Tragedy Strikes

September 2020 Update

So much has been going on in our own small world that it’s easy to forget how lives are being affected in other worlds like Haiti. This summer has been one of death & rebuilding, tragedy & grief in Caneille.

In June we learned that Magda, who has been a part of the School of Grace at Calvary Chapel Caneille since 2006, lost her father suddenly. She and her 3 children found themselves without a home. She is a single Mom and had started building a house a little at a time, but it was far from finished. I put the word out to many of you who knew her as she was always there to help with our missions and outreaches to the children. We were able to send $2,000 to help finish her new home!

While Pastor Bastia was in Wisconsin trying to get his U.S. green card renewed, his oldest 16-year-old stepson Hyguens became very sick. His appendix had ruptured and they transported him to a hospital in PAP because there are no platelets available anywhere in their area. Tragically, he passed away with his mother and Bastia’s brother Odenelle there with him. This has hit the whole community so hard, but especially his Mom and siblings. Please keep them in your prayers as they grieve. Miraculously, Pastor Bastia’s paperwork was approved the next day and he was able to make it back home in time for the funeral. The hospital and funeral expenses were extremely high and again many of you were able to donate. CHMM sent the family $4,000 toward them and we now have $2,000 in a fund for a surgical ward inside of the clinic in Hyguens honor! Again, sadly, the need to have good medical help right there in Caneille is desperate.

Life in Haiti continues to be difficult. Who could imagine that it could get worse than it was this past year with all the rioting, road blocks, and inflation? Now add in a pandemic! At least here we can get food to fill our cupboards and electricity to keep us comfortable while we are stuck at home. The main mission of CHMM is to provide medical care to the people of Caneille, but when we see people starving, medicine takes second place. We were also able to send $1,000 in July to buy rice for the people in Caneille. Pastor Bastia says that the value of their money is dropping but the prices of everything are staying up. This will cause even more starvation and despair. Please pray that God would intervene for the people of Haiti during these desperate times.

Again, thank you for your support of this mission. I hope that my next newsletter will have good news to share about the clinic!

Pastor Bastia, Nounoute and their beautiful family (Hyguens is holding his mother's arm)

COVID-19 Crisis

June 2020 Update

As an “essential worker”, my work days are much more exhausting with all the new COVID-19 guidelines. I hope you and yours have stayed well during this pandemic and have found ways to minister to those around you.From riots to COVID to quarantine to starvation, things have gone from bad to worse in Haiti. Imagine not having the technology to communicate or the stockpile of groceries in your cupboards or a government who pays you to stay home. The Haitian people in the central plateau around Caneille are mostly farmers who live hand to mouth and they have been forced to stay at home or be arrested. The people of Calvary Chapel Caneille have been suffering so much. One elderly woman was found dead in her home, and another woman 6 months pregnant bled to death because she was unable to get to the hospital. A pastor in Hinche was arrested because he held a funeral service, so Pastor Bastia is unable to even provide comfort to these hurting families.

Last week Pastor was able distribute large bags of rice and oil to many families in the church thanks to donations, but the need is great. I hope we can send more money so we can help others.

Another need has arisen in the church. Those of you who have traveled to Caneille have to remember Magda. She has worked for the School of Grace since 2006 and is now the academy director and is always on campus when we are there, no matter what time of year. Her father died recently and he was a huge help to her and her 3 children. She is a single mom and really struggling to get by, and now she has no home.

She has a piece of property that she has been building on but has run out of money. The walls are up but she still needs the roof, cement floor, and to “smooth” the walls. I’m praying that CHMM will be able to raise the money to provide the roof which will be around $2,000.

You may be wondering why I haven’t mentioned the clinic yet. With all that has been going on, we haven’t had a team there since March when a group from Cornerstone Calvary Chapel in VA finished all the electrical work, PTL! They got back just as COVID was declared a pandemic. Our next steps are to put in a transformer that will bring in city electricity and run wires to the street. We are also ready to lay tile throughout the building, just as soon as the people are allowed to return to work. God willing, this will happen soon. As you can imagine, it has been very hard to watch all of this going on from a distance, knowing that having a clinic would make a world of difference in that community. In God’s perfect time, He will finish the good work He has started!

In closing, thank you for your support of this ministry. I pray that all of you are staying well and able to be in contact with your loved ones. Please pray for our country--wisdom for our leaders and for good to triumph over evil. We have so much more to do before Jesus’ return!

Civil Unrest, Civil War

January 2020 Update

2019 has been described by many Haitians as the worst year they can ever remember. It was a year without hope. The civil unrest that escalated into a civil war, literally brought the country to a standstill due to rioting and road blocks, gang wars and murders. Schools and clinics closed, the cost of gas and food, if you could get them, were astronomical. And here we were, all packed to go with suitcases full of medicine. I planned and attempted to take a team down 4 different times, but our way was blocked each time. I truly had to learn what God meant when He said in Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"

We may not have been able to bring aid to the Haitians in person, but thanks to all who donated, we were able to send $15,500 to them for food and gas in 2019! Thank you! What a blessing this was to the people to help carry them through the crisis. The roads have opened up and schools are back in session now. Everything is still expensive, but more available now. We will continue to send money as God provides.

Now that we are able to communicate again with Pastor Bastia in Caneille, we will get back to work on the clinic. We will start with tiling and painting, then put in the septic system. There is a team hoping to go down in March to complete the electrical work. And I am praying about taking a medical team in April. We'll see what God wills.

We have raised enough money through jewelry parties and the Christmas Boutique to be able to purchase a portable ultrasound machine! This is so exciting and will literally change how we are able to diagnose some of our patients. Praise God!

As always, CHMM is so grateful for your prayers and financial support. The clinic would not be there if it weren't for you! If you are interested in going with us to Haiti April 3-11 please send me a quick note (Caneille.Haiti@gmail.com) and I'll give you more details.