Dear Friends,
Greetings from home. I leave tomorrow for Honduras.
I was able to meet with the Haitian leader twice this last week. The first time I met him there were to mission pastors with us. He expressed his frustration that the Haitians have so little control or say in how their country will be reconstructed.
I met with him again on Sunday. We talked about the best way that Beyond Partnership could serve. We talked about having a vision trip so that we could see how we can best serve the Haitian Christian leaders and their vision in how to best help their country and people. He asked me what would be the purpose of the trip. I said to see the situation first hand and be better able to develop groups that would fit their needs. He wanted to know if I wanted to assess the damage and needs. I felt like I had a hard time explaining to him that I (we) had no ability to assess anything. The Haitians have to do the assessment and let us know the needs. We did not want to develop the reconstruction plan in any way. We simply wanted to know better how we could serve the Haitian so that they could see their plans and dreams could become a reality. With all the outside groups coming to Haiti to assess the damage and needs, I think that he was having a hard time believing that we do not want to be involved in the plan and that we trust the Haitians.
Someone sent me an article from the New England Journal of Medicine. It stated that at the time of the earthquake there were approximately 10,000 Non Government Organizations (NGO) registered in Haiti to do aid and development work. I calculated that if each organization averaged 25 workers that would mean that there was one aid and development worker for every 36 Haitians. Something is terribly wrong when this many organizations are unable to help alleviate poverty in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. There has to be a better way and Beyond Partnership and the Haitian Christian leaders believe there is a better.
None of this is going to be easy. As many of you have heard us say, “For every problem there is a simple solution and they are all wrong.” There is no simple solution to the solving the historical corruption of both the NGOs and government leaders. There is no simple solution of how to take the control out of the hands of the NGOs and mission organizations and giving it to the Christian leaders and the Haitian churches. This is not going to be easy.
But there is hope. Jesus said that He would build his church and we can come under the Haitian churches to help them rebuild their country in His grace and mercy. Beyond Partnership is going to workunder the leadership of The Christian Center for Integrated Development and the Association of Protestant Churches (about 700 churches). These organizations work together as one with the Center doing community development through the churches. The Association plants churches and trains leaders. They have the structure to discern the real needs and make sure the people and the communities with the greatest needs will receive help.
There are three things that you can do to help.
1. As I mentioned above we are going to do a vision trip to see how we can best serve their vision and dreams for Haiti. We are going to plan this in May. It will only be a few days as we are not there to assess but listen.
2. They need funds. You can donate through Beyond Partnership and we will forward the funds to them (we will take 5% of administration). They will give us an accounting to how the funds are used. We will be helping them with temporay housing. He prefers wooden shelter that cost $225 over the tents which cost $171.50. The first community they want to help is Bainet in the South East of Haiti.
3. After all the glamour is over and groups stop coming, that is when the greatest long term needs surface. We are going to be leading teams to work under the Haitian leadership starting after summer. This summer, the country will be overrun with groups trying to find things to do (I saw this first hand after Hurricane Mitch). The Haitian leadership feels that after summer would be the best time to start. It will give them time to assess and develop a long term plan that will truly help change Haiti from being one largest recipients of aid and development money in the world to a self sufficient country.
Please be in prayer for the Christian Haitian leaders. Pray that God gives them wisdom as they develop what God would have them do. Pray that God gives them courage to speak out against the outsiders that want to use their money to control. We know that God works all things for good. Pray that Jesus is lifted up and the people of Haiti can see that He is good through the care and concern of the Haitian churches and Haitian Christian leaders.
I want to make sure that you realize that I am communicating the feelings of the Haitians. The Haitian leader read this letter before it was sent. Here is his comment, “The letter is great. I approve it.”
If you have any questions, please e-mail me. I will be receiving it in Honduras.
Thank you for your prayers, concern, and support of our very poor brothers and sisters that have suffered and continue to suffer. God’s grace reigns.
In His Love,
Steve
