Larry and Jayme just left for the airport

I’m all on my own in Haiti until Sunday!

(This should be a good time to help me improve my Creole. My driver speaks a little bit of English and I speak a little bit of Creole. So this should be interesting.) 

Everyone here at the guesthouse is wonderful and I know they will take good care of me.

I went up the mountain (finally) on Monday and Tuesday. What an experience! I can't possibly type about all of it on my phone — so you’ll have to wait for those stories until I return home. What I can say is this: it's a whole ‘nother world 3,000 feet above Port-au-Prince!

It's time to really buckle down and visit as many ministries and guesthouses as possible within the next couple days.

Please pray that things will go well and that these next four days will be very productive in my search to discover where I need to be.

Til next time.

Kelby

First Day of Life in Haiti

So far, things are good in Haiti! 

I arrived with Larry and Jayme — with no problems. We met Jayme’s friend — a police officer — at the airport, and we walked right through customs! Once outside the airport there was a change in plans and Larry and I got being picked up by a bishop for the Free Methodist Church. It was nice to have this little bit of unexpected, special treatment on our arrival.

Yesterday while we were out, we stopped by an organization called Rebuild Globally. They make shoes and sandals. Their project uses all local materials and all Haitian workers. The soles are made from the side walls of old car tires and the inside of the shoes are made from goat leather. The outer part of the shoe is a canvas material that’s made from recycled plastic pop bottles (really cool). They were very nice shoes and they’re made for school children to use with there uniforms.

We also got to stop by the guest house used by International Child Care Ministries.  It was a very nice location which could be a place of short-term lodging for my first couple months of full-time ministry.

On our way up the mountain to LaFond to do some work in a mountain village, we planned to stop by a university to learn about their nursing program  BUT, it's been raining all night and, on last report, many of the roads are either flooded or washed out. So, these plans are up in the air at this point. As a friend of mine on Haiti said, “you wake up and plan your day and by the time your feet hit the floor it's all changes.” So we shall see what this day holds.

Thank you, again, for your prayer support. The trip here was almost flawless. We are safe, I am healthy, and things are going fairly well considering how things go in Haiti!

Blessings on your day,
Kelby

Heading Out the Door

My bags are packed and I am about ready to head out the door! 

I am so excited to be able to share with you the latest in the journey of Kelby’s Kids. I will be leaving for a 10-day trip to Haiti on Thursday, May 5. 

On this trip I will be spending the majority of my time in Port-au-Prince. I'll be making a quick trip up to LaFond so I’ll get to see some countryside and get some fresh air.  They even say it’s high enough in the mountains it’s kind of cold. I am guessing it will be about perfect! 

Sadly, I won’t be doing very much medical work on this trip. The purpose of this trip is to make as many contacts as possible, and network with people who are currently working in a variety of ministries in Haiti. 

I will be looking at several organizations to look into their operations to help me determine the best ones to partner with on a full time basis. I'll also be looking for a place to stay during my first few months there. I need to determine the most-effective area to create a base of operations. 

These are all pretty big issues and I’m a little anxious about all of the details coming together. I sure would like to see a clear path as to where I’m meant to serve! I would appreciate your prayers as I seek out the places where I am being called to live and serve.

I am also making progress in the move towards incorporating Kelby’s Kids. I am mid-way in the process to become an official incorporated, 501(C)3, tax-exempt, non-profit organization. By the end of May I should be legally recognized as a non-profit organization by the IRS. That’ll allow folks like you to make charitable contributions to “Kelby’s Kids” and get a tax write-off for doing so. 

It’s almost hard to believe how much has come together in the last several months.  This dream that I have had for many years is becoming a reality. I am truly blessed to be able to share this journey with you — and for the support and encouragement you provide. 

As access to technology allows, I’ll attempt to send updates while I am in Haiti. And then I’ll I give an overview of the trip once I return to Michigan. You can follow along on the website and instagram (or, if you sign up for our email notifications, you can receive them as soon as they’re published).

Safety, good health, and God’s direction are always key prayer concerns as I work to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the children of Haiti. I’d appreciate your prayers. 

Thanks again for the part you play — and for praying for me as I’m on this trip.  

This is the time

I am excited to let you know that things are really ramping up and the time has come where you can get involved in Kelby’s Kids!

First and foremost I would ask for your prayers.

I have many big decisions coming up in the near future that will have long-reaching impacts on my ministry.

I ask that you would pray for me:

• for wisdom as I make decisions about incorporating as a 501(c)(3) non-profit ministry

• as I prepare for another trip to Haiti

• I’ll make wise decisions in determining the organizations I will partner with

• I’ll find a good place to live that can also be an effective “headquarters” for me to operate from

The next way that you can partner with this ministry is your financial support of the start-up process. I am currently looking for one-time gifts to cover the following start up costs:

• IRS fees for filing for 501(c)(3) status. Up to $900.00

• legal fees for filing required documents. Up to $3,000.00

• two more fact-finding trips to Haiti. About $1,200.00 each

There are two ways to give through this web site on the donation page. You may use Stripe or Paypal for online gifts by credit card. Or you may send checks to the address on the [donation page]. All of these funds will go to an independent bank account and used exclusively for receipted ministry expenses. (This details will change slightly when I have the official 501©(3) designation from the IRS.)

In the near future I will be sending out a mailing with complete information of how Kelby’s Kids started and where it is heading in the future. I will also be providing many options for ways to partner with Kelby’s Kids and to be involved in providing for the children that this ministry serves. If you would like to receive this mailing, subscribe here.

You’ll be given the option to give us your mailing address if you want to receive a paper copy of our first outreach. After the initial mailing, most information will be available exclusively by email or the website and Instagram account.

Thank you for your interest in and support of my ministry! It’s a tremendous encouragement to me as look to increase the effectiveness of my work with Kelby’s Kids!

That Ship Has Sailed

Well, it’s official. The maiden voyage of Kelby’s Kids is in the books!

I was able to return to Haiti on November 8th for 10 days. It felt great to go back!  

I worked in some medical clinics, I helped out in an orphanage, and was able to hold some babies! I was able to spend time finding new ministries, meeting new people, and seeing old friends.

My first stop was to Nehemiah Vision Ministries (NVM) in Chambon. They have a large, new clinic and provide most of the medical care in the area — seeing 40-60 patients a day, 5 days a week. They also have a school, malnutrition program, church, and they'll be expanding their medical services in the near future. Their ministry is a very valuable asset to the community.

I was able to travel to Dessalines to the Ebenezer Glenn Orphanage (EGO). They are doing a wonderful work with the children in their care and have a lot of cute babies that are always available to be loved on. EGO has a clinic and it’s open two days a week to serve the community.  I was able to work with Dr. Jim in the clinic one day while he was on a construction team from Canton, Mich.

The bearing’s been set and the sails hoisted! This was the first of several trips to find organizations to partner with as I transition toward full time work with Kelby’s Kids. 

It is my hope to be back in Haiti in the next couple months to continue the process. Thank you for your interest and support of my work as I work toward this calling.

–Kelby

(To give you a visual sense of why I have a heart and passion for Haiti, I’ve uploaded a few photos from the trip to my Instagram account. Be sure to follow me on Instagram for a photo journal of the ministry experiences of Kelby’s Kids.)

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ There’ll be so much to do when Kelby gets back to Port-au-Prince, the last thing we want him to worry about is if he’s got enough medicine and formula and supplies for his patients! ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ So, today, we're announcing a summer goal to raise $5,000 to Stock the Clinic!⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ To kick things off, we have an anonymous matching donor who'll match up to $500 if we can raise $500 THIS WEEK! ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Go online now and donate to Kelby’s summer goals campaign. (Link in bio.) The first $500 in giving will be DOUBLED if you donate before midnight on July 4!⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Let’s stock the clinic! Give today.

Here is a quick update from Kelby's Kids: www.kelbyskids.org/blog/ #missinghaiti #missingthelittleones #kelbyskids🇭🇹

Get caught up with the latest from Kelby's Kids during these unprecedented times were all experiencing at: www.kelbyskids.org/blog/ #onedayatatime #missingthelittleones #lessthan6feetfromcute #kelbyskids🇭🇹

I am going to miss these kids!! I'm back in Michigan. After my flight was canceled I wasn't sure if I should stay in Haiti for all of this or come back to Michigan. It was a very difficult decision to leave. I know that no matter where I am, I will wish I was in the opposite place as things continue to unfold. I was able to get a repatriation flight back into the U.S. Please continue to pray for Haiti as things continue to unfold with COVID-19. It's difficult when you have family in 2 different countries during a crisis like this. #prayforhaiti #missingthelittleones #stopthespread #kelbyskids🇭🇹

Get the latest on what happening with Kelby's Kids in Haiti during this world crisis with my latest update at: www.kelbyskids.org/blog/ #stuckonthisisland #stilllovingpeople #careingforthelittleones #kelbyskids🇭🇹

Find the story on this cute little peanut and many more with the latest update from Kelby's Kids at: www.kelbyskids.org/blog/ #soprecious #miracleoflife #lovingonlittleones #kelbyskids🇭🇹

Find out what made this patient unique at the maternity clinic. Also see the many of new babies that have been born through the program in the latest update "New Year and New Life" at: http://www.kelbyskids.org/blog/ #lotsofnewbabies #lovingonlittleones #kelbyskids🇭🇹

A year end gift? Often time people think that things aren't expensive in a 3rd world country... I seen this box in the store before I left and then again here in Michigan and thought it was a good reminder. As you can see this box is $3.64 here. In Haiti it was $1,325.00 HTG or $14.72 USD. That is more than 4 times as much. If you would like to support the work of Kelby's Kids with a year end gift go to: www.kelbyskids.org/support For more information. #idontbuyfruitloops #start2020strong #savinglives #kelbyskids🇭🇹

Merry Christmas from Kelby's Kids! The latest update is at: www.kelbyskids.org/blog/ #blessingsatchristmas #kelbyskids🇭🇹

WILL YOU LOOK FOR ME?? If you use bill pay or mailed a check in the last several weeks please check your account and be sure your donations to help this little angel are still being processed. We are realizing a lot of mail was returned during the time the post office accidentally closed our P.O. Box. Assure your financial institutions the problem has been corrected and donations can still be sent to: Kelby's Kids P.O. Box 57 Reed City, MI 49677-0057 #thankyou #helpherthrive #youmakeadifference #kelbyskids🇭🇹