The Story of HHA
I was apprehensive about joining my husband Bill and his missionary team on a trip to Haiti. Bill and his team had been doing work in Haiti for years, but I had no real desire to go—I was happy with my life and had a busy schedule raising our three children, working as a realtor, and taking care of our home. In 2008, after years of his asking, I finally joined them on a trip to Cap-Haїtien, Haiti.
It was my second day in Haiti when a woman came up to our team begging us to look at a large group of children living in an abandoned building. What I saw and experienced in that building, forever changed my life.
Most of the children were under 10, starving, and hadn’t eaten in at least three days. Their bellies were distended from worms and hunger, their hair was orange and their skin was getting lighter, as a result of protein and iron deficiencies. Many of the children had dark sores (some still raw and open) from drinking contaminated water – the only water they could find. They slept on hard, cold tile floors with no blankets, towels, or pillows.
As an adorable two-year-old boy hugged me I saw blood dripping from his ear. Dr. Ray, a pediatrician from the States who works in Cap-Haїtien, told us that the children were among the worst condition he had seen yet. Then something amazing happened. The children, ranging from ages one to 18, sat up and sang us a song. They could hardly hold up their heads because they were so weak from disease and malnutrition but they still sang to us!
We learned that these 35 angel children were being evicted from the inhabitable, abandoned building they were “living” in. Dr. Ray told us that half of the children in the building wouldn’t be alive when we returned in less than six months. Caring for these children instantly became my life’s mission and saving them became our team’s immediate undertaking. We found them a suitable building to live in, as well as food, bedding, clothes, clean drinking water, a night watchman for their protection, and medical care. Our small team quickly financed these necessities so that the children would live.
Helping Haitian Angels was born.
My Helping Haitian Angels team is proof that “ordinary” people are God’s conduit for extraordinary miracles. These children are thriving today! Our goal is to raise the next generation of compassionate, fair, courageous, and educated Haitian leaders. Out of despair, Helping Haitian Angels is creating hope and new beginnings. My team and I are also helping Haitian adults who have demonstrated that they truly want not only to help themselves, but also their families and communities.
If you have the desire to save and transform lives, please join us. We need your help! As a transparent not for profit organization, we will partner with YOU to make a DIFFERENCE.
Winston Churchill said "We make a living by what we get... we make a LIFE by what we GIVE."
- Debbie Harvey, Founder & Executive Director
What Happened Next?
Debbie returned to the U.S. and shared her passionate story with friends, family, church members, and the media. One month from that fateful day in the summer of 2008, Debbie and Bill Harvey launched a non-profit named Helping Haitian Angels and raised enough money to provide medical care, shelter, food, and clean water for the children they found in Cap-Haїtien, Haiti.
Helping Haitian Angels is a growing 501(c)(3) non-profit Christian organization providing complete care for the children of the Kay Anj d’Ayiti (Angel House of Haiti) in Dekle, Haiti.
Our Mission: HHA follows the biblical directive to rescue vulnerable children by providing family-style loving care and sustainable solutions that fight against Haiti’s child abandonment crisis. We love, honor and raise future leaders who will promote a more just society in Haiti through programs that equip Haitians to become the authors of their own development.
Core Values
FAITH: We believe that HHA is the work that God has intended for us and we have faith that He will continue to drive our passion to achieve the mission of HHA.
TRUST: We believe that building trust with Haitian communities is critical to our success. We must always communicate our intentions and commitment through transparency, words, and actions.
ENLIGHTENMENT: Just as the Haitian people do, we work with opened eyes, minds, and souls to our purpose in the world beyond the comfort of our day-to-day lives, we hope to help others step outside their comfort zones and realize their ability to compassionately encourage and equip the less fortunate. We also strive to bring awareness to the world about the character of the inspiring Haitian people. We seek to dispel the concept of "handouts" and instead work to "raise up" these children.
COURAGE: As our organization continues to grow, we seek courage to care for and educate more children as well as provide financial support for small business owners in Haiti.
RESPECT: We develop respect through making commitments and following through. We listen more than we speak and our actions, words, and prayers show commitment and devotion to Haitian people. We recognize that respect is earned and will be a direct result of how we function in the community we serve. We are honored that the Haitian people have welcomed us into their hearts and accept our desire to raise up physically, emotionally and spiritually healthy children who are the future of Haiti.
COMPASSION: We feel a deep compassion for the Haitian people. This ongoing compassion drives HHA's desire to improve the lives of the Haitians in a manner that is meaningful, respectful, effective, and that will benefit future generations in Haiti.
Culture of HHA
Keeping Families Together
We believe the best place for a child is within a loving, thriving family. We believe in the reunification of children with their biological mothers, fathers and family members. Although we provide exceptional, family home care in a safe, and loving environment, we view our Kay Anj Village as the best, last resort for orphaned and/or abandoned children in crisis.
We Glorify God
We follow the biblical directive to rescue, love and care for orphaned and abandoned children. We believe that when we do, we are following Christ’s commandment and are acting as His hands and feet.
We Are Not The Authority
The children we care for are under the jurisdiction of Haiti’s Child Social Services (IBESR). We do not “take in” children. Children are placed with us by Haitian government agencies. With a position of humility, we are providing resources, systems, and compassion to provide Haiti the very best family care options for Haiti’s most vulnerable children.
Village Values
At our Kay Anj Children’s Village we are committed to encourage and equip our kids to embrace HHA’s core values of Love, Humility, Honesty, Obedience, and Responsibility with ongoing teaching, intentional activities, and by providing ongoing training and celebrating exceptional behavior.
Our Haitian Team
Our Heroes - Our Mamas and Papas!
We employ over 61 men and women at KAV including our school staff. We have four “Mamas” for our girls and four married couples for our boys. The “Mamas” tend to the cooking, cleaning, and laundry ten hours a day. Other employees include the administrative team, laundry mamas and groundskeepers. In addition, we have Security Guards that protect Kay Anj Village around the clock and they are committed to the safety of our children, staff and guests. All of these men & women have sacrificed their time to help our children grow. By making a donation, you are helping them take care of their families as well.
Board of Directors
Debbie Harvey
Bill Harvey
Mike Hoover
Patsy Norton
John MacDonnell
Kevin Cerretani
