Dear Family and Friends,
We are all familiar with the saying, “A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words.” Fred R. Barnard is often given credit for the quote sometime in the early 1900’s. He modified it a little on December 8, 1921 when he said, “One Look is Worth a Thousand Words.” Hoping to improve on the impact of the popular saying, he upped the ante and on March 10, 1927 proclaimed, “One Picture is Worth Ten Thousand Words!”
Fred Barnard was not the sole innovator for the “picture-words” quote. In March of 1911, Tess Flanders was quoted as saying, “Use a Picture. It’s Worth a Thousand Words.”
Prior to Fred R. Barnard and Tess Flanders, a man by the name of Henrick Ibsen started all of the “picture and words” quotes when he made a statement that morphed into the quote that we all know so well today. Henrick Ibsen was quoted as saying, “A Thousand Words Leave Not the Same Deep Impression as Does a Single Deed.”
The thirteen pictures you have just viewed of the Helping Hands for Haiti Pillow Case Dress Fashion Show were taken in January of 2020. Way too often we fail to find the good and happiness in a land of poverty and heartache. But on this January day at the Helping Hands for Haiti mission house, over 20 excited young girls came to show off their new pillow case dresses at the “Fashion Show”. Most of the girls were late for the three o’clock start because their mothers wanted their daughter’s hair done just right as evident by the many styles. After the walk across the stage and individual pictures, the girls and moms enjoyed “solar oven” cake and fresh made juice.
When you look at these pictures, I know that they speak at least a thousand words, if not ten thousand words. I also know that Henrick Ibsen made a good point when he said, “A thousand words leave not the same deep impression as does a single deed.” The single deed of hosting a fashion show gave these girls an experience they will never forget.
Haiti remains a country of needs. Poverty, hunger, lack of education and little economic opportunity are some of the challenges that we face as we begin our 31st year in Haiti. We have made progress! The “single deeds” made possible by monetary donations that many of you have made have enabled Helping Hands for Haiti to build 25 new homes and remodel 2 other houses in the last couple of years. Your contributions feed hundreds, provide medical care, provide countless start up grants and loans, provide days for girls kits, layettes, Children’s Bibles, rent land for farmers and buy seeds. All of these “single deeds” leave “deep impressions” on those who receive them.
Above is an example of an older and unsafe home that we replaced with a safe and secure home.
Our project for 2021 is to build a new “Free” school in the mission house area. Helping Hands for Haiti currently works with an existing school to make it free to all of the students, but the owner of the school is constantly asking parents for money for trivial things and threatening not to pass the students if they don’t provide the money. We can eliminate this situation by providing our own school.
This is the school we built at Savane a Roches. Our “Free School” would be modeled after this school.
While severe deflation of the American dollar in October has escalated the cost of building materials for the school, Helping Hands has received a contribution of $45,000.00 from an anonymous donor along with the challenge to all of us to collectively match that amount. $90,000.00 will not only build the school but will also pay for the operating costs for the first year.
We already have over $2,300.00 raised by Hannah Wahls, a Ponca, Nebraska, high school student to purchase new uniforms for the students. In addition the Luverne, Minnesota schools have donated their surplus desks and school equipment to Orphan Grain Train of Norfolk, Nebraska which through a like exchange program with Helping Hands for Haiti will provide desks for our new school in Haiti.
You are the missing link! Can we count on you to make a donation from a mandatory distribution from an IRA, give a memorial in a loved one’s name, honor a family member or just give from your heart? “A Thousand Words Leave not the Same Deep Impression as does a Single Deed.” Henrick Ibsen
Dave & Jerilyn Hansen
Please feel free to donate here on our website:
OR
Checks may be made out to: Helping Hands for Haiti
Send to:
45406 295th St.
Irene, SD57037