A Little Help for Bedzimel and a Seawall

The last few weeks have been busy.  Bill tells the tale:

Bedzimel  (actually Baiu de Mesle pronounced Bedzimel) is a village on the mainland across the sea from Ile a Vache about 11 miles.  We’ve been engaged to some extent with them for several years and park our old pickup at pastor John’s house. We also bring them food each month. They separate it  and distribute it to the old folks and they are so grateful. 

They started a church building a couple years ago and have a foundation and some blocks up. They need about 2,000 more and cement to lay them. They can make 30 blocks with a bag of cement. About $10 a bag. Seems a shame not to help so we will try. 

At the end of May, we sailed over to take them some food.  We went to the house where I park the old rusty Toyota pickup and headed to Les Cayes to buy some tools to work on the church there and buy food to take back to the village. Got back about 6:30 or and cooked supper for a bunch of people. 

We sat out in front of the house, more of a shack really, and ate together. Afterwards pastor John began thanking us and thanking God for sending us.  I could only say that we owe God alone for everything we have. I talked about how we can plant a seed and give it water but we can’t make it grow. Only God can. Only God gives and sustains life. All good gifts come from His hand.  So we come to Our Creator God with thankful hearts. 

The conversation turned to how some people are hypocrites and didn’t have thankful hearts. This brought to my mind how I have to guard against hypocrisy in my own life and how Jesus said we must first take the beam out of our own eye, then we can see clearly to take the speck out of our brothers. Many amens to that. 

I thought about how Jesus was present and knew our hearts and thoughts and how we must love our neighbor if we would love God.  We talked together for some time till after dark and had a pleasant evening speaking to each other and to our Father God. 

There is always much to do and have done in Haiti.  One of the best ways we can help is to give people work as jobs are practically nonexistent.   During the last month, we have been having a seawall built.  This project will also benefit the community, not just us and the folks hired.  

The sargasso grass has been a problem for a few years now.  It washes up on the beach and as it decomposes, it smells terrible.  So Bill talked with the magistrate about building a seawall to help keep it away and work has been progressing on that.  It will also widen the beach path for the folks who go by.   Bill wrote:

Monday went by with sending for concrete to finish the sea wall. When complete we will have created a decent road…. well, by Haiti standards, for a couple hundred feet. Will be glad when it’s finished. It’s using a lot of time and resources but then, too, it is giving guys work. About the only paying job in town. Hope to finish tomorrow.  The people are all loving it!

A team is arriving this Monday to help with taking supplies and the gifts for the gift distribution up to Janou.  We raised some funds last year specifically for that but had it delayed due to Covid, etc.  We are excited to finally be getting to do it!                                                                                                                          

We will be checking on the progress they are making with concrete blocks, cutting rafters, and digging the cistern for the building that is going to be going up for the church/school in Janou.  

Please pray for safety for the team as they come to Haiti and travel up the mountain and for God’s will to be done in all we do.