THaKO

On January 12, 2010, a catastrophic earthquake that registered a magnitude of 7.0 devastated Haiti, destroying residences, lives, and families.
The THaKO (pronounced taco) orphanage was prompted by that earthquake to house some of the children who had lost their families during the disaster. THaKO stands for Tomorrow for Haitian Kids’ Organization. THaKO was started by Louisa Suggs, who had already been working with the people of Haiti in past years.
THaKO is a non-profit orphanage based in the heart of the village of Carbonel, a remote region of Cap-Haitien, Haiti. In addition to providing the basic necessities to many children in need in the area, THaKO provides basic medical care to local villagers.
Jayne and Fred Thompson and Jeff Smith, who attend Bunker Hill United Methodist Church (UMC), will be going on the next mission trip to Haiti. Fred Thompson is on the U.S. Board for THaKO.
Mission groups from Bunker Hill UMC have been going to Haiti since November 2013. There have been three mission trips so far. Since their visit last year, there have been a few changes.
“The big difference within the last year is that kids have actually started living in the orphanage,” explained Thompson. “Before the orphans could move in, we had to build a structure that was safe for the kids to live in. The orphans were waiting for the orphanage to open. Now, there are currently 22 children living in the orphanage.”
The children of the THaKO orphanage do more than just live there, however, and the missionaries do more than just deliver supplies.
“Since the orphanage opened, there has been an emphasis to improve the quality of life, such as building furniture, dressers, beds, tables etcetera,” stated Thompson. He pointed out that unlike in the U.S., education in Haiti is not free, so they have helped the children get what they need to attend local schools.
“In Haiti, education isn’t free,” explained Thompson. “There’s been a tremendous amount of effort to bring the education to the orphans as well as uniforms and supplies. They (the children) go to two different schools. It’s like a lot of other things in Haiti and other Third World countries, if you really want to provide the best opportunities, you have to find a way to pay for it, so whatever government services that are provided are minimal or lacking in quality.”
The mission team has also installed solar power so the orphanage can provide its own electricity because the power grid in Haiti is unreliable and expensive. The Thompsons said there is also a need for an inverter and to have the storage batteries replaced. They would like the orphanage to be self-sustaining one day, with chickens and a garden.
There will be a mission team going to Haiti from July 24 through August 2. When they go on this trip, they will be building light furniture, cabinetry, and shelving units. They are also planning a fun Vacation Bible School (VBS) experience for the children.
“This has really been an act of love for Louisa (Suggs) and a small band of us who have gotten connected to the orphans after going on a mission trip,” said Jayne Thompson. “It’s amazing how the orphans grab your heart and you have no choice but to respond in love to help them.”
Thus far, the mission trip has gotten a lot of financial support from the church, but it will cost $6,000 to send Smith and the Thompsons and they still need to raise the remaining $4,000. To that end, they’ve set up a funding website for people who are interested in supporting them to do the mission trip.
A bigger need is ongoing support to provide for the needs of the orphanage. They are always looking for people who might want to sponsor a child. $200 is enough to cover a child’s medical, educational, and living needs for an entire month.
All of Bunker Hill UMC is involved in the THaKO mission trip, even the children of the church.
“The kids collect Koins for Kids for the orphans and have committed to raise $100 each month. Their VBS also has that as its mission purpose. They raise money during VBS and send the money,” said Thompson.
Thompson assured that all of the proceeds would not only help the orphans, but the Haitian community as well. They would welcome an opportunity to speak to area groups about the orphans.
“We can’t fly over a lot of supplies, but by buying the goods in Haiti, we help support the Haitian community,” affirmed Thompson. “Any money that is provided has Haitian as well as U.S. oversight and it’s all accounted for. We actually are there to see where the money goes.”
For more information about THaKO or making a donation, email fredthompsonnc@gmail.com or visit www.youcaring.com/THAKO.