Tools to Send the Light

13th Haiti Trip – Vol. II

The rainy season started in Haiti in March so just before returning to the US, we received word that two children had died from cholera in the mountains of Pays-Pourri where our schools are. The next day Bill left for the mountains with ORS supplies and to find out how bad the situation was. We had been able to close our cholera clinics in January and had been glad they had not been needed since. He found that there were a few cases but not of epidemic proportions yet. He left the ORS with local people who could administer it so people could get down the mountain for help if needed. We will keep an eye on the situation in case the clinics need to be opened again.

In the last update, we discussed the ignorance in the mountains. Right now, we hope to raise the money to buy the projector and equipment we need to take the JESUS film to the mountains to show the people. We feel this particular need is so important, we wanted to share it with you. We want to do much more to bring teaching to the people.

Bill talking with children in the Robia school.

There is also a great need to continue supporting the schools and teaching the children. We try to supply the schools in the mountains with food for lunches when we are able. One of our schools meets in a small building with a tent outside, one in the large twig building that is deteriorating and needs repair, and one in a large concrete shell. When we announced we were opening the school in Robia which meets in a four room concrete shell, the next day over 150 children showed up! The people want their children to learn and we are blessed to have the freedom to teach them not only academics but about the Lord, too.

Another continual need in Haiti is for used cell phones that take sim cards. The cell phones they sell in Haiti are cheap and break easily. We are always being asked if we have any American cell phones to give away so if you have some older phones you could donate, that would be wonderful.

We are also looking for some used laptop computers that someone might possibly donate. We would like to have one for each school and one to keep medical records on. We are hoping to do a medical mission to the mountains with American doctors once a month and are excited to be talking with a couple organizations that are considering the possibility of working with us on this. On the four medical missions to the mountains with doctors we have done so far, we have just written on little pieces of paper and everything is very primitive and difficult so we would like a computer to keep the medical records on. These trips have been to places where doctors never go. People walk from miles around to see the doctor and every patient is prayed for before they leave.

House needing repair in the mountains offered to us for storage and other needs.

To do the medical missions to the mountains, we need to have a place there to store supplies so we don’t have to carry everything up and down every time. There are a couple of small Haitian rock, twig, and mud houses that have been offered for our use. We need to raise some funds to repair them and fix them to accommodate those needs. Right now hauling everything up and down every time is logistically complicated and difficult.

The needs in the mountains of Haiti are great but we have hope that God will use us to bring His word and light to truly come to make a difference in the people’s lives. Please share our website with your friends and tell them what we are doing. If you have used computers or cell phones you could donate, that would be wonderful.

We’re just followers of Jesus who went to Haiti after the quake to take some tents and ended up staying, picking up our feet and praying to God that He would put them down where He wanted. It’s been an adventure and we are grateful to all those who pray for us and who have helped us financially to continue to be there and do what the Lord sets in front of us.

Thank you for being a part of our lives!