Of Holes in Roofs, Clean Water, and…

Ghito and his family in front of their house with new tin!

Can you imagine if every time it rained, nearly everything you owned in your home got wet because there were holes in your roof? That is the case for many of the Haitian people. It is heartbreaking that so many live in homes that are barely shelters.

As the January team visited Haitian friends in their homes, they saw that the roofs had holes in them. The tin used for most Haitian roofs is thin and cheap and over time, the rust eats holes in the roof. The team decided to do something for at least one family. They provided some of the funds to buy the tin for Guito’s home and we were able to get the tin put on the roof.   The family is so happy!!

It is the second roof that has been redone by JUST MERCY in the last few months. The fishermen who help us with the Haitian sailboat transporting people and supplies have been a blessing to us and in return, we have been able to fix two of their roofs! Now these families do not have to try to protect everything from getting wet when it rains!!

The January team also had a great time interacting with the people of the island. Loving the children, playing with them, and coloring times were wonderful.   Somehow the people heard that there was a doctor with us and they started coming for help.

Dr. Chris treating a patient

Dr. Chris wrote: “I did not plan to have clinics on Ile a Vache. I did not prepare for them as I did not have enough advanced notice to plan for them. But obviously God had other ideas! We treated sick people all hours of the day or night on most of the days we were on the island. God arranged for us to have medicines and supplies for most of the ailments we saw. I also had time to show Alan, Bill and BJ different techniques to help the Haitians. God is great!!”

Building the deck on the wood shop!

 The team also built the deck on the woodshop and we are excited about the progress being made on the building. The team enjoyed sleeping on the open second story of the woodshop but had to put up with getting wet themselves when it rained.

Hannah March wrote of her time in Haiti:  “My heart is so full of love, my brain is full of new questions, and my tongue is spitting out some new language. I love these people and I thank the Lord for using me and the talents He gave me to show them His love. I think any other words will not do justice to my time in Haiti so I’ll leave you with this: Go. Somewhere. Anywhere. Just go with the sole purpose of serving others and watch God work. It will blow your mind.”

We are so grateful for those who come and invest their time and hearts in the people of Haiti.

Anodos and Paul with some of their new friends.

Shortly after the team left, our boat captain, Ricahrd returned to Haiti along with our daughter Hannah and her two boys, Anodos and Paul, 8 and 6 years old. It’s the first time we have had any grandchildren come to Haiti to serve with JUST MERCY! Not only did the boys play with the children here, but they also worked.

It is amazing the amount of trash that is dropped by people or washes up each day on the path on the beach. There is always trash everywhere but while the boys were here, they went out each day and picked up the trash that showed up on the beach in front of the base, setting a good example for other children, hopefully inspiring them to think about it before they drop trash on the ground.

Most homes that are being built by the poor Haitians are done little by little as people get the money for a few concrete blocks at a time. It is a slow, sometimes years long process. Over the past two years a friend has donated funds from time to time so that a house could be built for Estan and her little girl. Estan is our friend who gave her heart to jesus last year and who helps us at the base cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, etc. She and her daughter live crowded into a small hut with extended family.

The concrete walls for her house have gone up slowly as funding permitted but now, it was finally time for the roof! It’s always exciting to get to this stage of the process.

Hannah wrote: “Construction has begun on the roof for Estan’s house. My boys helped carry lumber from the sawmill to her house site today. None of the other children were helping until my kids started carrying boards. Then a few of them pitched in. It was so encouraging to see! Makes me hopeful that our example has a chance to change the mentality of the next generation, and makes me really happy to see another way my kids are having an impact in the mission field!”

The boys also went with JUST MERCY to visit a small island with a fishing village. Hannah wrote about the voyage over:   “The first time we visited the island, they asked us to come back and bring them just one thing – WATER. We have a bunch of it strapped to the deck in three gallon washed out cooking oil containers. It feels pretty significant to me, when given the rare chance to ask someone with the ability to bring something to them on their isolated island, all they asked for was water. How many kids will have a drink of clean water today? My heart swells happy with the thought.”

 “And there it is, Ile Abweet. I didn’t see a single scrap of vegetation anywhere. I cannot even imagine what life is like for these people. They weave nets, jimmy rig sails out of old plastic and cast off sailcloth, patch boats, paddle their dugout canoes, and pull their survival out of the sea.

 My dad is 65 years old, taking water and light and a little compassion to places like these. I love working with him on these trips.”

(Scroll down for additional pictures!)  For your prayers and for the donations we receive from you so we can continue to do such things, we are grateful! May the Lord bless your hearts to His service.

Caleb Lindsey and his little friend, Ludmi

Coloring with the children on the deck

Estan and her daughter Mayligue in front of their house with the tin on the roof!!

Ile Abweet

Bill with some of the water jugs JUST MERCY took to the island