Ivy's Girls

"Ivy's girls" learn from and work with Ivy Salomon, a long-time missionary in Ranquitte, Haiti. The girls do a lot of beautiful knitting, sewing, and needlework, which Ivy sends back to the States for sale. Here are profiles of some of Ivy's girls, translated from hand-written notes in French.

If you click on a young lady's picture, you'll see a piece of her work.

Dear Friend,

I am very happy to write you this letter to tell you a little about my family. My name is Carline. I am a twelfth-grader at Calhoun Spady Missionary School. I've been working at Ms. Ivy's Center for about seven years.

My father's name is Micius. He is a farmer. My mother's name is Jeanette. She is a great cook. She works at Ms. Ivy's house. My father and mother have nine children. I am the fourth (Gecemene's little sister and Cardonne's big sister). I thank you ever so much for your assistance. You've been really helpful to us.

Ms. Ivy is a very fine woman. She is really good to each and every one of us. We've learned to love her.

Hope that you keep on helping us so that we will always do a better job.

God richly bless and keep you!

Love,
Carline Marcellus
Here's another of Carline's pieces.

Dear Friend,

My heart beats with joy to write you this note. First of all, how is your health, and all of your activities? As for me, all is okay.

My goal in this note is simply to tell you a little about my family. My family is made up of my mother and my father and nine kids (including the grandkids). I am the oldest of the kids, at 28 years old. I am not yet married. I have finished with my studies for the moment: although I have finished the coursework as a nurse, and work as a nurse presently, I am not yet a licensed nurse (because that extra coursework costs a lot in Haiti).

I like to crochet and do embroidery. I also make many of the cards that we sell (embroidered with small designs). I like to sing, and I direct the children's choir at my church. I also teach Sabbath School for the kids. I would like to come to the United States someday soon.

Be assured of my greetings the most sincere, and may God bless you and your family.

Remide Bel-Amour

I am delighted to write to you on this beautiful day. First of all I want to greet you warmly; secondly I want to thank you for the collaboration between us.

My family is composed of 14, of whom 11 are kids. I am the second child. I am in the twelfth grade in the Calhoun Spady Missionary School. Among the 11 kids, only two go to school. My mother has nothing to do [in the sense of work outside the home] and my father has a large farm. Even so, they are very poor.

Thank you for your help and your kind thoughts,

Isemania (Elane) Borgella (the little sister of Enid)

I greet you in the name of Christ,

For your part, how are you, your activities, etc.? My goal in this letter is just to explain to you a little about my situation, and that which I do to earn my daily bread.

I am married, and a farmer. I also work at the preschool on the Campus. My husband is sick, and hasn't been able to work now for two years. I have a child (a daughter named Lounda) and three others under my care. All the kids go to school.

I come from a very poor family. Don't forget my father and mother, who have 11 children, only two of whom go to school because of our parents' limited means. We live because we have a Savior who is our Lord Jesus Christ, by the same manner as the crows.

Thank you,
Enid St. Ilma (Enid is the big sister of Elane).

Today I am thrilled to write you these few lines, just to tell you a bit about my family. I am Gecemene, 23 years old. I like to do embroidery and cross stitch. I am the third of nine children, the older sister of Carline and Cardonne. My father, Micius, is a man who works the earth, and knows what he's doing. My mother (Jeanette) works at Ivy's place, and is a fantastic cook.

We are happy to work with you; I am proud of my work, and hope that you like it. Thanks for all we do together,

Love,
Gecemene Marcellus

I'm happy to be able to write you this note at this time. How are you doing? I hope that you're doing well, by God's grace.

I'm writing these lines to give you a little information about my family. My mom has nine children, six girls and three boys. [Cardonne is the little sister of Carline and Gecemene]. The oldest and two youngest are boys: all the girls are in the middle. I'm the fifth child: exactly in the middle of the group.

I'm 19 years old, and in the ninth grade. I like to sing, and sing in the church's youth choir. I'm learning to do needlework.

My best to you,
Cardonne Marcellus

I am happy to send you this note. I'm going to tell you a little bit about myself, but before I do -- How are you? How are your activities going? Well, I hope. For me, things go as the roulette wheel, the grace of God. All is going well enough for the moment.

I go by the name of Deena, although my full name is Faith Deena Damas. I am in the twelfth grade. I am 21 years-old, the daughter of Mr. Jerome Damas, and Fedrina Salomon. I have two brothers and just one sister. My mother is a businesswoman, and my father is a farmer.

I ask for your help in praying for me to pass my exams this year, and so to finish secondary school.

What do I like to do? I love to crochet, and I like counted cross stitch. I like to make doilies.

Thanks for reading these few lines, and my greetings to you and to your family. Bye!
Deena (with niece Prisca)

I am delighted to find this opportunity to write you these lines. Even though I don't know you, I hope that you're doing well. As for me, all is not great.

I am a twenty-four year-old student in the twelfth grade. My parents have five kids, three girls and two boys. My mother is a buys and sells in the market, and my father is a farmer. You probably know that life is hard in Haiti, and my family is even poorer than most.

I love to do counted cross-stitch as well as to crochet. I like working at our Savior's church [The Seventh Day Adventist Church of Ranquitte], where I often sing [in two groups: Los Angelos del Ciero -- Heaven's Angels, and Rayons de l'Espoir -- Rays of Hope]. I like school, and after my studies here in Ranquitte I would like to go on to become a nurse.

I send you my warmest greetings,
Guerline Augustin

Today I am pleased to have found the chance to write you this note. How are you, your family, and all of your activities? As for me, all is not well.

I want to tell you a little bit about myself and my family. My father died back in 2003; shortly after that my mother fell sick, and she's remained so. I have six brothers and eight sisters. I got through 9th grade, and then had to start working to support our family. I would have liked to continue my studies so as to have a profession, but alas!

I like to crochet and do counted cross-stitch. I also sew (dresses, pants, etc.). Another activity I like is flower arranging.

Bye for now,
Madiana Francois