HCH Mangine update

Supporters and friends.

We were recently informed that our personal email list of financial and prayer supporters was accessed by the Pye family and that an email with untrue, inflammatory information about our family was spread around. We are so sorry. We grieve this and we hope to explain more soon. But until then, please read the statement below, and feel free to contact Nick at nick@joyinhope.org if you have any questions.

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These past few weeks have been some of the hardest we’ve ever dealt with. Not just from a ministry perspective, but from a LIFE perspective.

I have been largely silent on the issue of the change of leadership in Joy in Hope/Haitian Children’s Home as I’ve felt a prompting to “rise above” the untrue and hurtful things that were being said about my family, specifically my husband. But I can be silent no more and feel I must explain the tensions we’re currently walking in.

Here are some of the facts of the issue for all you “facts people.” I want to go into more detail, but I am unsure of what I can legally share.

1. After what the Board of Directors decided to be a series of “irreconcilable breaches of trust” (I am tired of that expression, but it’s all I can give you now) with Danny Pye, he was removed from a leadership capacity in Joy in Hope/Haitian Children's Home. This occurred August 29, 2010. The full intention of the Board was to keep Danny and Leann in their roles as houseparents and give them a hiatus from responsibilities to spend time intentionally building their family and marriage.

2. Between August 29 and Sept 3, there was another series of events/discoveries that lead the Board to decide to remove Danny and Leann as houseparents. A generous bridge of support was offered to the Pyes, but as of yet, has not been accepted.

3. Nick stepped into the role as “acting director” from a Haiti side until a new director can be found.

4. Since this has happened, we’ve received 8 death threats resulting in us having to increase security, and confine ourselves and kids to secured areas (ie- traveling with armed guards, etc.)

5. Since this has happened, the birth certificates of 5 of our Haitian children have been held hostage by a Joy in Hope employee who was terminated.

Here’s a few of the feelings we’re feeling as we process all of this:

1. We are sad. We are so sad. I have cried myself to sleep a half a dozen times in the past two weeks. I have cried (like really cried-- the UGLY cry) every single day.

2. We are scared. We are scared for our safety. We are scared for our future. We are scared because we don’t live in a place where justice always reigns.

3. We are anxious. I didn’t eat for three days after this all went down. I have had constant diarrhea. My hair is falling out. I have a mouth full of canker sores. I am trying to "turn all of these anxieties into prayers," as the Christian in me knows I should, but it is very overwhelming.

4. We are angry. We are angry that we’ve been lied to and we are hurting. We are angry that lies are being spread about our family within the community.


Here is what we know:

1. God is on the throne. His plan will prevail even through this.

2. Building our family here in Haiti remains the only reason we stay here to endure this. We love all 10 of our children with a forever love that keeps us walking on as we fill roles we never wanted or intended to fill. God promises not to leave us as orphans in John 14:18. That is why we were created-- to walk in family with God. That is what we cling to as we trudge through this.

Thanks for letting me share my heart...

Thank you for your support.

Thank you for trusting us even when it's "messy."

Love, Gwenn