The past 10 days have been very significant here. Our vision for our ministry has always been ....to come along side of the Haitian people to help them help themselves. We believe that initially aid is okay, but for a people group to rise above poverty and oppression they need to move past aid or relief, rehabilitation and development needs to happen.
We have had a team from Cookshill here for the past 10 days and they have reached out to help change lives significantly. Their team has held classes to teach seamstress and tailors how to use an electric sewing machine. They created a project that would teach the class how to use the machine to put in zippers, buttons, buttonholes, appliques, and embellish with fancy stitches. Doreen and the team taught basics sewing skills, with hands on help. The classes were two-three hour sessions. The students did excellent and will now have the opportunity to create a way to support their families. Some of them will have the opportunity to receive a mirco-loan for their business. The students were both men and women.
Coral and Doreen along with the team also held beginner classes for girls from our Children's village who have shown an interest in sewing. This class also included two women who had never sewn before.
The girls were so proud of the drawstring bags and skirts that they learned to sew. A huge boost of confidence and encouragement for them. With the knowledge they have learned I will be able to continue helping them.
The team also taught a "Girls Days" (reusable feminine hygiene pads) class in Poteou and Bon Berger, Pass Rein. Kathy and Coral both work in the medical field and Coral is a nurse. They did a very thorough job of teaching. Through out the days spent here in Haiti Neil spent time going around the Children's village fixing and repairing many things with a couple of the older boys, which helped to train them.
The team left about 4 AM yesterday morning and arrived safely home late last night or rather early this morning. Two of the women had an allergic reaction to bug repellent spray while they were here. Alice is still suffering from the reaction, please pray for her.
Thank you to all who have prayed for us. We finally have internet and power. I had not been able to update you or send out prayer requests since we arrived back in Haiti or while the team from Cookshill Community Church was here. Such a third world problem. I finally sent out a prayer request by phone over facebook and ta da our internet was repaired :) We usually have power most of the day, but since our internet was repaired we have had a power outage. Go figure, power and internet at the same time, what was I expecting.
Late this afternoon though we received power and the internet is working. We really do need and appreciate your prayers.
I will try and send out some of the stories from the past couple of months later this week.
Thank you so much,
Blessings, Chris
