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.

TOEFL Prep Class

Lesly is headed to the Haitian American Institute today to sign up for the TOEFL prep class!

For information on what the heck a TOEFL is, go here!

The TOEFL test is the most widely respected English-language test in the world, recognized by more than 7,500 colleges, universities and agencies in more than 130 countries. Wherever you want to study, the TOEFL test can help you get there.

Update coming soon...

...I am simply much better about keeping the facebook page updated.  If you aren't a fan of the facebook page, click the link on the right hand side ------->.

I'll post soon on what's up with Lesly.

Love,
Brooke

Scentsy (Online) Fundraising Party!

My dear friend, and fellow transplanted Southerner, Tonni, has graciously and generously offered to let me "host" an Online Scentsy party from which *ALL* of her commissions will be donated to Lesly's education account!

How cool is that?

A lot of your are buying Scentsy already, so why not purchase from this party - get a great product while supporting a great cause? It's not too early to start Christmas shopping, BUT, they have the most adorable Halloween and Thanksgiving warmers as well.

Fright Night Warmer

My personal favorite is part of the new Campus Collection. ROLL TIDE!

Click on either of these links to purchase from the Day for Danger Scensty Party.  Thank you so much Tonni!

http://www.curvyscents.com/scents4schools.html

https://tonni.scentsy.us/Buy?partyId=3429149

Thank you Aynn Thurman (Photography)

Remember the Photoshoot Raffle?  Kirsti Vogeler won.  Check out the great photos that Aynn took. 
Thank you so much to Aynn for this wonderful donation and to everyone who entered to win!

http://www.aynnthurmanphotography.com/2010/09/say-danger.html

BYU acceptance and visa appointment

We found out last Friday that Lesly has been accepted to the BYU ELC program!  While this has no influence whatsoever on whether or not he gets a Visa, it certainly doesn't hurt to be accepted to a school with a reputation like BYU and it also speaks volumes about Lesly as a person.  He had to do a lot of work to get his application ready for BYU, including waiting for hours and hours to speak with his Bishop, who was moving to the United States the very next day.

I have now made him an appointment for another visa interview at the US Embassy in Port au Prince.  Basically, Lesly has to "convince" the Americans working at the Embassy that he will, indeed, return to Haiti when he is done with his schooling.  As you can imagine, this is a very hard thing to prove for a young man who is not married and has no children in Haiti. It makes me wonder how they decide who gets a visa and who doesn't.  As we ready a couple of weeks ago, a young man, not married, no kids, got a visa to come to school in Ogden.  He's no different than Lesly, but he was granted a visa while Lesly was denied one last time.

His visa appointment is on Tuesday, October 12th at 6:30am.

So, fingers crossed please, and prayers said on knees if you are the praying type, would be much appreciated.

Much love to all of you for your support, emotional and otherwise.  Love, Brooke

Haitian Man Comes to Utah For College

I found this article today on the Deseret News site.

It's basically the exact same story of our Lesly.

Let's take this as a sign of hope that it can happen for him too!

Waiting, waiting, waiting...

I've had a few inquiries lately (thank you!) about where Lesly is at in the process so I thought a quick update would be in order.

We are still just waiting on September 17th.  On that day, BYU will email Lesly and let him know if he was accepted to the ELC or not.  If he was accepted, he will go for a visa interview on October 11th.

If he was not accepted, we will go back to Nomen Global.

Let me know if you have any questions.

20 More Days Donated!

I am a little slow in posting  (I did get it on the facebook page in a timely manner!) that another

20 DAYS

has been donated by Kathleen Bowen.

Words cannot express my appreciation Kathleen.  You're an angel!

Update 7/21/2010

BYU ELC will make decisions on admissions and notify all applicants to the ELC for the Winter 2011 semester on Friday, September 17th.  Lesly will receive an email that day advising him as to whether or not he is accepted.

At that point, if accepted, they will send the documents to him that he will need for his visa interview. 

Currently, he has a visa interview scheduled for August 19th.  I will be moving that appointment to somewhere around October 11th in order to have adequate time for the documents to arrive from BYU.  I checked today and the farthest out that the appointment system goes is September 13th.  I will keep checking weekly until the system goes out until October 11th and will change his appointment at that time.

122!

Day #122 has been donated by Katie Roundy. Katie is the very talented writer from the Deseret News who wrote the story for the paper. Thank you Katie!

20 Days Donated!

Through much coercing, I convinced this donor to let me post this!  Twenty days (days 102-121) have been donated by Kathleen Bowen.

Kathleen and I have known each other for 6 years, as she was working in the office that I work in when I started 6 years ago.  Beyond that, Kathleen has made three trips to Haiti.  She is an RN who gives of herself and her time and her assets!  ;)  Beyond that, she's just a barrel of fun and has an endless supply of energy!

Thank you Kathleen!

Update 7/20/2010

The biggest news of the day is that today, July 20, is Lesly's Birthday!  He is a quarter of a century old today!  Happy Birthday Lesly!

In other news, here is an update on donations:

$140 Visa application fee (to US Government) - PAID by Kathy Raile!

$12 Western Union Fee to wire the $140 - PAID by Kathy Raile!
$150-300/semseter - Books for ELC
$220/semester - Health Insurance through BYU
$550 - Airfare

101!

Day #101 has been donated by Jocelyn Howard of Orem who read the Deseret News Article. Thank you Jocelyn!