Thanks again to everyone who supported the recent trip to Haiti through prayers, finances, and encouragement. Many people have shown a great interest in the trip, the people of Haiti, and our guest Zacharie who is staying in Luverne for the summer. Below are the most common questions we have been asked with the answers we have been giving.
Cory Grimm
- Have things improved in Haiti since the earthquake in 2010?
By outward appearances things seem to be improving. I remember travelling in the country shortly after that time, and the tent cities were everywhere. I wondered if a large number of people would still be living that way in 5-10 years. That doesn’t appear to be the case, at least going by what you can see from the main roads. Also the roads themselves have benefited from a lot of repair, including better pavement and improved bridges. Hopefully this is an indicator of upgrades in other areas of society as well. The Haitians are a tough people who know how to bounce back from disasters.
- Did you accomplish on the trip what you set out to do?
Yes, and more. We spent some quality time connecting with the kids at the Deaf/disabled School, and took new photos for their sponsors. We also had some good conversations with Lucner and Julianna, the directors of the school, and spent a morning working in their garden to plant some produce for the kids. The balance of the time was spent connecting with past, present, and future partners of H.I.M., the highlight of which was probably visiting Accolade, a ministry to street children in Les Cayes.
- How did George Bonnema do in Haiti?
We couldn’t have picked a better representative of ARC to go with us on this trip. First of all, George is very low-maintenance, so he never complained about the accommodations or the various last-second changes in schedule, etc… He’s also very comfortable in the heat as he works countless hours outside in the hot Luverne summers, so his adjustment to the climate was no big deal. Most importantly, he really seemed to connect well with and appreciate the people of Haiti, which is the country’s greatest treasure by far.
- How is Zacharie adjusting to America, and what will he be up to this summer?
He seems to be enjoying himself, though he is very cold when it gets below 80 degrees! We are running our heat in the basement this summer so he can sleep at night. He stays busy participating in our normal family activities, church activities, and various special meetings. For example, he preached at the Union Gospel mission last week, and he has a meeting with Alan Green of Lifelight on Friday, a contact he made years ago when they did a music festival in Les Cayes, Haiti. He is learning from everybody while he is here, but is also imparting his wisdom to people he meets.
- What is the plan moving forward for H.I.M. (Haitian International Missions)?
The big push now will be to fill some mission trips so people from our church and region can use their passions and faith to make an impact in Haiti and be impacted by the people there. The first trip will be Nov. 11-18 and will focus on ministry to children. Our tentative plan will be to facilitate a construction trip sometime this coming winter and a trip for teenagers in the summer of 2016. We have many opportunities to support Haitian-led ministries that are making a difference in Haiti and beyond for the kingdom of God.