The Power of Frances Landers’ Story

Thirty one years ago, at the age of 60, Frances began traveling with her husband, Dr. Gardner Landers, Ophthalmologist, to a hospital in Haiti where he performed cataract surgery on many Haitians who were needlessly blind. With Frances at his side, they spent one week, twice a year for the next 12 years. During those years, Frances met Father Jean Wilfrid Albert, an Episcopal Priest serving as hospital chaplain, who told her how desperately the children of Haiti needed education. He drove Frances to a small village where Voodoo was practiced and there were no schools. The poverty stricken children, with bloated stomachs and bland stares roamed around aimlessly. After seeing the hopelessness in the children’s eyes, Frances came back to El Dorado determined to help. Armed with photographs and the goal of raising enough money for one school of 400 children, Frances asked for help from her church, family and friends. Thus the first school and church in Mercery was established in 1981. Upon her return to Haiti, Father Albert showed Frances the new facilities. Many of the children walked miles to school. She saw the students’ smiling faces as they proudly sat in their desks with Bibles and textbooks. Frances hope that someday, these children would read their Creole Bible to their parents.

On the following trip to Haiti, the Landers’ learned that Father Albert had been reassigned to the very remote mountains of southern Haiti. While visiting, Father Albert challenged Frances to help him establish four more schools and worship centers in the mountains. When she reacted with doubt of her ability, Father Albert confidently looked her in the eye and said with a smile, “If God wants schools in the mountains, there will be schools in the mountains.” Frances returned home and went to work! She set up her office at her kitchen table and started raising money. Her plan in raising this money was to establish a foundation where 100% of every dollar donated would go to the schools in Haiti. She arranged speaking engagements at churches and civic organizations in Arkansas and Louisiana and paid all of her own traveling expenses. Frances acknowledged all donations with a personal, handwritten note of thanks. The money for the four projects was quickly raised.

As time passed, Pere Albert planted more schools in the mountains. The Haiti Education Foundation grew and groups from churches in the United States began to visit the mountains in Haiti. When missioners saw what great things were being accomplished through the “HEF” ministry, they went back to their home churches eager to do more to help educate the children. Visitors saw first hand the desire of parents for their children to attend school. In most instances, one child from a family would be chosen to attend school because they would go home and teach their siblings and parents. Students were given Creole Bibles so that they could use these in their home to bring God’s Word to their whole family. As the families learned together, Christianity and church attendance grew as well.

Frances’ main concern for the people of Haiti was to provide a quality education for the students. Her goal was to secure an annual scholarship for each student. Education is truly the way to break through the dark curtain of poverty and ignorance into the light of knowledge and achievement. The people in the villages eagerly anticipate the arrival of visiting teams from the United States. This is a time of building relationships and seeing what 24 cents a day can do to change the lives of the many Haitian children.

Today, the Haiti Education Foundation supports 40 elementary schools and 10 high schools, educating over 10,000 students in St. Matthias and Ascension Parishes in Haiti. This organization not only educates Haiti’s children, but builds school and church buildings. A whole economy has been created where moms and dads are hired to be part of the construction team. “HEF” only hires Haitian teachers and principals. This builds pride in the villages and helps develop the church as a focal point of the community.

You might wonder how all of this has been accomplished. It was Frances’ personal touch and the guarantee that 100% of everything donated is sent as designated to Haiti. Frances spent several hours every day answering emails and writing letters to donors. Her tireless efforts encouraged us all to press on and use the gifts God has given. Volunteers spread the news of this mission organization through speaking engagements in their local churches. Many have visited the mountains schools and have taken on projects to give “not a hand out, but a hand up” to the people in the villages. Donors from all over the United States continue to give generously to this life changing mission. What lies ahead? Frances wanted her work to continue through her volunteer staff. “HEF” is made up of volunteers of all denominations. There are Haitian children waiting for their opportunity to go to school. Amazingly, the cost for school, shoes, uniform, milk, lunch, textbooks and a Creole Bible is only $111.00 per year, which is only 24 cents a day.

Thanks to Frances Landers, villages throughout the mountains of southern Haiti wake up with HOPE and PURPOSE.