We first posted this four years ago. I consider this act of Jesus at the heart of Christianity and the teachings of Jesus, and I will continue to repost it. In his Gospel, the evangelist John describes a poignant scene as Jesus celebrates his final Passover meal. Jesus… gets up from the table, takes off …
Author Archives: tVM
Palm Sunday and the Third Fall
The fourth part of my personal credo may be the most important… I am called to emulate Jesus… I am reminded of the magnitude of that aspect of my belief most strongly on Palm Sunday as I prepare to share with millions of people around the world the final steps of Christ’s final journey. Up …
The Alphabet School – A Literacy School for Adult Education
Five years ago, we first wrote about the “education triangle”, and we updated the original post in 2022 when we opened The Barefoot School. Speaking from experience, Mrs. tVM and I spent countless hours at the kitchen table helping our children with their schoolwork and encouraging them to complete it. I say with 100% certainty …
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The Children Are in School
Despite the gunfire and gang violence, we managed to complete semester testing at the Barefoot School in Cité Soleil in February. I received the report cards for 149 students this week. Regardless of performance, THESE CHILDREN ARE IN SCHOOL and are trying. That is MOST important: THEY ARE IN SCHOOL, which is a major accomplishment …
Prayerful Momentum
Many years ago during a trip to Haiti, I had the pleasure and honor of sharing dinner with Patrice Millet, a CNN Hero of the Year in 2011. As we chatted over dinner, Patrice told me the final thing he did every day with the children and young people he worked with was to pray. …
Water, Children, and Angels
Water is essential for life on Earth as we know it. Yet how many times do we curse it as it overwhelms us with devastating floods… how many times do we raise our fists to the heavens as rain refuses to fall on the hard, sun-parched land? In America, we take so much for granted, …
Giving Something Up
Today is Ash Wednesday in Christianity, the day that marks the beginning of Lent, the season that commemorates Jesus fasting 40 days in the desert. Often referred to as the three pillars of Lent, many commit to 40 days of Frankly, those are three things that every human should practice 365 days each year. Many …
Living & Learning with Mustard Seeds
Two years ago, I envisioned supporting our work for the children of Haiti exclusively with the agricultural project that I committed to with my friend Dwight. Working in the excessive heat, limited water, and poor soil of the Sonoran Desert, we’ve learned another lesson that supports the ‘easier said than done’ theory. After a brutally …
Humbled by a Homeless Child
In Haiti, most children have a single set of clothes. IF a child attends school, a uniform is a requirement. Because the Barefoot School is open to everyone, we do not strictly enforce that requirement. As we prepared for the school year last summer, Justin’s budget included $4,500 for ‘uniform cloth.’ I was resistant to …
A House Filled with Laughter
Is there anything better than laughter? I think not. Our house has been filled with smiles and laughter in recent days.