We are entering into an exciting time in our ministry work here in Haiti. Nehemiah Vision Ministries has grown tremendously this past year. Since the earthquake on January 12th 2010, aid has flowed nonstop into Haiti and into NVM as well. Our mission has been blessed with a new cafeteria, warehouse, and a team complex that includes men’s and women’s dorms, showers, kitchen, cafeteria, and staff housing. The hospital and children’s homes are still under construction. We have spent a lot of time working on our campus and distributing food and medicine that has come in.
Today Pastor Esperandieu Pierre and I discussed NVM leaving the disaster relief stage and entering into the spiritual development stage. NVM has been entrusted with several large tents. Today we distributed two of them and met with two other pastors and agreed to give them tents as well. Tomorrow I’m taking a team of teenage boys from Rhode Island to set up the first tent. It will be used for a church by a congregation of 75 – 100 people. The following day we’ll set up another one for a small church that has a school and children’s home as well. This pastor has his family and several kids he has taken in, all living in a very small two room house. There are two beds in the house. The mattresses are nothing more than a thin sheet over some 2 x 4’s that are on about 6” centers. The pastor’s mother, who is 82 years old, lives in a tiny shack next door that is about 8’ x 8’. We will also set up a couple of 5 man tents for them to use as well. We just happen to have (obviously a God thing) two boxes of rice and beans in the truck. When we gave these to them, they were very excited and kept saying, “Merci Jezi,” thank you Jesus. These are some of the poorest conditions I have seen yet. Part of Esperandieu’s vision is to not only provide help, but mentor these pastors as well and have an ongoing relationship with them. If we just drop in and give them some tents and food and leave, they may or may not thrive. But if we work with them regularly and help them develop and grow their churches, we can be more effective in developing spiritual leaders who are independent. This will also help the pastors with resources to develop their church bodies and influence those around them.
One of our NVM medical teams went to a nearby village today. They called and said there was a mom of 22 years with a 3 year old and a 7 month old. She said they had not eaten in 3 days. They estimated the mom weighed around 75 pounds. We told them to feed her what they had and we’d come with some food. It’s amazing how you can take beans and rice for granted, yet this lady will be ecstatic to have them for her family. In hopeless situations like these, the only real hope we offer is Jesus.
Today Pastor Esperandieu Pierre and I discussed NVM leaving the disaster relief stage and entering into the spiritual development stage. NVM has been entrusted with several large tents. Today we distributed two of them and met with two other pastors and agreed to give them tents as well. Tomorrow I’m taking a team of teenage boys from Rhode Island to set up the first tent. It will be used for a church by a congregation of 75 – 100 people. The following day we’ll set up another one for a small church that has a school and children’s home as well. This pastor has his family and several kids he has taken in, all living in a very small two room house. There are two beds in the house. The mattresses are nothing more than a thin sheet over some 2 x 4’s that are on about 6” centers. The pastor’s mother, who is 82 years old, lives in a tiny shack next door that is about 8’ x 8’. We will also set up a couple of 5 man tents for them to use as well. We just happen to have (obviously a God thing) two boxes of rice and beans in the truck. When we gave these to them, they were very excited and kept saying, “Merci Jezi,” thank you Jesus. These are some of the poorest conditions I have seen yet. Part of Esperandieu’s vision is to not only provide help, but mentor these pastors as well and have an ongoing relationship with them. If we just drop in and give them some tents and food and leave, they may or may not thrive. But if we work with them regularly and help them develop and grow their churches, we can be more effective in developing spiritual leaders who are independent. This will also help the pastors with resources to develop their church bodies and influence those around them.
One of our NVM medical teams went to a nearby village today. They called and said there was a mom of 22 years with a 3 year old and a 7 month old. She said they had not eaten in 3 days. They estimated the mom weighed around 75 pounds. We told them to feed her what they had and we’d come with some food. It’s amazing how you can take beans and rice for granted, yet this lady will be ecstatic to have them for her family. In hopeless situations like these, the only real hope we offer is Jesus.