So much has happened in the last year. We feel speechless, but we are full of thanks to God for all that He has done. Thanks also to you who continue to support this ministry with prayer and finances.
Our work with flood victims
In June, heavy rain in the mountains sent rivers of water through the city overnight, resulting in a devastating flood that killed several thousand people. So many others lost their houses and possessions. The needs that followed this disaster were tremendous: children lost their parents; displaced people needed shelter, food, clothing, and money; unemployment increased; sickness increased. Cholera began to spread, killing several thousand more.
We kept busy visiting people, helping as many as we could. We shared food and the Gospel. We also built structures to shelter five families. Our meager efforts seemed like a drop in the bucket compared to the great need.
Distributing food and sharing the Gospel in an area affected by the flood.
Our visit to the United States
In August, while we were in the States, God moved in the hearts of those who attended a benefit auction, raising forty thousand dollars for the work in Haiti. This was a tremendous and much needed boost. In October, a large sum of money was given to finish paying off the mission house. We give thanks to God for His provision, and thanks to you who have given.
Haiti Nutrition Program
A very real hunger crisis exists right now in Haiti. Many people do not know where their next meal will come from. Some wait for multiple days before finding food again. When they smell food cooking, they follow the scent and gather outside the house, hoping to be given something to eat.
On most days last year, forty to fifty people came to our mission house seeking help. We gave food parcels to needy families and made nutritious meals for the homeless. We helped some of them with needed meds, and sent others to the hospital. Some of the people we helped would have died without our intervention. We shared the Gospel with some, and saw some lives significantly changed.
The little baby pictured below weighed 3.9 lbs. at six weeks old. His child mother had been feeding him tea and white crackers dissolved in water since he was born. He is growing now and getting stronger. We don’t know what his future holds, but we know God has an amazing plan and purpose for his life. We are honored to be a part of his journey.
Last year at arrival After 1 month 2024
The family pictured below came to us asking for formula for their newborn baby because the mother wasn’t producing enough milk. Instead, we put them on our Nutrition Program, where they received nutritious foods and vitamins. With a bit of education and encouragement, the mother has been successfully breastfeeding her little one. Now they have transitioned from the Nutrition Program to the Savings Program, where they will learn to provide for themselves instead of depending on handouts. They will be given a small loan to start a business and will be in a group learning how to save money and run their business successfully.
Haiti School Program
Our schoolhouse was much too small for our 400 rambunctious students. Made of wood and tin, the building had been severely damaged by a hurricane and an earthquake. It was no longer safe to use. Thanks to several generous donors, we were able to do some major renovations, building several new classrooms and remodeling the existing ones using rocks, cement blocks, and concrete. By November, we put in the doors, windows, and floor. Now the children are much more comfortable. Teachers and parents are happy.
Schoolhouse before renovations
Schoolhouse after renovations
Happy children gather outside the newly constructed building
Many families in this area cannot afford to buy the necessary books and school supplies. We constantly need funds to help purchase those items for the neediest children. When we have enough resources, we also provide a daily meal for each of our students. For some children, it’s the only meal they will get in a day. We are always grateful for donations to help buy food, books, and supplies for the students as well as to pay wages for the teachers and cooks.
Additional needs for the school:
- benches for the students
- desks for the teachers
- a bathroom where students can wash and take care of their needs
- a second cistern for adequate water supply
Haiti Clinic Project
People who live in the Haitian mountains seldom have access to medical care when a need or emergency arises. Some must be carried for hours in order to find help. On occasion, we conduct mobile clinics, teaming with doctors and nurses to take medical supplies into these areas. We see the great need around us. While the crowd waits to be seen, we share the Gospel.
The clinic we are building is strategically located in the center of eight regions with a combined population of more than four hundred thousand people. In the recent cholera outbreak, around two hundred people from this area died. The locals are very excited about the clinic, since they do not even have access to pain relievers or adhesive bandages.
The basement of the clinic is nearly finished with a corridor and four rooms – two for supplies and two which we may use for seeing patients while we begin work on the main level of the building.
The clinic basement
Working on the clinic basement
Haiti Savings Program
The Savings Program is still going strong with over 100 groups and nearly 6,000 members meeting regularly for accountability and teaching about their spiritual lives, finances, and business management. Participants in the program save money and loan to each other to help build their new businesses.
The young man pictured below is Abimaël. Before he joined the Savings Program, his life was very difficult. As he learned business principles, he began saving money a little at a time. Finally, he saved enough money to buy this motorcycle to use as a taxi. Now he is making more money and saving up for a bigger project. His face is happy, and his life is better. He thanks God for the Savings Program and asks Him to bless it and all the people who support it.
The lady pictured below received a loan through the Savings Program and started a successful business. Her business has progressed so much that she is able to pay school tuition for her children, help her family, and do even more.
Please pray with us:
- for peace and stability in Haiti
- that Haitians will be open to the Gospel
- that we will be effective tools in God’s hands