Dave & Jerilyn’s first mission trip in 1989
Dear Family & Friends,
Thirty years ago when Jerilyn and I made our first mission trip to Haiti, we discovered a land of contrast. Thirty years later, that contrast still remains.
Thirty years later with Fritz, Pastor John & Sandra
On one hand we witnessed extreme poverty. On the other hand we experienced the richness of Haitian culture. On one hand we dealt with debilitating corruption. On the other hand we basked in partnering with honest, hard-working citizens. On one hand we lamented at the streams of plastic and garbage flowing into the ocean after a hard rain in the land described as, “the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.” On the other hand we rejoiced at the morning sun peeking over the rolling mountains welcoming a fresh new day on the island that Christopher Columbus so aptly named, “the Pearl of the Antilles.”
I remember returning from Haiti after our first trip that bridged late December 1989 with the first few days of January 1990. In relating the frustrating experiences of the trip to my mother, I blurted out, “I can’t do nothing!”
For those of you who knew my grammatically correct mother, you would not be surprised when she responded with the correction, “I can’t do anything.” But this time I was right! I went on to explain to mom that after my Haiti experience, with what I had seen and what I had felt, meant that doing nothing was not an option. “I can’t do nothing.” “I must do something.”
Over the last thirty years, with help from many of you, much has been done to improve lives and give opportunity to hundreds of our Haitian brothers and sisters. Helping Hands for Haiti continues to build churches and schools, provides loans and grants for business opportunities, provides food and medical care for individuals, and shares the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our “free school” near the mission house now has 469 students that do not have to pay to receive an education.
Our two-year housing project in the mission house area is completing construction of house number 10 as a part of a program that will build or remodel 100 homes. There are so many homes in this area that have a leaky roof, dirt floors, and no ventilation. Many homes are unsafe and unhealthy for the occupants. A new home can be built for $3,000.00 and a remodel project has a cost of $1,500.00.
I hope that after reading this letter that your response is the same as mine was thirty years ago: “I can’t do nothing!” I hope that now that you know about the inadequate housing conditions and how many families are destined to live, that you will do something!
The families of Clautilde Lisma, Sylvani Casine, Esperanta, Ermelise Vermilus, Titiork, Robert Milus, Paul Aline, and Satile Pierre are grateful that they now have safe and secure housing. Let’s not stop our giving until all 100 families in the mission house area can express their gratitude because they too have safe and secure housing! We can all do something!
If you would like to make a donation please make checks to “Helping Hands for Haiti” and mail to: Helping Hands for Haiti 45406 29th St. Irene, SD 57037. If you prefer to donate by credit card, click on the ‘Donate’ button at the bottom of this page or go to the ‘Giving’ page of our website.