Tying the knot
Weddings are always such joyous occasions and that’s the case here in Haiti, as well. Yesterday Pastor Lex had the privilege of marrying a couple from the MOHI church in St. Etienne. The couple are from an area called “Mounda Chita.” Just the name of the village brings a smile to my face, as its literal translation is “rear-end sit.” In my mind the name conjures a village full of people sitting around, but that’s not the case. This village is in a beautiful, mountainous area and mountain people are know for being HARD workers.
Typically, a mountain family will rise early in the morning, usually before the sun. The children will go out to “change” the animals (the livestock are tied to one spot and need to be moved to a new spot regularly so they find enough to eat). Goats are renowned for going long periods without drinking water, but other animals like cows and horses, need to be watered. Sometimes the children walk for miles to bring an animal to water and back again. After this the children run home to bathe and get ready for school, if they are so fortunate (as the children in Mounda Chita are) to have a school within walking distance that their parents can afford to send them to.
Romage & Manette July 28, 2012
The Father rises early, as well, to head to his gardens. His gardens are on steep mountain sides. Sometimes he works in his neighbors garden, especially when preparing the land for planting they’ll take turns working all together in each others gardens. Mom has also risen early from her bed. She gathers up her commerce, walking miles to the market with the heavy load on her head. Everyone returns home before dark and most are asleep shortly after the sun sets. One of the things I love about the mountain people is that they are usually much more content than city folks. In the city there is much more of a draw from the world to get more “stuff” and to believe that organizations working in the country “owe” them something. But in the mountains the people are happy to have food to eat, clothes to wear and healthy family and friends to visit with. Romage and Manette live this kind of life. Yesterday they committed to love and cherish one another, ’til death do they part. We are so proud of them and honor them for commitment to one another and the generations to follow.
Ohio
Josh Putnam and Ryan Wells playing hard!
My family and I are excited to be heading to Ohio for a visit in September. We have made so many great friends from Ohio in the last couple of years. As I think about visiting them soon, I remember how it all started…
Two young men decided to visit Haiti and found themselves in a bit of a mess. They had gotten our contact information from the brother of a friend of a friend of ours, months prior to their visit. They called, as they came to the bottom of the barrel and asked if they could visit for a couple of days. We picked them up the next day in Port-au-Prince and they stayed with us in Grand-Goâve for the next three weeks.
Josh Putnam and Ryan Wells worked hard to earn their keep – and they played hard, too. They were always willing to do whatever we asked of them and had some great ideas to contribute, as well. They both were so respectful. Lex and I quickly grew to love them like our own sons. I still remember them painting and painting and painting. Ryan, who was in nursing school at the time, organized all the medicines and did an inventory for us. They also finished and organized the new kitchen at what was then my office.
Both young men insisted that we come visit them in Ohio, which we did. They introduced us to their campus ministry at the University of Akron, Campus Focus. Josh’s parents, Roger and Linda, evacuated the top floor of their home (moving their family to the basement!) and gave us their three bedrooms and private bathroom for the entire time we were there. At the time, we so needed to be refreshed. This was just what the doctor ordered.
Josh has now moved to North Carolina and Ryan is a newlywed.
We received our first team from Akron shortly after the earthquake and several have come since. We’ve had some folks who have come back to stay with us for a month or longer. Kim Conrad, who has led and hosted several teams for us, recently spent three months with us. David Besse, who left this morning to return to Duke University, where he is pursuing his Master’s degree in inorganic biology, originally came to Haiti with a Campus Focus team, too.
We are so looking forward to seeing all of you who live in Ohio. Please remember to keep a spot open for us the week of September 18th! Sunday, September 23rd, we will be at the Chapel in Akron. If we don’t see you prior to that, please be sure to meet up with us there! Write to us on Facebook or drop us an email renee@mohintl.org.
Influence
I’m constantly amazed at how many people, from all different walks of life, come across our path here in Haiti. Most influence our lives and we influence theirs, as well. The longer I am here in Haiti, the more I realize how critical it is to build relationships with good people.
Building relationships and positively influencing lives
Each Sunday after church, we open the mission house “choukoun” (big, round, grass-covered pavilion) to others serving in Haiti. We share a meal – usually hot dogs, French fries, piklis (looks like cole slaw, tastes like SPICEY!) and home made bread. Some people go swimming with the kids from the Hands and Feet Project, but mostly we talk – a LOT! Today several of us made comments about all the white children running around the choukoun. Normally it’s just Faith Sutton running around, but today we had quite a few kids. Today we enjoyed the company of our newest visiting group from the Vine Community Church in Atlanta, GA, the directors of both Hands and Feet Project locations (Jacmel and Grand-Goave), as well as one of its founders, Will McGinnis, with his wife and children. Our architect, Paul Fallon and Dr. St. Leger, from St. Louis, MO also joined us. Many great relationships and positive influences have been started under the choukoun.
Construction of the MOHI School
Construction continues to move forward at the school in Thozin, Grand-Goâve. This past week we completed the full 13 courses of block for all the first floor rooms, began forming the reinforcement beams for the second floor, continued pouring columns and started to form and back fill for the front steps.
This building is amazingly massive! Every now and then Lex or I will look at the other and say, “This building is HUGE!”
Some of you remember how we started, but some of you may not. Soooooo…here’s a picture of our first building at MOHI. It’s made from wooden poles covered with woven coconut palm branches.
September 2000 - MOHI's first school/church building
We later built with concrete blocks…
MOHI Campus around 2003
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Unfortunately, they were built according to normal Haitian practice and many buildings were badly damaged…
Damage from the earthquake on January 12, 2010
We are now building under the guidance of a US national engineering firm, Simpson, Gumpertz & Heger. This building is built to the seismic standards used in California and Boston. It is designed to be a safe refuge in times of natural disasters (like hurricanes and earthquakes).
Construction at the MOHI School July 2012
Walls are up!
Love Those Kids!
People all over the world love their children. At MOHI we also love children – from all over the world!
Watching Ben Jones grow up
Sunday School
The Sutton Family
One eating a cracker - one eating a belly!
Alexis loves those babies!
Church at Thozin
This morning we had the privilege of hearing a message delivered by Jon Adams, pastor of the Vine Community Church in Atlanta, GA. He shared from Luke 8:40-56, talking about losing hope, searching for hope and restoration of hope. It was a very encouraging message and many came forward at the end for prayer.
Edon Carries, the local pastor in Thozin and his son Mackenson playing the bass
Jean and Rosenie brought some friends from Samaritan's Purse to church with them this morning.
Worship Team
“Twice Convicted” by Phil Cebula
Pastors Phil and Irene Cebula
Our friend Pastor Phil Cebula recently published a book about his life’s story, “Twice Convicted.” Pastor Phil sees hope for everyone! I encourage you to read this inspiring book.
