Dear Family, Friends and Supporters:
I greet you from the beautiful country of Haiti. It has been awhile since I last update you about the Etoile Ministry. I return to Haiti after two weeks trip to Iowa. It’s always a blessing to be able to visit everyone back in Iowa where I grew up.
As you probably have heard from the news, Hurricane Isaac had passed in the southern part of Haiti, causing 9 or more death. It also affected those families who were still living in the tent cities; I can’t even begin to imagine their home now. Disasters after disaster; Haiti does not have enough time to recover. God will make a provision!
On the northern part of Haiti where I am located and surrounding areas (Trou-sable, a zone in Gonaives), farmers were greatly affected. The farmers in the nearby area saw a lot of damage to their crops. On a single day, these farmers lost their yearly income. I pray that they find another positive way of sustaining themselves through this year.
Etoile brick building, used fro grades 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.
The Etoile School will be used as a safe place for people in the community to run to in the case of flooding. We have one of the highest foundations in the area. By the way, the Etoile School will be opening this coming October 1st for 160 kids. The staff, parents, and children are all excited for this. None of this would have been possible without the support of the parents in the community. I applaud them for their commitment to changing this environment.
Three kids in the new school uniforms that will attend Etoile Institute next year.
I have had the joy of hosting many groups that came to Haiti to either work in the area of education, sports, construction and Biblical studies. Each group is different but all had the same purpose of serving others in the name of Jesus Christ. So, it’s all been fun and I hope groups continue to come. You might be the next one here; you never know when the Lord will use you to come to Haiti to give a helping hand to your brothers and sisters here.
Peace Be With You,
Silentor
I see the reality of one’s life here in Haiti
It’s been awesome being with my family after living in the U.S. for the last 15 years. There was not a day that went by that I did not think of them. This might have had to do on how much they had cared for me when I was sick as a child; not just parents but brothers and sisters caring for their sick sibling, sacrificing all they had to keep me alive. They were all in my heart. I love them and I wanted to be close to them. I wish that they never forget me because I did not forget them. At night I would cry, thinking they would not accept me as one of their own anymore but I knew God would not have let this happen. I believe one day that I will be with them again and that I will minister to them; to simply care for their basic needs. While living in the U.S. I was oblivious to the pain my family had to go through, but now living with them once again I soon find out how difficult life was for them and still is to this day. I see the reality of one’s life here in Haiti. Food does not come easy, healthcare is out of reach, and education is a privileged. Food: This family was one of the recipients of a community food distribution in August. This is one of the areas I feel most blessed because as long I eat; my family will eat. I will fill their stomach with food to make up all the days lost. I will give them the nutrients needed to keep them healthy. I will sit at the dinner table with them to give God thanks for the food that we are about to eat. Now that’s for my family; will the family next door have the same opportunity, most likely no? I hope God will make a provision for us to feed those in this community. Healthcare: I want to cry. Doctors are not paid; they do not come to work and patience suffers, thus, dies overnight with a simple procedure it could have taken a doctor to save a life. Currently, one of my sisters has an ovarian cyst and another sister has a major infection in which doctors cannot tell us what it is. One doctor says to keep tract of the pain on the cyst and another doctor tells the other sister there is nothing they can do. Silentor wants to cry. Silentor has to watch his sisters suffer just like I suffered as a child but I feel they helped me more than I can help them. I need to do something or it might be too late but what can I do, what hospital, what doctor and where do I go. God will lead. Now you can only imagine what other families have to endure when someone in their family is sick. As a believer, my sisters our in God hand but what about those who do not believe? I pray that they do not go to the witchdoctor that lives in the community. Please pray for the sick here in Haiti, this is one of time their faith is being tested. I hope God makes a provision for us to have a clinic to help with their basic healthcare in this community. Education:
This is the church/school that will be used for pre-school, pre-kindergarten, and kindergarten.
Let’s just say; it’s a privilege! Some can pay but half cannot. There are those who can almost pay but half way through the year they quit. Mothers have another child; pulls older child out of school to watch younger child while she goes to the market. Not fair! Half of the half that is able to go only makes it to 6th grade; either times got harder or a child is on the way. Those who get to finish all the way through high school; it’s like getting a college degree but no jobs to look forward to. If there are 10 that go to a university, 8 of 10 will leave the country once they graduate. Not fair for this country. I am not so good with numbers; I hope this description makes sense to you. Anyhow, my family fell under this description. Now, I have a chance to help this category by building a school for the generation to come after us. Etoile will be a school that is affordable for all. It will provide resources needed to help the development of a child. Etoile will pay teachers well, will train them and respect them as professionals. We will help the families in the community, we will motivated them to play a role in their child education, will make them care for a better future for their child and for the country of Haiti. I pray for those that make it far enough to finish that the do not leave their country but be a light for those to come after them.
Church experience in another email to come.
That was glimpse of what I am experiencing here in Haiti so far. It’s all been a blessing. It is helping me be more spiritually full. I am enjoying the little things that life has to offer. I am not only with my birth family but I am helping make a difference for my people and the country of Haiti.
This is where I am meant to be at this time and plase continue to walk on this path with me by keeping me in your prayers as well as the country of Haiti.
Enjoy these pictures and videos of our Etoile Ministry here in Haiti:
