Midpoint Moment 2023: Haiti Mid-Year Impact Report

Proverbs 16:9: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” 

It has been two years since the assassination of Haiti’s last president, Jovnel Moise. Two years since the gangs started to ramp up their hostile takeover of the country. Not once did we believe the country’s state would deteriorate to this level or that the multiple cries for assistance would go unanswered. We envisioned a completely different outcome than where we sit today. 

Psalm 73:26: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Psalm 46:1-3: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”

Yes, it has been two years since one disaster after another has struck Haiti, while many have had to watch from afar. Each came so quickly that communities barely had time to process the last. The impact of those to follow were only made that much more significant by the lack of ability to recover from the previous. 

Yet over the cries of our hearts and through the river of tears in our eyes, we hear the voice of our Father and see His faithful hand at work! He has sustained our strength, He has provided refuge, and He has guided our steps, even when we have felt we cannot stand. Our God has carried us through these past two years; He has set our feet on solid ground. Because of His faithfulness, we will not abandon our post! We will continue to lean into His promises that transcend time, disaster, and even death!

Psalm 103:22: “Bless the LORD, all His works, in all places of His dominion.”

We welcome you to indulge in the goodness of God, seen in His work through our leaders and communities, highlighted in this report of the first half of 2023! To recount all He has done over the past two years (or longer), please visit our website for a review! We encourage you to joyfully respond to the longing God has placed in your heart to assist in these times of need! And we urge you to give praise to our Good Father in Heaven as He invites you to experience the blessing that can only be found as He works through you by serving others!

The Emmanuel Christian Churches 

Psalm 34:4-8: “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”

Pastor RoRo held a pastoral mentor and training weekend with the Emmanuel Christian Church Pastors in March. This was an opportunity for Ro to pour into each of these pastors spiritually, for the pastors of the churches to encourage one another, spurring one another on to love and good deeds. Being together in the presence and strength of God was a rejuvenation for them and Ro. 

This year many of the pastors have held revivals in their communities and so far have seen 77 people give their lives to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! 

This April, a celebration was held at the Emmanuel Christian Church in Port au Prince. God has blessed this congregation with 38 years of ministry in the community! God has also provided safety, guidance to the leadership, and a place for the youth to gather in His presence instead of being delivered into the arms of the gangs. 

OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE:

• Please pray for our pastors and the congregation of their church. Lift them up to the Lord and ask for safety over them and their communities. Pray that each day they arise, they clothe themselves with the Armor of God! Pray for the Holy Spirit to move in the lives of the congregation, providing them with wisdom and counsel and guiding their daily steps. 
• Consider walking alongside our pastors with a recurring donation of $30, $40, or $50 per month so they can support their families as they are actively leading others to Christ! 

EDUCATION: TAKE A SEAT!

Proverbs 23: 12, 15-18: “Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge. My son, if your heart is wise, my heart, too will be glad. My innermost being will exult when your lips speak what is right. Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day. Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.”

Education has always been considered a privilege in Haiti. While we believe ALL children have the right to education, ensuring those who are the future of Haiti have a quality education is more important than ever. The professionals of the country (business owners, doctors, nurses, lawyers, engineers, etc.) and middle class are leaving Haiti in droves to provide safety and all other basic needs for their families. The country is experiencing an extreme “brain drain.” 

Since at least 2019, the students of Haiti have not had a full year of schooling. The ’22-’23 school year started in January due to the unrest in the country. The students cautiously made their way back to the classroom. Some were slow to attend due to violence in their communities. With teachers and schools specifically targeted by the gangs, it was necessary to take precautions. Once back in the classroom, this did not guarantee safety. As with many schools in Port au Prince, the Emmanuel Christian School of PAP experienced gunfire just outside their walls. We praise God that not one single teacher or student has been harmed, despite some close calls. Our more rural schools saw a slow trickle of students due to the inflated fuel price. If fuel reached their region, it could be anywhere from $25.00 USD to as high as $50.00 USD. 

In January of 2023, we launched our NEW Classroom sponsorship program. For ALL of our 1600 students to have the same opportunity to continue their education through secondary school, it was necessary to make this change. We invite you to “take a seat” in a classroom and play an active role in moving your classroom from one grade to the next and breaking the status quo for education completion in Haiti! You will receive updates on the classroom you participate in and information on any professional development opportunities your teacher has completed or has the opportunity to complete! 

Psalm 50:23: “The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

We give praise for the outstanding teachers who grow in their creative ways to make school a safe and enjoyable place for the students! This school year, we witnessed this through the beach party our Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers put on for their young students. Each year they plan a trip to the beach; however, due to the violence and insecurity, they opted to bring the beach to the kids! Looking for God’s goodness and giving praise is even something our teachers model and instill in their students. In June, the schools held celebrations of thanksgiving, praising and thanking God for keeping them all safe throughout the school year! 

In the spirit of thanksgiving, we give thanks for the generosity of those who provided new chalkboards at Emmanuel Christian School of Peredo and new kitchen supplies for Emmanuel Christian School of Kapotyer! 

OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE: 

• Please Pray for our Emmanuel Christian School teachers and students as they close out the school year with national testing. The ninth and twelfth-grade students of all schools will take the national test to determine if they will move forward to tenth grade or, for the graduating students, to determine if they are prepared for University. Pray that the Lord would watch over and protect them. Pray that their spirits remain high and that their love to teach the children of Haiti grows! 
• Do something in Haiti that will last through the next generation of Kingdom leaders! Will you take a seat in our classroom? Become a classroom sponsor for only $30.00 per month by taking a seat in one of our classrooms today! 
• There is still a long list of much-needed items for our schools! Visit our website to view the lists! 

HEALTH CARE: The Peredo Community Hospital

1 Kings 8: 37-39 (paraphrased): If there is famine in the land and the enemy is at their gate…whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house, then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know… (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind).

The choke hold on the supply chain, violence, 53% inflation, chronic food insecurity, and natural disasters has taken a toll on the country. For one of the last remaining institutes in the country, healthcare is on the brink of collapse. Those in the middle of the territory of warring gangs have closed for the safety of their staff and their prospective patients. Doctors Without Borders announced their inability to provide care due to the “war zone” directly across their threshold. Eighty-five percent of facilities are reporting a significant loss of staff. One of the largest hospitals in the capitol has reported a loss of 211 of their 600 staff because they see no other option but to flee the country for safety. Peredo Community Hospital is not immune to the effects of the “brain drain” either. We have seen many in the past six months make the hard decision to leave their home. This includes three anesthesiologists, one pharmacist, one operating room nurse, two specialists, and several more who have recently applied to leave. 

The scarcity of clean water, severe malnourishment, and patients’ inability to pay for fuel to get to a hospital in addition to lack of IV fluids, antibiotics, and supplies to administer, has primed the environment for cholera to continue to run rampant. With over 50,000 reported suspected cases, natural disasters such as the flooding in June only heightened concerns. The Peredo Community Hospital has seen over 150 cases of patients presenting with symptoms of cholera or other gastrointestinal illnesses; however like many facilities, we do not have diagnostic testing to confirm. 

Jeremiah 33: 6-7: “Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security. I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel, and rebuild them as they were at first.”

The Peredo Community Hospital remains open to all who need healing, despite the ability to pay for services. And while the lack of supplies may prevent the medical team from healing every patient, our team knows the healing power of Christ. They had seen miraculous things happen when it was supposed to be impossible. So our doors remain open, and our hope remains in the healing power of Jesus. 

OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE: 

• Pray those seeking care at the Peredo Community Hospital will receive it by the Grace of God! Pray for the right supplies to be found where many have looked previously, only to find none. Pray for the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of our medical team, administrators, support staff, and their families. 
• “Trees of Life,” fruit trees for new mothers. So far this year, 26 babies have been born at the hospital. During a time of chronic malnutrition and inflation so high that people cannot afford food at the local market, we would like to send our new moms home with help. Planting a fruit tree can be an additional source of income for these families as well as assist in the reforestation efforts of the country. Tree roots soak up water and hold soil in place to help reduce flooding and landslides. Would you consider a recurring monthly donation of $10 or $20 per month toward this effort?
• Lift up our hospital team with a recurring donation of $30, $40, or $50 monthly toward their salaries. 
• Do you work in a healthcare facility? Are you part of a medical team? Are there supplies or equipment your facility no longer uses? Want to know how those can assist the Peredo Community Hospital? Please email us at [email protected], and we will be glad to share this information with you!

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 

Mark 2: 25-26: “And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?”

Matthew 25:35-37: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.”

In February, we praised God for the container of food that has been stuck in the Port since last September and was finally delivered to the Peredo campus! By the time it arrived, not only were our schools in need of the meals but so were other schools throughout the Southeast Region. RoRo and Eline were being sought out by the communities for help to feed the children. They were also asked to help feed those who are in prison as their families were unable to provide (as is the expectation in Haiti). These meals were shared among churches, schools, women’s groups, prisons, and individual families throughout the entire region. 

As one can imagine, these meals did not last long and the continuation of this type of provision does not lead to sustainable community development. Therefore, we are engaging in conversations with organizations that have proven sustainable agriculture development in order to meet the needs of our schools and communities from within the country and even from within the South. Ultimately, we hope this collaboration effort will yield enough that the communities will be able to provide relief to one another after natural disasters such as the flooding in June, an active hurricane season, drought, and so on. 

It has become our commitment that each creative effort we are researching and conversing about must have long-term sustainability partnered with an education component that will provide a solid foundation, increasing the chances of success. Until then, there remain gaps in basic needs to fill. 

OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE:

• Pray for the leaders of our communities and those who are leaders within the organizations we are meeting with. Pray that we can clearly see the path God is guiding us to through the doors He is opening. And when He closes doors, pray that we remember this is for His glory!
• Please help us spread the word of the needs! CLICK HERE to give to the disaster relief fund. 

COUNTRY UPDATES/CURRENT HAPPENINGS: 

Isaiah 41:17: “The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.”

Isaiah 59: 1: “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear.”

Isaiah 65:24: “And it shall come to pass that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.”

Because of how quickly things have progressed these past six months, we have created a specific blog labeled CURRENT HAPPENINGS on our website for your reference HERE. Each item shared is a link to a news source responding to the situation, and the blog will be updated on a regular basis. We want you to be able to easily find news regarding the country and people we all care so deeply for. Please use this information to specifically pray for country leaders, the members of the gangs, and all the innocent caught in the midst. Sharing these links with your network of friends and family via email or social media is highly encouraged! We also insist on reaching out to us regarding any questions you may have through [email protected]. 

We can not thank you enough for your continuous encouragement, support, prayers, and generosity! Without you, we couldn’t do what we do. Thank you for choosing to be a part of doing something in Haiti that will last!