Man recalls his goal of helping children...

Melissa Cotter
Staff Writer for Rolla Daily News
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There was a little boy. He was waling on the seashore and there was some starfish on the seashore. He was trying to send them back to the sea, and he spent the whole day throwing them back to the sea. There was a man who came by and said, “What do you think you are doing, there are so many starfish here, and you think you can save all of their lives?” The boy said, “Well, even though I cannot save the lives of all the starfish, the ones I send back to the sea can have life,” said director and founder of Connection Ministries International (CMI) Project Papillon, John Lewis Dieubon, 33, of Haiti, as he explained the purpose of his ministry overseas in Haiti.

“With our program, that is what we have,” Dieubon said. “I cannot say that I can save all of Haiti, but that we have a chance to serve the people, so when they get older, they can go and do what we do. I cannot do it myself, but those under my leadership can see how I do things, the love and passion I have, and how I do things with my heart and compassion, and they will go and do the same thing in Haiti. That will make a difference.”

Dieubon, along with a team of ambassadors, join to provide orphans, children and young adults in need, and HIV victims in Haiti the essential necessities in life, a caring and loving environment and the tools to continue with a purpose-driven life of hope.

Dieubon is the founder of the charity that opened in May 17, 2003. Dieubon was an orphan raised by American missionaries in Haiti, who took care of him and provided him with education, and now he has a heart for serving his Haitian people.

“Because people were invested in my life, I feel I need to give back,” Dieubon said.

“Rolla is a very good blessing for Haiti,” Dieubon said.

Several people from Rolla have actually gone to Haiti and worked with the organization and charity. Area businesses and individuals have contributed through donations, too.

“We send out newsletters to the Rolla area about this ministry,” said Amy Arthur, a friend. “The more people we get, the more people we meet and the more people are embracing the ministry.”

Dieubon said when he opened his own charity, he wanted to be involved in helping children, and especially, trying to get Haitian people involved in helping Haiti.

“We've been supported by so many other countries, and we don't do anything for ourselves,” Dieubon said. “We (those in his ministry) come with the philosophy that we have to get up and do something for ourselves, for our own community, changing Haiti for the better.”

Dieubon said Haiti is in great need as many are infected with HIV and children are left as orphans, being used as slaves. He said so many children are affected by the sickness, and the problems in Haiti moves him to do something about it.

“Even if the government doesn't do anything, I have to do something,” Dieubon said. With the passion to make a change in Haiti, Dieubon has helped form and direct Project Papillon, which has several service areas to improve life.

First, Dieubon has four homes providing children with families. Seven to 12 children are placed in a home and given a mother and father. Those children are then raised in a family setting with brothers and sisters, beds, healthy food, clothes, bicycles, and an education, as well as, love, guidance, and affection.

“They do not have to fight to get food, they can be raised like children,” Dieubon said. “We want to help them understand their purpose, and they are not inferior.”

Dieubon said when children are raised in a proper way, when they get older they will change things, such as the oppressive government, juvenile delinquency and many other problems currently in Haiti.

“If they grow up in a place with affection and love, they are going to give back,” Dieubon said. “We're trying to give them love, letting them know they are important, so when they get older they will serve Haiti better, and we'll have a better country.”

Dieubon said God has given him his passion and love for people. “It is something that is born inside of me, I want other people to have the vision I have, and the world to be a better place,” Dieubon said.

Dieubon said his vision is to change the complaints of so many needs in Haiti to something productive. “We have to do something,” Dieubon said. “We have to use what we have and mulitply. We need to use what we have instead of sitting and complaining.”

He said he likes to see Haitian people serving Haiti. “Other countries have given to us, and now it is time we use what we have, do for ourselves, and come up with our own plan or strategy,” Dieubon said.

Part of Dieubon's plan to help Haitians invest in Haiti is to restore hope to those involved in Project Papillon. Amy Arthur, an ambassador for Dieubon and his ministry, said many people in Haiti believe they are poor, and they cannot do anything about it. “He is trying to change the mindset of what they have been raised to believe,” Arthur said.

Dieubon and Arthur said there are so many in Haiti without hope, and they want to change those negative views through Dieubon's mission.

"We want to see them out of the street," Dieubon said. "We want to see young people go to school and get a good education. We want to see kids fed, and we want to see kids have a place to go and stay. Juvenile delinquency is spreading because young people don't have hope. We want to see that come to an end."

Dieubon said immigration in America is a problem as a result of what Haitians believe.

"They think things are easy in America," Dieubon said. "I'm trying to tell them that this is the place God has given you. I love Haiti. I want to go back when I am in America. These are my people, and that is what I want to transfer to others. I love my country first. I serve my country first."

In addition to providing orphans with families, Dieubon has a group of 22 young Haitians that go and help support other orphanages and facilities in the area.

Dieubon said they beg in the streets for money and then give the money to others.

"I want to sow a seed in the young people," Dieubon said. "We get a group of young people, train them up and do community service."

Dieubon said when you put the young people in something where they see they are helping children and others in the community, they may find an importance of who they are.

Though, Dieubon and others involved in the ministry, is focused on providing Haitians the means to help themselves, the Project has been assisted by organizations and individuals in the states, including people from Rolla.

Arthur said as the ministry grows, its goal is to be able to do more work in Haiti.

Dieubon said his hope is that others continue to support the ministry, because there is a blessing in it, and supporters are able to see results.

"You put your money somewhere, and then you go and see where your money goes," Dieubon said.

Dieubon said his reward for his work is seeing the lives of others changed.

"My benefit is when I see a life changed, when I see kids smile and when I see kids no longer suffering from starvation," Dieubon said. "Kids who have joy and young people who have a purpose and reason to live - this is my benefit, this is my joy, this is my reward."

As a part of Dieubon and his ministry, supporters are able to travel to Haiti, stay and help the children.

Arthur said they take teams from churches, individuals who are interested and just a mix of people.

"We are just looking for people who have an interest in foreign work," Arthur said.

The work can be medical, or just any other type of service beneficial for the organization and the people in Haiti, Arthur said. She said there are a couple nurses from Rolla who have contributed.

"The ministry he has is set up to fit anything anyone wants to do," Arthur said. "If you want to support children, young people, or if you just want to come and see."

Arthur said they encourage people to travel and visit Haiti.

"If people are giving money, they need to know what they are giving to," Arthur said.

Arthur said she believes in the work Dieubon does, and they are best friends.

Arthur said she works as a coordinator for those int he area interested in contributing in anyway, including making trips to Haiti.

The above article was written by The Rolla Daily News.