Why Haiti?

Often people ask why we are willing to expend the time, effort, and money to go to Haiti.  Even before the earthquake hit, Haiti was the poorest country in the western hemisphere with an average annual income of only $370 per person and half of the population having an average income of less than $60 per year. The illiteracy rate is 75% and the unemployment rate is 80% in this country of nine million people crammed into an area about the size of Maryland.   There were 380,000 orphans before January 12, 2010 and no accurate count of how many children were left without parents when over 200,000 people died in the 30 second earthquake that destroyed much of the capitol. 

So why are we going?  Because we want to make a difference in the lives of those who are struggling to survive in that hostile envoronment with winter temperatures reaching 80 degrees and the summer temperature often topping 100 degrees.  Thousands of temporary homes have been built to provide relief from the elements, but there are thousands who are still waiting to know that there is hope for the future.  In areas where a number of homes have been built, panic is setting in as those still waiting for their own home fear that volunteers will leave before the work is completed.   The government is inefficient, corruption has plagued the country for years, and infrastructure is virtually non-existent.  But none of that absolves us from the responsibility to do all we can in the name of Christ. 

Our task is much like the familiar story of the little boy walking along the beach, picking up starfish stranded on the sand in the sun, and gently tossing them back into the water.  A man approached the boy and asked why he was wasting his time in pursuit of such a futile task.  The man pointed in both directions where thousands of starfish were hopelessly stranded and he reminded the boy that even spending his entire day tossing them back into the water would make no difference in the problem of the stranded starfish.   Without a word, the little boy bent over, picked up yet another starfish baking in the sun, tossed it into the cool waves of the ocean, and kindly said to the man, "I sure made a difference for that one!"  We want to help those we can help.  When we leave on November 13 there will be families that will have shelter for the first time in ten months. 

But there is another need that the people of Haiti have.  No matter how much help they receive, even if fresh water flows from a well in every home, every person is employed, and the government provides a safe and secure environment, they will still be in need of the same living water that Jesus offered the woman at the well in Samaria nearly 2000 years ago.  We go to introduce them to a life changing encounter with the living, risen Christ who has changed us.  Our greatest gift to the people of Haiti will be offering them the opportunity to walk with the One who will be with them even if the earth trembles beneath their feet and the world crashes down around them. 

We ask of you simply that you pray for us and with us that:

- God will use us in whatever way He intends
- we will be willing to do anything needed
- the team will be bound together like a rope of many strands
- we will evidence the love of Christ in all we do.