A former housemate of mine, and good friend Jenny Clover once said to me that the hardest part of working internationally and in a somewhat permanent manner is that you have to see so many great people come and go. I've said that a thousand times at Be Like Brit, as our Britsionary groups and visitors come in to our lives, and invariably have to leave. Though Be Like Brit is different. Indeed, just as Len and Cherylann told me in my first interview with them in Boston back in October of 2012, once you are in with the Gengel's, you can't get out. That certainly is true for our Britsionarys and for our employees who may have gone on to other opportunities. This family that Be Like Brit has created extends far beyond the 67 children who call it home and the 78 employees who work there. It brings people together in ways I never could have imagined, and am not even sure that Len or Cherylann ever could have intended. It's that spirit which makes this place so very special.

Indeed, with the great number of repeat volunteers through our Britsionary program, we know that coming to Be Like Brit is just like coming home. We have been fortunate to host hundreds and hundreds of volunteers from the U.S.A and Canada, some as many as 5 and 6 times each! We know we are creating lasting bonds between our Haitian community and children, and hope that these bonds create lasting investment and interest in Haiti itself. We know that every time a new group comes to Be Like Brit, the children are anxiously awaiting their arrival and eager to connect with a new friend on some level. Even as many times as Papi Len is in and out of Haiti, the children rush to greet him as if it were the first time...

We've made so many wonderful friends along the way, including (but certainly not limited to) Bobby Curlee, who has been with Lifeline Christian Ministries for years. He's always been a reliable friend in any time of need, and a part of many of our celebrations at Be Like Brit. When our new generator arrived, thanks to the incredible support of our friends, it was Bobby who offered to come help us install it, and gave us all a 101 Course on generator operation and maintenance. He and his wife Lakey have been so good to Len and Cherylann, and represent what it means to truly be selfless.

This past week, Len and I were busy with Amanda and the rest of the Team at Be Like Brit, planning ahead for how to structure things following my departure. We are so fortunate that we have an incredible caregiver staff and so many strengths which exist in our current ranks, we decided that we would move forward with an interim plan of tapping into the resources we already have. We know how important consistency is in the lives of these children, and so when we agreed that the best interest of the children was to keep the people around them as familiar as possible, I believe we did a great job putting together a plan moving ahead! I am thrilled that the talents in Rosenie (who has been my assistant since day 1), Peterson, Coach Rolando, Italien (one of our head teachers) and Amanda will be harnessed and shared so that our children continue to thrive. If I have, in fact, done my job well, these systems already exist and my staff is more than competent to stick to plan! Of course, I've made myself available to help and consult in any way that I can as we transition through this plan!

By the time you read this, we will have welcomed a new Britsionary group to Be Like Brit! It is sure to be an eventful week - so stay tuned in to Facebook for all of our exciting updates!

It really has been my pleasure to get to know so many of you through facebook, this blog, fundraisers in the United States, and through the Britsionary program. 

Thank you for allowing me to help the children of Haiti at Be Like Brit...