On March 9th, Drs. Garry & Jody Vermaas and I traveled to Morisseau, Haiti. This was a quick trip with a focus on three goals:
Goal 1 – Strengthen Relationships
The first goal was to strengthen the relationship between the church elders and us. Relationships and trust are the primary foundations on which we move forward.
After the hurricane, last October, the people in Morisseau were happy to see our resolve to continue. We gave them hope. This cannot be overlooked.
Goal 2 – Assess Building Progress
The second goal was to assess the damage and building progress of the church and school. The church building was fatally damaged and the school building partially damaged from Hurricane Matthew last October.
The church footprint will be enlarged slightly as the former church is not safe to rebuild. The walls will be used as fill for the new construction.
Much has been done with much to do. Several times they committed to having both buildings ready before school begins next September.
Goal 3 – Evaluate the School
The third goal was to evaluate how well the school was functioning.
Granted, holding school in a building without a roof presents problems but we were encouraged by the dedication of the teachers and their commitment to making the best of a difficult situation.
Warm Reception
The drive to Morisseau from Port Au Prince was especially difficult this time due to Hurricane Matthew’s destruction from last October.
As usual, we received a warm reception from Frank & Jackie LaGuerre when we arrived after dark on Thursday.
The deacons were there, too.
Momma LaGuerre fed us very well. We prayed, sang songs and renewed friendships. The weather was perfect the night stars appeared as though you could reach out and touch them.
The mosquitoes weren’t too bad either.
LaGuerre’s repaired their home from the hurricane also. It looked very nice.
Visiting the School
Friday we visited the school.
After walking around the construction site we were treated to a song by the children of the school. They sang in English again this year.
I think they practice a new song for us every time we visit. It was really cool.
In addition to the song, the school had collected fruits, eggs, and vegetables to give us as a gift. This meant a lot. It was overwhelming how much they collected from the students.
When you consider for many students the only meal they have is the school lunch it reminded me of the widow’s two mites.
Encouraging Leadership
We met with the church elders Friday afternoon. They again expressed how encouraging our visit was to them. They were not sure we would be there after the hurricane.
Saturday morning we went to the local market. It was interesting seeing the goods and services they sold.
We also stopped in at Michelet Samdey’s and Martin Maingrette’s home. They are both deacons.
Deacon Fritzmond showed us his office. He sells cell phones and time cards.
Reflection
Saturday afternoon we road down the mountain to stay in a hotel in Port Au Prince. We both flew out on Sunday, March 12th, for the states.
I prayed for vision and focus before this trip. God answered.
With the help and insight of Garry and Jody Vermaas, we were able to boil down exactly where our focus should be.
Our vision is to educate the students and teach them about Jesus. All resources will focus on that until the buildings are completed.
There are so many needs in Morisseau it is easy to be distracted from our main goal. Once the buildings are completed we can consider other areas in which to help.
Looking Forward
I am excited about the future in Morisseau. I look forward to the day the school is running smoothly and we can help the church with evangelistic outreach.
How cool would it be to be able to attend a river baptism service of a student each time we were there?
While education is important our primary goal is to educate them of God’s love and His provision of Jesus.
Thank you again for all your help. This truly is a group effort. Everyone is needed and appreciated. There is no small part.
I will update more in the coming months.