Haiti Transformed

Lord, Give Us More Like Her!

haiti — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:19:01 +0000

Miss Marise is one of 2 nurses that run a clinic for a partner organization, Mission E4. Several months ago I had the opportunity to teach her how to suture using fruit. Since then I have gone through several small teachings with her on diagnosing and treating common illnesses that are seen in Haiti. This week, she excitedly told me that she did a suture training with the new nurse in the clinic and has made her copies of all the lessons we have gone through together. They are now actively caring for and treating people with simple wounds that need suturing. Miss Marise is a woman who deeply loves Jesus and freely gives away what she learns. We are praying that God would lead us to many more like her! ~ Kate, PA

Our Community Health Initiative is Off to A Great Start

haiti — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 02:37:05 +0000

Thirty volunteers from over ten different communities in Leogane came together week of inspiration and training. Each one came with great energy and expectancy, full of hope and ready to proactively engage the issues they see all around them; excited to learn how to positively impact their communities both spiritually and physically. We were honored to host three very skilled and well-seasoned Master Trainers from Medical Ambassadors International in the north of Haiti, graciously facilitated the training. The volunteers, chosen by their pastor, have already shown great initiative, character, and leadership potential, and have committed to sacrifice time and energy to mobilize and inspire communities to join God in becoming agents of their own transformation. It was so much fun to watch as the volunteers got so into whatever was going on, whether it was a lively discussion, a prayer time, a dramatic skit, or a fun dancing game, they did it all with their whole heart. Throughout the week we found ourselves looking at each other, smiling and shaking our heads in wonder at what the Lord is doing. We are so encouraged and humbled by this incredible group of people He has given us, and can’t wait to see the breakthroughs, progress, and transformation that awaits each of their communities . We look forward to coming along side and encouraging them in the coming months as they bloom and blossom into all the Lord has created them to be. It is such a privilege to be here and to get to partner with people who love God and are hungry to make a real difference in their communities and ultimately their nation!

Welcoming Future Catalysts of Transformation

haiti — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 12:43:28 +0000

The church/school building filled with anticipation as volunteers filled the benches chatting excitedly. Pastors and community leaders came together last Saturday with the key people they had chosen to attend our upcoming iCHI Training for Trainers (TOT) in a couple weeks. In addition to giving a warm welcome to the soon-to-be trainers, we also spent time imparting the big vision for the Integrated Community Health Initiative, as well as our calling as followers of Christ to be Ministers of Reconciliation in all spheres of society to our communities and ultimately the Nations. A highpoint of the meeting was when the volunteers and leaders all stood together declaring in one voice that the gift of God for their nation’s transformation is within them! We emphasized the importance of this very strategic role they are assuming in the continuing story of God in Haiti to bring about healing and restoration to hearts, bodies, relationships and systems by the power of the Gospel. All in all there are over 30 very eager volunteers who have committed to dedicate a full week to the initial training, as well as spend at least 10 hours a week serving their communities imparting vision, raising awareness, training leaders, and helping to mobilize a grass-roots movement toward physical, social and spiritual wholeness. Please pray that during the training from Dec 12-16, excitement and expectation will continue to grow and that deep revelation will take root in many hearts of God’s plan for holistic change as well as His calling for them to be agents of transformation to own their Nation.

Celebrating the Healing of Hearts and Minds

haiti — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:29:24 +0000

There was a beautiful celebration in the village of Laferoney today! Over 50 people gathered to celebrate with cake and soda the completion of the Psycho-Social Program that has met weekly for the past 3 months. Many people stood up and shared stories of healing, solidarity and reconciliation between neighbors that has resulted from the work of God in their lives through this weekly meeting, which has focused on healing from trauma as well as how to continue to live healthy mental/emotional lives in the future. Members of the community also encouraged others to share what they had learned from the program with family and friends who may still be in need of healing. A few community members performed a couple skits from the program with great drama and enthusiasm! At the end of the celebration, a member of our team shared how we as individuals and as an organization have also grown through this program; gaining knowledge, healing and hope for the future of Haiti. We finished by encouraging them again with the plan of God for their lives, for reconciliation and wholeness through Christ, and that we believe that the key to the transformation of their community lives in them.

Gaining Momentum for the Integrated Community Health Initiative (iCHI)

haiti — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 23:29:47 +0000

God is creating sparks in hearts and minds in Leogane with the vision for whole, healed, thriving communities. He is inspiring people and motivating Haitian leaders to be catalysts for the change needed in their own communities.

Our hearts were so encouraged to see more than 35 pastors and community leaders come together again for a few hours last Saturday morning to discuss and dream about the upcoming Integrated Community Health Initiative. We talked about integrating the physical and spiritual and God’s heart revealed in scripture for ministry and healing that address every area of life. They worked together to describe the type of person we need to be praying for and inviting to come to the training in December. The kind of person would really own this dream and run with it! All the groups presented some incredible answers. It seems that the desire to mobilize community members to be the main players in the development process (rather than an NGO) for truly sustainable holistic transformation is not simply something that they learned from us, but a value they carry deeply in their hearts and long to see made a reality.

Please continue to pray for God to raise up strong, passionate, loving, humble, servant-leaders to attend the training in mid-December, and to carry this Initiative forward, seeing communities begin to be transformed physically, spiritually, emotionally, and relationally by the power of the Holy Spirit and His work through men and women of peace throughout the city of Leogane.

Strengthening and Equipping the Church in Haiti

haiti — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:00:41 +0000

Toleman, a young man with a glimmer in his eye, told the members of his weekly discipleship group today how grateful he was for them. Before he started coming to the group, he didn’t know what the Bible said. He explained, “I used to do things in my own strength, but now I know what the Bible says so I can tell people what the Bible says.”

Since attending the 6-week Training Program this summer and then continuing to faithfully attend the weekly discipleship group, Toleman has started helping his church worship team and has begun writing new songs. He has also decided to go to college. He plans on getting a degree in Education Science because he wants to help his community by teaching others.

Multiple discipleship groups meet weekly in a small community called Fauche, as well as in the city of Leogane. Lives continue to be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit and leaders in the church are being strengthened and built up. We are honored to come along side the Body of Christ in Haiti, and simply offer our few loaves and fishes, knowing He will multiply it to feed the masses.

Vision seminar was “tre bel”!

haiti — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 18:54:04 +0000

To kick off our Integrated Community Health Initiative we invited about 45 pastors and local leaders from near by areas to a one day Vision Seminar that introduced the concept of community-led holistic health and development. Our desire was to see them stirred with excitement and vision for their own communities. We were thrilled with the turnout!! Every attendee thought it a “tre bel” experience…meaning “so beautiful” and was filled with hope and vision for their communities. Our visiting trainers from Cap Haitien were two fiery women who offered incredible perspective for our upcoming initiative.

Gina chooses Jesus ((One quick story))

During introductions people were paired up to get to know each other by matching papers they had been given by a trainer. A friend of ours from Laferoney had the word “pot” which means door. The pastor she was paired with had the word for “key”. When it was their turn to introduce one another, she took the opportunity to share with the entire group of leaders that she had been wanting to start following Jesus but didn’t know how…could they pray for her to follow him? All 40 people stood up surrounded her and prayed for grace and strength and Madame Bazille a good friend of ours prayed with her to receive Jesus.

The day before the seminar, Kate, Melaney and I were praying that even as we talked about community development and prevention that God would draw those that didn’t know Him into a greater understanding of who He is. Thanks for praying with us…God was Himself, His body in Haiti was lovely and we can all celebrate together.

Beyond the introductions, the whole day was great! We talked about what Christian community looks like, what diseases are preventable with community education, how churches and leaders can build strong committees that actually serve their population, what is holistic development, and how to choose trainers for our upcoming training in December.

Relief and Rehabilitation Effort:

haiti — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 18:37:16 +0000

(carried out in partnership with some amazing organizations and the investment of individuals and churches)

Community of Laferoney:

Homes for 100 families: Built by a local work crew, completed in May 2010.
Temporary School – Provided a solid structure for ongoing classes in place of a tarp where teachers had been working for free for months.
Psychosocial program – A local psychosocial practitioner leads weekly support groups to help community to heal from the past and live healthier mentally and emotionally in the future both as a community and as individuals and families.
Partnerships with other organizations for well rehabilitation, irrigation, water catchment system, rubble removal, road repair and additional 45 shelters.

Church Mobilization:

haiti — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 18:28:16 +0000

Seeing servant leaders encouraged, equipped and mobilized within the local church context through reproducing life on life discipleship.

Summer Discipleship Training Program
Ongoing Discipleship Groups

Rubble Removal

haiti — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:56:49 +0000

Many houses that were destroyed in the earthquake have remained untouched in this community and many others in Haiti for over 18 months a constant reminder of the destruction and loss of life and a danger to children who might think they are fun to play in. Praise God!! Samaritan’s Purse agreed to use their big machinery to finish clearing away these houses. What’s even better is that they used the resulting rubble to build up the road that is constantly flooding and making it nearly impossible for children to get to school, women to the market, vendors to their shops etc. We had been praying for someone to partner with us in this area for quite a while and it’s so encouraging to look around the village and see such progress! I know it’s also very encouraging for the members of the community to have a sense that they are really moving forward. One can simply look around and see that the community looks very different now, than when our teams first arrived after the earthquake. What a testimony to the Lord’s faithfulness, to the diligence of the community leaders and work crews, and to the many people who have prayed and given to see this community restored!