Oh, remember how fun that day was?

Like school girls everywhere, our scholarship recipients in Haiti just LOVE to see pictures of themselves in action. Here we see two of them admiring the bulletin board photos of their participation in the 1st Annual MBB Scholars' Leadership Training week.

Visitors from South Sudan!

This week MBB in California hosted Sr. Philippa Murphy (below, right), an Australian who has been Principal of the high school in Mapuordit, South Sudan, where many Mercy Beyond Borders Scholars study. She has been particularly devoted to coaxing young married girls in the surrounding villages to return to school, a complicated but very important decision within their culture. Thanks to her hard work, the number of females at Mapuordit High School has increased more than sixfold, from 4 several years ago to 25 now! She is pictured here with Daniel, a member of the school staff, along with Daniel's mother.

In September MBB will be welcoming our African staff (Edvine, Emmanuel and Angela) to the US for several weeks: a chance to meet and interact with supporters, plan for program development, and enjoy some well-deserved R&R in the beauty of Calif.

Education from the ground up

Every day over 500 students cram into St Gabriel’s, the only all-girls primary school in Gros Morne, Haiti. This painted green and yellow and white wooden building has stood for more than a century and its stone steps have been worn down by thousands of little feet. It’s a happy place. Girls here know they can succeed. 

Typically 100% of St Gabe's graduates score well enough each year to go on to high school—though many do not have the financial wherewithal to do so.  Last year MBB provided high school scholarships to the school’s top 6 grads.  Many more will follow each year!

What did you say?

Ehara i te mea
no inaianei te aroha;
no nga tupuna
i tuku iho, i tuku iho.

I wish I could convey the strong melodic lilt of this Maori-language song which I heard sung by students and teachers when I was giving presentations in Auckland, New Zealand last month.  Its meaning is:

This is not a new thing,
this love; it comes
from our ancestors,
handed down, handed down.

Lovely lyrics, from the wonderful native people of Aotearoa, the Land of the Long White Cloud.  And how true: the gifts we hold--whether land or faith or talents or hope-- are received from others, and meant to be passed on freely!

A Week of Silence

From August 1-7 I will be on my annual silent prayer retreat.  I've so much to be grateful for... esp all you terrific supporters of Mercy Beyond Borders. Blessings abound!