Haiti Outreach Ministries - June 2020 Update
Due to concerns related to the coronavirus, schools, churches, and the airport have been closed in Haiti since March 20. Cases of coronavirus are increasing in Haiti, although our Medical Director Dr. Quency reports that very limited testing makes it difficult to know the number of confirmed cases that exist in our communities. Our medical staff prepared for the virus when the outbreak first began and has since been educating patients and members of the community.
Although U.S. teams cannot travel and schools and churches cannot meet, much is happening. Here are a few highlights about HOM/MICECC’s recent ministry activity
· Distribution of food continues to our primary school students and in our communities. Nadege Gay, the Assistant Superintendent of Schools, is coordinating the efforts to distribute food to the primary school students, and the pastors of our three churches are coordinating the efforts to feed congregants and those from the surrounding communities. Food is distributed monthly. Most recently, food was distributed at Cite Soleil on June 8, at Terre Noire on June 9, and at Repatriote on May 17. HOM continues to send extra funds to Haiti so additional food can continue to be distributed, and Rise Against Hunger continues to be an essential partner in our feeding efforts.
· Students and parents from all four of our schools went to Terre Noire on May 12, to register for the next school year. Turnout was strong, and our Founding Director Leon Dorleans says it was wonderful to see so many people show up for registration.
· Although the churches cannot meet to worship together on Sunday mornings, Profaite Medeus, Senior Pastor of the Cite Soleil Church and President of MICECC, reports that the pastors continue to nurture church members by connecting with them and one another through WhatsApp groups. The Cite Soleil church leaders have created a WhatsApp group that includes 232 church members so far. Using this technology, they are able to share in daily morning devotions, prayers at noon, Bible studies in the evening, and Sunday worship services. They are also are providing information about COVID-19 and other useful information.
· Construction on the last classroom building on our Repatriote campus is almost complete. The building will be ready to welcome students starting in September.
· HOM continues its plans to develop the new 5th campus for economic development, including vocational and entrepreneurial training. We recently completed the purchase of a key parcel of land that will allow us to create an access road to the campus.
We are also proud to share that HOM graduate Dr. Benoucheca Pierre, is working on the front lines as part of the core medical team that is caring for patients in Haiti battling the coronavirus. Benoucheca was in the first class at our Cite Soleil primary school almost 30 years ago! She went on to study in France, returned to Haiti to serve her country, and today is one of just a handful of Haitian doctors who have studied intensive care medicine. The seeds that were planted many years ago are bearing fruit today – a testament to why our work in the schools and communities in Haiti is so important.
Although these are challenging times, we echo the words of our colleague Nadege Gay, who recently wrote in an email message to us, “Life was already hard enough in Haiti especially for the people who live in the community that we serve and with COVID-19, things have become even harder now. But I trust with the help of Jesus Christ our Lord, we can overcome anything. Let’s keep each other in prayer for peace in mind, protection from the virus and insecurity, and for food for those in desperate need.”
Gary W. Fulton
Executive Director
Haiti Outreach Ministries
Read more about Haiti Outreach Ministries HERE.
THE NEED
The Outreach Foundation is seeking the following gifts for Haiti Outreach Ministries: prenatal vitamins and baby formula - $25 per family per month; chairs for schools - $25 each; otoscopes - $150 each; primary school for one student per year - $420; secondary education for one student per year - $720; community feeding program - $100/month. You may make a gift HERE or by sending a check to our office.