ste. Croix, so Father Deravil started Philosophy School classes for them, and for others who were also denied enrollment, so that the students would be ready for college or a trade school next year. 

We have scholarships for 45 of the 60 students, but need sponsors for the other 15. It takes only $165 a year to pay for a student's education.  If you are interested in helping with the worthy cause, please contact Arline Easely. 

There have been two students who have graduated from Ste. Croix and have completed Philosophy School.  One of these is studying engineering at a local University in Port-au-Prince and the other one is starting his education at the Episcopal University in Port-au-Prince where he is studying theology so that he can become an Episcopal priest.  At least seven students have been confirmed at Ste. Croix, several serve as acolytes for Sunday services at Ste. Croix, and others perform in the HOH choir for services on some Sundays. 

We have supported the Episcopal Secondary School that the HOH students attend by providing about 400 recorders donated by Fairfax County Fine Arts Department from 4^th grade students who no longer would be using them.  There were enough for Pere Deravil, the Director of Ste. Croix, to share with other schools that he supervised as well as with Ste. Croix.  We also asked the congregation to look for musical instruments that were no longer being used to send for Ste. Croix students after a music teacher was hired at the school.  The congregation donated trumpets, a viola, a flute, guitars, a banjo, and other brass horns.  Pere Deravil was very grateful as were the music students at Ste. Croix.

Early in our history with the House of Hope, Good Shepherd families donated $14,000 to build two dormitories, one for the boys and one for the girls. The congregation helped buy land for the orphanage as well.  We also helped build a wall around the HOH complex to protect the students from harm.  At other times we have sent clothes, shoes, towels/washcloths, over the counter medicines, and underwear. 

Our Christmas "virtual stocking” donations have included small calculators, inexpensive watches, and games including dominoes, checkers, Chinese checkers, marbles, card games and jump ropes.  HOH Director Alice Barthole takes the children shopping at the local markets for clothes they need with the major portion of the Christmas Stocking funds.

Church of the Good Shepherd ~ 9350 Braddock Road, Burke, Virginia 22015 ~ 703-323-5400 ~ Fax: 703-323-9303 ~ Email Church