Igniting Hope: Reviving Haiti's Struggling Education System

Today, I take you on a heartfelt journey through the education system in Haiti. Join me and the inspiring James Ulysse, a Haitian American who carries invaluable insight from his father's legacy in Haiti, highlighting the transformative power of education and how he and his parents are reshaping the educational landscape in the New Kiskeya Christian School.

Brace yourselves as we unveil some stark realities about Haiti's education system. With 60 percent of the population unable to read or write and only a fifth of the children attending secondary schools, the need for radical change is palpable. But amidst the financial burdens, lack of government support, and language barriers, there is hope and resilience. Listen to how James and others are making a difference through spiritual and academic growth. Discover how you too can contribute to this meaningful cause, be it through sponsoring a student, donating school supplies, or even stepping into the rewarding journey of a missionary teacher. Get ready to be a part of change!

Connect with James:
website: www.nkchristian.com
email: julysse99@gmail.com

Holly's Highlights challenge:
There are 90 students needing an educational scholarship of just $20 per year. Would you be one of those to help a haitian child receive an education in hopes of completing high school? Donate today at https://nkchristian.givingfuel.com/give. Check out the progress of students sponsored on my social media. Our goal is to help every student be sponsored by September 5, 2023.

Other items needed by the school include a guitar and piano, playground equipment, a classroom and paint, even a school bus. Check out their 2023-2024 school year wish list at https://nkchristian.com/wishlist.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Hi friends, welcome to Holly's Highlights, a podcast designed to encourage, inspire and equip you to intentionally live your life full of purpose. I'm your host, holly Kirby, motivational speaker, leadership cultivator, marketing strategist and personal cheerleader. Let's check out today's highlight. This week would have been my mother's 76th birthday. She passed away in 2019 of Gleel Blast on my Brain Cancer. My mother had retired almost a decade prior to her death from being an elementary school teacher. So, with this being the week of her birthday and was back to school only a few weeks away, this episode is an honor of my mom, both as a mother and a daughter of a retired school teacher.

Speaker 1: 0:46

I am grateful for our educators, those who show their support for our children in teaching them, investing their time, energy and care. There is a lot expected of our teachers and educators and yet often little monetary reward and sometimes not enough respect, appreciation nor gratitude. So these next few weeks will dedicate these episodes to our teachers. During this time, I invite you to join me on a Holly's Highlights Challenge, this week's challenge. After listening to today's episode, let's see how many of these students, and even teachers in Haiti, we can sponsor for their education this year. Now keep watching my social media for an update.

Speaker 1: 1:27

You'll learn in this episode, a little can go a long way. Sponsor a student today at nkchristiancom. That's nkchristiancom, so I don't know about you, but our shopping has gone from all things summer fun to getting ready to head back to school, with one child entering his last year in middle school and another her junior year in high school. We always have a list of things to get, but you know what? We are so blessed to live in an area with great schools and educated teachers and even accessibility to all things school supplies. Thanks to COVID, our schools even pass out Chromebooks for every student to use during the school year. In fact, worldpopulationreviewcom lists the United States as the top country with the best educational system. Now, my mom was a school teacher in various districts in various states for nearly 30 years, so I understand that not every area in the US has a strong education program, and this can open up opportunities for us to help others who could use a little support, whether it be donations of school supplies or funding or even volunteer time. You know, this makes me think of a friend of our family who is a superintendent at a school over in Northwest Haiti, the new Kiskeia Christian School. According to brightthemagcom, haiti's education outcomes are among the worst in the Western Hemisphere. They report 80% of the country's primary school teachers aren't formally trained. Over half of the students don't even complete primary school, and then only 1% 1% of students even reach university. So, in light of many of us who have kids heading back to school this year, I thought we'd take a look at gaining a new perspective of this time of year. We have joining us our dear friend, james Ulyse.

Speaker 1: 3:19

James is 35-year-old Haitian American, born in Fort Lauderdale, florida, who spent his early childhood in Haiti. When he was just a young boy. In about second grade, his family, among many other families, decided to leave Haiti about the time of 1994 during the US military intervention that brought 25,000 troops to the country. After leaving Haiti, james grew up in South Florida, always having an interest in art, music and design. He would go on to earn a bachelor's degree in graphic design of the Art of Institute of Fort Lauderdale. He's enjoyed a career in graphic design, web design and even search engine optimization.

Speaker 1: 3:57

That one is a challenge for me, so I really looked to the value in what he's able to do there. But in July of 2016, james felt called to go back to Haiti, not really knowing exactly the purpose of the trip or whether he would even be gone for a few weeks or a few years, but after one year in Haiti, james recognized need for help with the English instruction at the Nukiskaya Christian School and ultimately ended up helping his parents run this school, starting in about 2017. And it had just opened up a few years prior to that, so everything was very, very new. Now. James has been in Haiti ever since, and he's the superintendent at the school, so I wanted to take a moment to welcome James. Thanks for being with us today.

Speaker 2: 4:43

Hi Holly, I'm so happy to be here. This is great to be with you today.

Speaker 1: 4:48

Thank you. Now a fun fact for you listeners Our families met through our dads. James' father, robert Ulyse, and my dad, jim Harding, met in Haiti. So they're in Haiti in 1979 when Robert was, I believe, a 20-year-old working as an interpreter for my dad's group, who was there on a missions trip to Haiti. Now, when my dad got back home, he continually spoke at his church about this young Haitian man who worked so hard with the team during the trip. One thing that he noted about Robert was that while all the other Haitians were asking for a hand dance around their stay, robert was the only one who never asked for anything. My dad and the church he was at, temple Baptist in Popper Bluff, missouri. They were so touched by this that the church decided to even sponsor Robert's education here in America. When Robert came over and finally made it to the US, the story had actually made the local newspaper, which is pretty cool, and we still have those article clippings today. It's fun to look back and relive those and the stories that have been told to our dads.

Speaker 1: 5:49

But Robert lived with our family for some time. I was just a baby crawling about learning to walk, and my brother Scott was about five and my sister, christy, was about eight at the time. Robert was able to earn his bachelor's degree in theology at Baptist Bible College in Springfield, missouri, during that time. Then he went on to earn his MBA at the Lynn University in Boca Raton, florida, and then he even completed a PhD in International Relations at Florida International University.

Speaker 1: 6:17

Now, one thing my dad has always been so impressed about Robert is he didn't stay in the US. After all of this, he went back to help his people there in Haiti, to take his experience and his education here in the US and to pay it forward there. Robert has two sons with his wife, rose, and he served in the Haitian government and he currently pastors a church in Haiti. So he continues to be there and again pay it forward there in his culture. I think the story is such a perfect example of what humankind is capable of Good work, ethics coming together, serving one another, showing care and kindness and making a positive impact in this world, being that kind that we want to see in the world Now, james. I've heard some stories and I've witnessed some examples a few times that I visited Haiti, but help us understand Haiti's education system.

Speaker 2: 7:10

So Haiti, as you said before, is one of the worst in the Western Hemisphere as far as education.

Speaker 2: 7:17

Many people know the statistic that Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. So when you look just at the education system, the information that is available tells us that 60 percent of the children or the people in the country are not able to read or write, whereas 90 percent are able to do so. In the rest in Latin America and the Caribbean, 80 percent of children enroll for primary schools, but only 20 percent of children enroll for secondary schools, so middle school or high school, then 90 percent of the schools here are run by communities and organizations, usually churches and religious organization, and with very, very little government funding to help with that. 60 percent of the population live on less than $2 per day, so you can imagine parents trying to send their kids to school. Even if school doesn't cost that much, it's still quite a hefty thing. I've heard one statistic that 60 percent of the income of parents goes to their children's education in Haiti. Even with school not costing that much, 60 percent of their income goes to sending their kids to school.

Speaker 2: 8:29

80 percent of the teachers here in Haiti do not receive training prior to employment. That doesn't go just for teaching. That goes for just about any job a person would have in Haiti. Usually, there's not too much training, unless you're in one of the major big cities. Teachers are also often underpaid, as they are everywhere, but even here in Haiti underpaid, and sometimes they can be owed even a year or more of back pay, even if they're working for a state-funded school Again, poorest country in the Western Hemisphere you can imagine that could be the case.

Speaker 2: 9:01

Then, finally, many teachers are underqualified based on the fact that they have very low fluency in French, and French is the official language of the country, along with Haitian Creole but really they have everything written in French as far as school and government documents or international documents. French is really the language, but the funny thing about it is 100 percent of the people speak Haitian Creole, but only some 20 percent have mastered French. Even in schools, your books are in French and you're reading all this information in French, but your teacher barely has grasped the language. You, as a student, you're trying to learn from somebody who barely has French, and now you're trying to learn and write and read in French. That's one thing they're working on now is trying to get things books in Haitian Creole, since it is a language that has not been standardized up until very, very recently. So that just gives you an idea of how education is here in Haiti.

Speaker 1: 10:02

Wow. And I don't know for all the listeners, but to me those statistics are jaw-dropping, especially the less than $2 per day that they're making. And then the whole French comparison. I can't even imagine going to. I want to speak Spanish and I have been able to speak it before for a little bit, but it's like some things you know, you use it or lose it. I can't imagine trying to learn Spanish from someone who can't speak it themselves. So the added challenge that would be to those students Wow. So definitely insert the high value and impact that your school is able to have in that area. How did the school get started?

Speaker 2: 10:39

So New Kiskeya Christian School was founded by my mother and my father, robert and Rose, you will see, in 2013. So the first day of school was held with just two teachers and 53 preschoolers in a little restaurant here at the hotel that my parents have, and that was the first day of school, and we're here, as you said in the beginning. Northwest Haiti For those who know Haiti, we're near the city of Jean Rebell in the Northwest, and so there's a population of about 150,000 or so people in this area, and right now, we have over 110 students that are ranging from pre-K Actually now we're up to ninth grade. We're actually tonight to give them a Christian education, and so, with about 20 members of our staff, the goal is to add one grade each year until the students graduate from high school or are ready to enter university.

Speaker 1: 11:36

That's awesome. Now you've mentioned some of the challenges the students face there in having an education. You know getting to school, the cost, the teachers, the language, all of that Kind of help us understand. How does your school help address some of those difficulties?

Speaker 2: 11:51

So, financially, for example, we've reduced the cost of school as much as we possibly can. Our main donors. At the beginning, when the school was founded, they wanted to make sure that the Haitian parents, the Haitian people, still contributed to their children's education, so they didn't want it to just be free. But we reduced it to just $20 US basically equivalent of Haitian money per year for the parents to pay. It's actually gone down to $10 US if you do the conversions. So that's basically what we asked the parents to pay, but we do reduce the cost of school. That's. That's one thing that we do. Meals the students receive free meals, free lunches at school every day, and then we have transportation for the students to buses that take students from as far away as they can come, and so we have some students. They already have other schools in their areas that they could go to, but they choose to skip those schools, take the buses or walk very far and then come to our school. So we do have transportation for them available, but they walk all the way to our bus stops and then our buses get them to the school.

Speaker 2: 12:51

Our students come from communities where they are very exposed to the Voodoo Religion and so, as a Christian based organization, we are looking to help combat that. So the Voodoo Religion is prevalent. So the students with us. They benefit from learning the Christian principles and values In addition to, obviously, traditional schools subjects math, we you know language arts and all that. But we encourage a living and personal relationship with Jesus Christ for all of the students and staff at the school, since obviously we recognize the Bible as the foundation for faith and doctrine and conduct. So the hope is that after a student would graduate from New Kiskeia, that they'll be able to seek better opportunities in their own home country here in Haiti, but then they'll also be able to be ambassadors for Christ wherever they go.

Speaker 1: 13:39

That's awesome. That's awesome. I love getting the newsletter that you guys send out and just seeing different things that you take the kids to do and impacting them not only in their spiritual lives and their educational lives, but also the stepping out into their own culture and being able to do different things. I think one specifically was an elevator that they experienced for the first time. Are there other kind of experiences that you do like that with the kids or kind of talk us through that?

Speaker 2: 14:07

That was a big big thing for our students. So it was a part of a field trip to the city of Port-au-Pet For their 10 departments, or we could call them provinces in Haiti, and each of those has a main city and everything else is really just rural area in the country, and so many students have never seen the cities or, you know, in their province before. So that was one major event for the students was just to be able to go to the city and see the bustling moving around of cars and trucks and all the activity. We have a building that was just recently built in the city and it's multiple stories, about four or five stories and so they have an elevator in that building. So there are a lot of tall buildings but no elevators. So finally there was one with an elevator and I said, man, let's see if we can. You know, I talked to our administrative director and I said let's see if we can get the kids and the parents and go ride the elevator. So we planned it, we organized it, we made it to Port-au-Pet that's the name of the city, port-au-pet, which means pork of peace, and, yeah, the kids had a blast just writing up and down and the parents were like what is this? So we recorded you know a little videos of that and put them up on Facebook and sent pictures through our email letter, a newsletter and yeah, and they also in that. In that building the students got to see you know a really nicely built restaurant and they had a little store on the second floor. So the students were able to see multi-use buildings and how, in other developed countries, how these things operate. So that's one thing I think. Definitely in the states we would probably take for granted an elevator, so the kids had a blast with that.

Speaker 2: 15:49

One of the things that we probably take for granted in the states would be just the simple things at school, for example, having your own desk to sit at. When I, when I got to the school, the kids had just long benches that everybody sat on. So you'd have like a bench maybe made for two or three students, but you'd have six students crammed in on a bench and the benches in front of you, and so you write on the bench in front of you, but you can't lean back because there's nothing, there's no back support, and so that's how a majority of the students in the country learn, and so kids are shaking the bench while you're writing, or their elbows are hitting your elbows and you're just trying to vie for space. And so I was like let's pray for desks so we're able to get desks here in 2021. So every student is able to sit with not only a desk but their own little chair, like you would see in the states, and just how that improves children's performance during class, or even the ability for a teacher to walk in between the rows and observe student work instead of just being trapped at the front of the room because there's nowhere to walk through. And you know, you, just you realize that this, this was done for a reason. That's why we have desks is because it's good for learning. So that's an example having whiteboards at our school instead of just normal chalkboards, as students and the teachers benefit from that.

Speaker 2: 17:15

And so what I wanted to make sure I mentioned to you was we had a story last year.

Speaker 2: 17:21

I put it in our newsletter. We had a teacher see a model of the solar system that we received from a donation from our supporters, and for the first time, he was able to see how the planets are actually organized. He said you need to explain this to me. I thought the solar system was arranged vertically. Now I don't know what that means, but he whatever your grainy pictures he was seeing in the tech you know textbooks he had long ago he thought planets were arranged some other way and so I explained revolution and rotation and the center of the sun being at the center and this is how the planets move, and then we can press on the model and the planets just go around the sun. And he had another class to go teach in another school and he skipped that just to sit with me for two hours understand what the solar system was. So I think that's an example of some of the things that we take for granted, that you know it's a really huge thing here.

Speaker 1: 18:18

Absolutely. Oh, my goodness, that is so convicting and yet so precious and priceless that something like that was so captivating to him. That's awesome. Now, when will be your first graduating class?

Speaker 2: 18:32

So our students that started with us in 2013, they'll be graduating in 2026. 2026?

Speaker 1: 18:39

Not too far away. That's exciting. Now, what impact has this school already had in the Haitian society? You mentioned the voodoo that takes place there, but overall, just in the Haitian society, what do you think that looks like long term?

Speaker 2: 18:54

also as far as your impact, so, yes, as you mentioned, combating voodoo and those ideas, but Bible lessons for sure. Students get you know verses and understanding the Bible so spiritually, I believe, just within themselves, that is going to have an impact, and already has an impact, in their lives. As far as conduct, we do sex education with the students. That's something that is not done throughout the country and definitely not the way we do it. So, for example, we have sex education that is done from a biblical perspective, and so we're not really sitting there just talking about reproductive organs or something like that. We're talking about what does marriage look like to God, what does dating mean to a Christian and what are the impacts of premarital sex for somebody who is trying to live your life for God? And so we have, you know, testimonies from parents and students about their children making better decisions based on what they learned in the sex education class that we started doing last year with our students. And so we had one child.

Speaker 2: 20:01

She was going out to fetch water for the family and apparently a boy was approaching her and talking to her a certain way. She's a sixth grader and she remembered what she had learned in sex education class and whatever the boy was saying to her she was refusing his approaches to her and she let her parents know. And then her parents said they had to come physically and thank us physically and shake our hands for what their daughter learned in school. So that's one example. The students are exposed to technology through computer classes. They've been able to take virtual science classes and also even performing arts classes virtually online and obviously the English that they have allowed them to be able to interact in English with the instructors in the United States. So we think that those kinds of things being able to be familiar with technology much more so than others in the country will give you an advantage and will have an impact on the Haitian society.

Speaker 1: 20:58

The impact that you guys have just is amazing and that has to feel good when people come back and thank you for the impact that you've had in their kids life, that they're seeing it. There's so often that we don't get to see the seeds that we plant whether we're speaking spiritually or whether we've been speaking just in kindness to other people or especially for teachers that they don't necessarily always get to see the impact that they had in a student. So that's awesome. But there seems to be areas that we can get involved. I mean for you guys not to have desks for so long and then for that model of just the solar system. What are some other ways that we can get involved? Listeners that are tuning in right now. How can they support the education of these children?

Speaker 2: 21:37

So we have a wish list on our website and that has updated continually with what we do need, you know, or even projects at the school that can be donated towards. We put those up on our wish list. You can also sponsor a student through the website as well. We have pictures of the students up on the site. And then also teachers, because our local teachers that are teaching in just the Creole and French, they do make a meager wage, but compared to what a person would make in the United States, so you can donate towards that. And then also just school items. School items can be donated, and not that you would have to mail them directly to Haiti, but we can definitely organize to have you know whether it's a smaller donations of pencils and pens and notebooks and things like that, or if to organize maybe a whole container of items if there is a team out there, organization or a church or a group out there that would like to help in that way.

Speaker 2: 22:32

We also have a need for missionary teachers. As the school has been growing, we have not been able to keep up with the price of English teachers here in Haiti. They're much more expensive, and so we have been limited in our ability to keep the English going as strong as it was in the beginning. It's much more easy when you just have three classes for grades or five grades. So, missionary teachers who would like to come and teach a grade from pre K to eighth grade, we would be happy to have you.

Speaker 2: 23:05

That would require, obviously, raising funds on your end, and we do have a hotel here where we have indoor plumbing. We have a website right next to the beach and we have pictures of all that on our website, and you'll have transportation and meals and we would hope to have you for nine months out of the year. It's major sacrifice, but that is how it is done at other Christian schools in Haiti is that they do have missionary teachers for the English curriculum that they teach. So obviously very far from the capital where we are. So if you've heard anything in Haiti about the insecurity, we're very far from that, from the capital of Port-au-Prince, so that's not a problem for us here. So those are some of our needs.

Speaker 1: 23:45

What about short term missionaries, like coming out to help? I understand, right now you guys are building another schoolhouse or a classroom, so are you looking at missionaries to come out, even for a week or two weeks type thing, even a summer type thing?

Speaker 2: 23:56

or oh, sure, sure. So if a missionary would want to come do other smaller projects, we do have different things that they could get involved with. So, yes, building painting classrooms and obviously buying the paint, and maybe they could come with that to help us with those things. But, yes, construction, we have a library that we would need to build. We have received a nice amount of books donated, and so having a little library for the students to be able to go sit and read in, that would be much appreciated. So, yes, one week, two week visits, a month, two months, anything like that is absolutely welcomed, for sure.

Speaker 1: 24:34

Okay, now I'm very goal driven. So when you kind of backing up a little bit, when you talk about sponsoring teachers and sponsoring children, how many students I think you mentioned 110 is what you have as far as student space. So how many of those have been sponsored? Or, put it a different way, how many still need to be sponsored, kind of. What is that goal that we're looking for is how many students still need to have a sponsor.

Speaker 2: 24:56

I would say about maybe 20 of our students are sponsored in some way by someone outside of the school, usually another Haitian in the United States. Some of them have much less available as far as means in their families than others, and so we try to focus on those students first, those students where their families they let us know they really have nothing and so we try to get those, those sponsors. But yes, if you're looking to sponsor the rest, it would be about another 89 years old students.

Speaker 1: 25:27

How much does it cost to sponsor one student? You mentioned about $10 a year for the parents to pay, but what is truly the the needs that you would ideally have a sponsor pay for one student for a school year.

Speaker 2: 25:38

They sponsored on different levels. If it's just for their tuition $20 for the year that would be fine. For teachers right now are French curriculum or Haitian curriculum teachers. They receive about $80 a month and so, with inflation that has been going up throughout the world, that has been converting to much less into the Haitian money, and so hopefully we can have them at maybe double that to counter what has happened with inflation and the rising price of gas and things like that for teachers that come on to riding on motorcycles and having to put gas in their motorcycles every day.

Speaker 2: 26:14

And so, yeah, if a person would like to support the teachers as well, there's no amount that I would put on how much a person would, should, should give, but that just gives you an idea of how much they're currently making. The school does pay them. We're thankful to the support of our supporters, but we know that some supporters, while they do like to give and they do like to send the money to where it's needed most, some supporters are very much focused on the students, and so they they try to make sure that when they give, it goes directly to the students, and they don't really like for it to go towards operations, towards staffing. So the money that we can use for that, we do use for the staffing. But most of the donations that we get are specifically allocated towards certain project. So if we can do something for the teachers in addition to what they are able to get now, that would be, that would be nice. They would appreciate that.

Speaker 1: 27:03

I'm so glad that you brought that up because, as a mom I look at yes, the investment in my children is so important and I want them to have a strong education and I want to invest in that education, but the operations is so important for them to have that education and the teachers are just crucial for them to have that education. So I hear what you're saying and I hope that we all take to heart the meaning of that that. Yes, we have a heart for the students, but how do those students learn the teachers? And to continue to educate them also and help employ them? You know the sustainability.

Speaker 1: 27:38

I think there's something to be said for structure too and having the same teachers return, and one way they're going to return is they're going to get a paycheck right. So I'm so glad you mentioned that. Now, where can our listeners connect with you for more information? If they want to get involved in anything that you've just shared, which is great information, or even if they just want more info on the school itself, where can they reach out to you?

Speaker 2: 28:01

Yes, they can reach out at nkchristiancom. That is the school's website, nkchristiancom, and there they'll be able to see our mission, our vision statement, our values, our statement of faith, as well and pictures of the students and recent updates and news about the school. They can also join our newsletter. I try to send it out at least once every two months or so, whenever there's a major event or happening, and then they can reach out to me directly at J-U-L-Y-S-S-E-9-9 at gmailcom.

Speaker 1: 28:41

Okay, I'll make sure to put that in the show notes for you listeners who might be driving also, so we'll get that in there Now. James, I'd be very interested to hear your response to our signature question here on Holly's Highlights, and that is if you could go back and encourage, inspire or equip yourself as a child. What would you tell your young self?

Speaker 2: 29:00

Speaking about this, I really think that I would tell younger James in sixth grade to remember that God will help you accomplish anything that you put your mind to if you let him. And I say that because we're always told you can do anything you put your mind to. But what I've come to realize is, if you're trying to do it on your own, it doesn't work. It doesn't work. So, yeah, I would say God will help you accomplish anything you put your mind to if you let him help you.

Speaker 1: 29:35

Amen, amen. Well, james, thank you again for joining us. I'll never forget when my parents retired the dad from the pastorate, mom from teaching, and this was about 13 years ago. But reaching out to your dad to let him know we were going to be having a retirement evening for them, and with no hesitation, your dad so selflessly committed to be here. He flew out and spent the weekend with us and celebrated the retirement and hung out with a family and there is just something to say about the joy on both of our dad's faces when they got to see and hug each other and catch up and just spend time together that weekend and they have such a bond and a deep level of respect for one another.

Speaker 1: 30:16

I am so grateful for that and admired watching that in both of them, and I think it all started with a US man going on a mission trip and a Haitian man willing to serve as the interpreter. It truly goes to show the difference that we can make in this world. There's something to be said for going where called showing up, having good work, ethics, being kind and showing care. So, listeners, james doesn't even know I'm going to do this, but I encourage you to check out their website Again, I'll post it in the show notes even sign up for their newsletter.

Speaker 1: 30:49

I love getting this newsletter and just seeing the excitement on the kids' faces when they got their new uniforms, when they got their school books, when they got their desks all of that it just puts everything in a whole new perspective and perhaps see where you can help. So such basic needs like the school books and desks in a classroom whether it be donating $5 or 500 or even $5,000, every dollar makes an impact in the lives of these students. And you have not heard me go on like this in over 70 podcast episodes, but I believe I have a passion in this opportunity to get involved in the education, especially as we're heading back to school ourselves. And I've seen both from James and his dad their hearts are for their people, their investment in their people. So it's been a pleasure, james and I am praying for a great start to a new year for students and parents everywhere.

Speaker 2: 31:42

Amen, it was a pleasure. Thank you, holly.

Speaker 1: 31:47

Thank you for joining me on this journey of life. I hope that today's highlight has been encouraging, inspiring and equipping so you can go out and live your life full of purpose. I'd be honored if you'd take a moment to leave a review or, better yet, subscribe. We can also stay in touch by joining my email list at hollycurbycom. That's H-O-L-L-Y-C-U-R-B-Y dot com. Until next time, make it a great day for a great day.