It's Photoshoot Raffle Time Again!

My good friend Aynn of Aynn Thurman Photography has offered to raffle the following to raise funds for Lesly's education account:

•One Hour Photoshoot, on location (Utah County)

•CD with the 15 best shots; edited (high resolution images)

•Copyright release from Aynn so that you can print all you want, where you want

To enter, simply:
•Click on the red ChipIn button to the right (on the sidebar; takes to you PayPal)

•Donate $5 for each chance to win

•Your ticket is automatically entered to win!

•Raffle will end on July 1st. Winner will be chosen on Saturday July 2nd.

Happy Raffling and Good Luck!

Visa Appointment Made!

I have scheduled a visa appointment for Lesly on Friday, July 29th.  However, since this is so close to when we would prefer him to arrive (August 1), I have requested an expedited appointment for him.  Still waiting to hear back from the Embassy.

Update 5/8/2011

Well...this update promises to be a long one and quite frankly, I nearly confuse myself when I think about the whole thing.  So, I don't promise to make a ton of sense, but I will try.

 If you don't have time for the whole update, here is the ten second version:  Lesly will go for another visa interview this summer and hopefully arrive in the US in the beginning to middle of August.  Please see "Needed Items" at the bottom of this post.

 If you are brave enough for the whole update, here you go:
1.  Currently, Lesly is still studying for the TOEFL exam. He had planned to take it in April, but it didn't work out due to scheduling issues.  Therefore, he is scheduled to take it on May 28th.  He goes to the school and takes practice tests during the week.

2.  The deadline for application to LDS Business College is July 1.  However, if Lesly does not make the needed scores on the TOEFL, deadlines for applying to other schools, such as UVU (Enlish Language) or Salt Lake Community College will come up too quickly to act on (applying to school as an International Student is *very* involved and requires a lot of things that applying normally do not require such as bank statements, notarized statements, etc.).

3.  Therefore, we went ahead and applied to Salt Lake Community College for Lesly.  SLCC allows International Students to declare a major, which shows on the I-20 that Lesly will take to his next visa interview.  However, when he gets to the US, his English language skills will be tested and if he needs English language classes, he will take those before beginning his core classes for his major at LDS BC.

4.  If Lesly does score the needed scores on the TOEFL to apply for LDS Business College, we will apply to LDSBC.  He will receive his scores around June13.   But, if he doesn't, he is already accepted to SLCC.

5.  I will take the rest of the needed items up to SLCC sometime in the month of May (they require originals of some of the documents) and they will issue him an I-20. 

6. If his TOEFL scores are high enough, we will apply to LDS Business College, in a RUSH (deadline July 1).

7.  I won't make a visa appointment for him until after he receivees his TOEFL scores, because if he scores high enough, we will want him to take the I-20 issued from LDSBC to his visa interview.

8.  Either way, the visa appointment will be made, prayers will be said and if he is granted a visa, he will arrive in the US around beginning to middle of August.

Needed Items:
Due to donations to Day for Danger (Thank you!), there is enough money in the Day for Danger account to cover Lesly's first semester and books.

My husband and I are prepared with our personal finances to get Lesly set up with clothing, a cell phone (a basic, human right, you know!), toiletries, and school supplies.  We also know there will be a lot of things come up that we are not expecting!

If Lesly is granted a visa, the following things will be needed from kind hearted folks like all of you who read this blog and follow the facebook page.  I am always so appreciative of how all of you support Lesly in ways that are tailor made for you.  If you are able to help with any of these items (or part of any of these items), please email me at brookefrost@gmail.com.  These items are listed in order needed:


1.  A sponsor for SEVIS registration.  This is a US government agency that tracks foreign students in our country.  It is a division of ICE.  Lesly was registered with SEVIS, but the registration is only valid for 1 year and his expired on April 27th. Edited to add: This registration costs $200 and basically is a fee paid to the US government in order that they can track what school you are registered at, etc.  SEVIS (and SEVP) also manage the comings/goings of international students in and out of the country.

2.  Airline ticket to get to the US (or a donation of frequent flyer miles - unfortunately, it takes a TON of miles for a ticket from Haiti.  Email me for more specifics)

3.  Sponsors for monthy bus passes.  These run about $56.25 for a student and are valid for buses and Trax.  Edited to add: Thank you to the Heiny family who have committed to one month bus pass!

4.  A sponsor for his health insurance.  At SLCC, this is required for registration for classes, which I think is a great idea.  Insurance for one semester is $400.

If you have made it this far, thank you.  This is all so confusing and time consuming and hard to put down into words but I want to keep all of you informed and to let you all know how much I appreciate your continued interest in Lesly and your continued support of me and my family in this endeavor/adventure.

Mother's Day Idea

Here is a comment from our facebook page:

Check out this fan comment from Katie Walther: "My daughter and daughter-in-law asked what I would like for Mother's Day and I suggested that they make a donation to Day for Danger. If anyone else is wondering what to get their mothers this year, this is a great place to make a difference in a life to honor your mom." Thank you Katie!

If you aren't a fan of our facebook page, simply click the link on the main page (over there ------>).  I'm much better at keeping the facebook page updated than I am the blog.
 
I'll be making a donation in honor of my mother as well!  Happy Mother's Day Moms!

A couple of new photos

Since the team just got back from Haiti, I've been getting updates from the team members on how Lesly is doing, as well as a few photos.  Here are a couple:

Steevenson, Matt, Mack and Lesly

Lesly, Kirsti and Mack

Some Very Exciting News!

Sandy is a friend of mine who has traveled to Haiti several times with Healing Hands for Haiti.  She is a Social Worker who cares deeply for people here at home and for our Haitian friends!

She has been attempting to sponsor a young man by the name of Mackenton (who is a close friend of Lesly's).  Mack works full time for Healing Hands performing translation.  Due to his height, everyone calls him Big Mack!

Me and Mack the last night I was in Haiti - March 22, 2010

Just like Lesly, Mack has been denied twice for a visa.  He has been convinced that if he takes his sponsor with him to his visa interview, he would be granted a visa.

The HHH team is currently in Haiti and everything was set up before hand for Sandy to go with Mack to his visa appointment.  The appointment was today and

MACK WAS GRANTED A VISA!!!!!

I am so exicted about this news!  This gives us so much hope that Lesly can be granted a visa as well, but a quick trip to Haiti might be in my future....

Update 1/9/11

Lesly took the TOEFL prep class examination/assessment test last Friday.  He will go Thursday to get his results and find out when his classes start.