Back in Haïti

 

April 24th, 2011

Home, sweet home. Believe it or not, the transition back into America is always more difficult than going back to Haïti. Our friends in Haiti always seem happy for us to be back and they make a point of telling us so. Sometimes I go on “social overload,” but it’s still great to feel so loved.

Church service this morning was extra special, after missing 3 weeks and today being Easter, to boot. I was the recipient of many hugs. I got to see Maestro’s wife, bursting at the seams, with the baby due any time now. Her feet are very swollen, so I told her that she really should keep them up when she’s sitting. Her response, “In the church??? Madame!!!!!” And she had a good laugh at my expense.  I got to see Esther Gabriel’s baby for the first time. Esther is Pastor Bauvais’ daughter, who offered his yard to us when we first started the church. Nearly everyone in Grand-Goâve will call on him when they face a great difficulty, as he is a man known for believing in the power of prayer.

Before I totally move onto Haïti updates, our family would like to thank Len and Cherylann Gengel for the incredible hospitality they extended to us during our time in the US. They wined and dined us to the point that we didn’t want to eat any more! We especially enjoyed our two-night stay at the log home that Len built in New Hampshire. Absolutely beautiful!

This home overlooks a lake with the White Mountains appearing in the distance!

I also want to say how thrilled I am to have gotten a new keyboard for my laptop, which enables me to once again type all those French letters … é è ë ï ò ç etc. Sometimes it just doesn’t take much to make my day. 

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A team from Forward in Health joined us this past week for a clinic at our school in Thozin. It’s always a blessing when we can bring health care to the community, so we are grateful for that.

A trio from Be Like Brit arrived on Thursday. Len Gengel, Brit’s dad and president of BLB, Chris Stoddard, excavation expert, and Patrick Kalagher, engineer, are here for one week. It’s an exciting time for BLB, as they prepare to start iron and cement work for the footings of their building.

MOHI has started demolition and excavation for the new school and auditorium in Thozin. We are replacing the quake-damaged buildings, as well as expanding to accommodate our growing student body. The more students we find sponsors for, the more students we can accept into our schools. So, please join us in spreading the word that MOHI does have a child sponsorship program that helps hundreds (over 800 right now) of children go to school, where they receive a hot, nutritious meal each day and one of the best educations available in the Grand-Goâve/Petit-Goâve school district.

Since BLB and MOHI are building large buildings at the same time, in very close proximity to one another, we have had the opportunity to share many resources with each other. With Patrick’s arrival this week, we now have an engineer on the ground to ensure that our new structure is solid, just as BLB’s will be.

At MOHI, we are all very excited about starting up on this huge project, knowing that God will be working with us and through us, to see it to completion. The end result being, children in a safe environment to learn, a space large enough to accommodate the MOHI church and, during dangerous times of flooding from tropical storms and hurricanes, a solid structure for the community to seek refuge in.

Not only do we want to speak the words the Lord would put in our hearts and in our mouths, but we want to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the people of Haiti. He said “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) We want to be able to say this to our neighbors in times of difficulty, too.

Our 3-month road construction/repair project has come to an end. It was a great success and we are so thrilled to have been a part of it. Thousands of people with no jobs were able to work and their communities have benefited greatly by new roads that were created, connecting their villages to the national road.

We are forever grateful to God for sending us many faithful friends and partners who support MOHI. We appreciate your prayers and financial support, as well as your willingness to share with your friends, families and business associates about what MOHI is accomplishing in Haïti today. I also want to encourage you to consider coming to visit us in Haïti. We have decent accommodations for about 20 people. Why not witness first hand and also physically have a part in helping Haïti? Write to me, Renée for more information! (Did you notice the é in my name???)

I hope you all have a great week. Be like Jesus … go around doing good!

Moving Forward

 

April 17th, 2011

The Edme family is all in Massachusetts right now. Lex is returning to Grand-Goave tomorrow. We’ve had a great time here, accomplished a lot and are ready to get back to our “normal” routine in Haiti. 

Even though WE have been gone, all the projects continue to move forward. Payroll for 1000 workers took place without us. What an accomplishment that was! We’re so proud of our staff for working together and managing the crowd control. The workers, of course, are thrilled to have earned some good money this month. We are so thrilled to see how well the road project went. It was definitely a win-win situation. The mountain villages now have access by vehicle and people who never knew how they would manage to feed their children have EARNED money.Children are being fed and parents have received a booster shot of self-esteem. The World Food Program has requested that we work on another project. Our staff is working on the proposal now. Your prayers are appreciated, as writing these projects is pretty intense. It’s all done in French, which means Renee is not a part of it. God continues to provide and open doors!!!

The first permanent structure ever constructed at MOHI was demolished last week. It was definitely a bitter-sweet moment. The chapel has survived many harsh hurricanes, but it was badly damaged during the earthquake. Its demolition seems to mark the end of one era and the beginning of a new one. The number of people attending church at MOHI has more than tripled over the past year and the chapel would no longer suffice to house our services. But the biggest news, is that we have received a significant grant, enabling us to begin construction of a new school building. The school will be housed on two levels, with a “community room” planned for a third level. This room is planned seat 2500 people and will be a multi-purpose room – school assemblies, church services, community events and a shelter during hurricanes and such.

While we are willing to do whatever our hands find to do, I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to see the team of professionals that are working pro-bono on the school project: Paul Fallon, architect (Boston), and Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, an engineering firm (Boston), with Len Gengel 29-year builder and owner of C&S Construction (Worcester) on the ground in Haiti. I’ll tell you what, this new school will be built using the latest standards, designed to withstand earthquakes. It’s a new day for construction at MOHI.

We’re pleased to see the Hands and Feet Project progressing with plans to build an orphanage for the 31 children we have been caring for. The mountain land did not produce enough water to sustain an orphanage, so they have purchased another property. It’s located about 10 minutes up the main road from the Thozin school, so it will be convenient for the kids. A well has been drilled and is producing adequate water for the new orphanage.

The Be Like Brit orphanage also has a new well, which is producing enough water, too. All the trenches for footings have been dug and they are planning to start bending iron and pouring concrete in the next week or two. Again, it’s always wonderful to see organizations come to Grand-Goave and not only provide care for orphans, but also to provide jobs to people willing to work. Our city is blessed more and more, day by day.

The Political Climate in Haiti

Monday, April 4th, the CEP announced the preliminary results of the presidential and congressional elections.  The popular Haitian musician/performer Michel "Sweet Mickey" Martelly came out on top, defeating 70 year old, former first lady, Mme. Mirlande Manigat.  In general the population was very happy with the results, knowing that they had indeed overwhelmingly voted for him.  The country has stayed relatively calm.

In Grand-Goave, however, there have been difficulties.  The congressional race was very heated and very close all along.  The incumbent, Marcel Lumerent, lost to his opponent, the 2nd mayor of Grand-Goave, Franck Laporte.  This week has been marked with unrest in our little city.  Marcel Lumerent supporters blocked the only road that goes from the southern peninsula to the city of Port-au-Prince.  The UN, and CIMO (speacial police force from Port-au-Prince, with a reputation for beating any men they find in the street - sometimes women, too) came to unblock the street, only to find it blocked again at a different location.  They stayed to patrol the streets, which keeps people at home.

This kind of activity, obviously, interrupts daily life for the people in Grand-Goave.  Our office has been closed, schools closed, construction stopped, projects suspended and payrolls held up.  We are glad that we finished food distributions PRIOR to this announcement!

Please pray for our city and especially for the candidates, who have the ability to end these activities.  Pray for their hearts to be supple, so that they will listen to godly wisdom.  After a week in the US, Lex is scheduled to return to Haiti on Monday with a small group from Be Like Brit.  It is our desire that the work they have to do next week can move forward as planned.