The funds the Van Berkel's will be raising will support a girls' home that has been set up by H.I.S. Home for Children specifically for girls who are in crisis or have been abused in the refuge camps. This 13-year-old girl was brought by a journalist and she was accepted into the girls home.
Dieula (on the left), who is 15-years-old basically has raised herself since she was 10. She is now living in the girls home too where she will live in a structured environment.A news article about the Van Berel's efforts follows below:
FAMILY BIKING 300 MILES FOR HAITI
(WZZM) -
ROCKFORD, Mich. - A Rockford couple is gearing up for a 300 mile biking expedition to Harrod, Ohio.
The goal of the trip is to raise awareness for orphans in Haiti, something that is very important to Geoff and Judy VanBerkel. The Rockford couple has a passion for helping the victims of the earthquake that devastated Haiti in 2010. This passion stems from their decision to adopt a child long before the earthquake struck. Then. once it did, the adoption process sped up and within weeks they were picking up their new Haitian daughters who had just survived the disaster.
Since the VanBerkel's couldn't adopt all the children at the orphanage, they found another way to help.
Last year, they organized a 300-mile bike trip to raise funds and awareness for the H.I.S Home For Children orphanage, a shelter in Port Au Prince that cares for children who were orphaned by the disaster. This year, the ride will support a safehouse in Haiti that houses 19 'at-risk' girls who have been mentally or physically abused following the fall-out after the earthquake.
"We know there is something better for them," says VanBerkel, "... so to provide them a home and to find other kids a place where they belong and a place where they are loved and a place where they can grow and thrive... because there's just not a whole lot of chance for that, especially at orphanages in Haiti.. that's what we want for these kids."
About 60 riders will be making the 6-day trip to Harrod Ohio. if you would like to donate to H.I.S. Home 300 Bike Ride, click here: http://www.hishome300mi.blogspot.com/
(WZZM) -
ROCKFORD, Mich. - A Rockford couple is gearing up for a 300 mile biking expedition to Harrod, Ohio.
The goal of the trip is to raise awareness for orphans in Haiti, something that is very important to Geoff and Judy VanBerkel. The Rockford couple has a passion for helping the victims of the earthquake that devastated Haiti in 2010. This passion stems from their decision to adopt a child long before the earthquake struck. Then. once it did, the adoption process sped up and within weeks they were picking up their new Haitian daughters who had just survived the disaster.
Since the VanBerkel's couldn't adopt all the children at the orphanage, they found another way to help.
Last year, they organized a 300-mile bike trip to raise funds and awareness for the H.I.S Home For Children orphanage, a shelter in Port Au Prince that cares for children who were orphaned by the disaster. This year, the ride will support a safehouse in Haiti that houses 19 'at-risk' girls who have been mentally or physically abused following the fall-out after the earthquake.
"We know there is something better for them," says VanBerkel, "... so to provide them a home and to find other kids a place where they belong and a place where they are loved and a place where they can grow and thrive... because there's just not a whole lot of chance for that, especially at orphanages in Haiti.. that's what we want for these kids."
About 60 riders will be making the 6-day trip to Harrod Ohio. if you would like to donate to H.I.S. Home 300 Bike Ride, click here: http://www.hishome300mi.blogspot.com/
1 comment:
Hi Karen
thanks for putting us up on your blog- you are a blessing to us! I will be at HIS again Feb 3-10, and would love to come visit if you have time!
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