Dear Brother and Sisters,
Greetings from Sacramento.
I want to give an update of what we are hearing from the Haitian leaders who live in Haiti. I have been in communication with the director of The Christian Center for Integrated Development. Missions Door has been working with this organization for years. I have known him and his family for the past fifteen years. The organization is a nationally led Haitian organization involved in church planting and community development.
The director has told me that they do not want groups at this time. They will want them in the future but right now is not the time to send groups. He works throughout the country and knows the situation well. We will honor his request. I am meeting with him in two weeks and will have more information.
I saw after Hurricane Mitch in Honduras the problems caused by groups going there right after the disaster. Despite good intentions, they spent a lot of money and accomplished very little in helping the people and helping Hondurans put back together their country. In many cases they caused problems for the national leaders as the national leaders were trying to develop a plan of reconstruction and help with the most immediate needs. Most of the groups worked around the national leaders.
We want to make sure we work under Haitian Christian leadership as we are convinced that they know what is best for their people and their country. When they are ready for groups, we wholeheartedly will try to send as many groups as they need. Please let us know if you and your church might be interested in developing a group in the future.
Currently, the Haitian ministry needs funds to buy tents for pastors who lost everything. They would also like a large tent so that they can hold church services. If you would like to donate, you can send it to Beyond Partnership and we will get the funds to them. We will take 5% for administration and send you updates.
Be sure to check out the organizations where you donate. After Hurricane Mitch many well known organizations made huge amounts of money on administrative costs taken out of the donations. I saw their staff living very well in Honduras off of those funds. I also heard on Public Radio is that the donations that are given through cell phones will not be available for Haiti for a minimum of three months.
I was saddened by a comment from a Haitian leader made in one of his notes to me. The note in italics was my note and his response is in bold.
“We are praying that Haitians will be given the freedom to put their country back together without outside control…
I am sorry to let you know that the Haitians already lost all the control even of me who work with Christian organization; we need people like you who understand the situation to help us take the control back.”
Haiti was a disaster before the earthquake and is in a worse situation now. Aid and development has been pouring resources into that country for years with little results. In the past the vast majority of aid and development was under the control of outside organizations. If Haiti is going to be put back together and healed, it must come from and through the Haitians. We need to be available to serve under their vision and direction.
Please pray that the Haitians will be given the freedom to control the destiny of their country and church.
Thank you.
In His Love,
Steve