Wow!!!  Mission USA (from the Chapel, Akron, OH) came in like a hurricane!  This week has been nonstop ministry, clinics, maintenance and improvements.  It’s been incredible!

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At the beginning of 2013, Mission USA sent us a 3/4 size school bus to use for teams coming into Haiti to serve.  As many of you know first hand, the bus has been an incredible blessing.  Teams that would normally be difficult to get from point A to point B are now easily transported.  Even this team of 34 was able to travel all together to Grand-Goave.

Later in the year, Fred and Sandy Muffet (Mission USA founders) asked if we could use another bus.  The response was affirmative.  I shared our vision for transforming a large vehicle into a mobile medical clinic.  There are so many who just do not have access to medical care in their towns.  We currently do mobile medical clinics, but we often have to run back to Thozin to get supplies we weren’t expecting to need.  Using a stocked vehicle helps us to avoid that situation and provides privacy the patients might not otherwise find.

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Our friends in Akron immediately went to work, locating a bus, remodeling it into a clinic, purchasing other needed items (generator for the Thozin campus, two commercial grade ovens for the main school, washing machine and flat grill for the missionary compound and so many other useful items).  They went through the bus, to make sure everything was working properly.  They installed cabinets, counters, a sink – even an exam table and wall partitions for privacy.  They held a big food packaging event and packed it all into the bus, along with all the other purchases and donations.  The bus was so heavy, they decided to truck it Miami, rather than driving it.  Fred and Sandy traveled to Miami to get it to the shipper and take care of all the paperwork.

The bus arrived ahead of the team, and has been parked, awaiting their arrival.  Wednesday was like Christmas morning.  We are so grateful to all our friends at the Chapel who joined the Mission USA team to bless the MOHI school and communities.  Thank you!

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Once the bus was unpacked, the team started working on several other projects, such as plumbing, pouring a slab for the new generator, medical clinics in St Etienne, disability ministry, Electronic Medical Record data entry, village ministry, cooking and feeding the poor, and loving on lots of little ones.

Mission USA purchased tiles and paid to have them laid in the kitchen at the missionary compound.  Pastor Hakine picked out the tiles.  I was QUITE nervous about them, but once the floor was done, I saw that they were perfect.  We plan to use the scraps to make some counter tops.

 

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Breakfast has been GREAT fun with the new flat top grill.  The menu has expanded with pancakes, French toast, home fries, etc.  All things that were previously not possible to make for a large team.  Now teams can participate in cooking their meals, too!

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Mission USA and Help 4 Haiti went in thirds with us to purchase a three-wheeler:  motorcycle front with a trailer on it.  It has already been a great help for moving people and items between the school and missionary compound.  I think Fred and Kevin have been having fun driving it, too.

Church was extra special this morning, as we welcomed Drex and Jo Stuart back to Haiti for a short visit.  Drex and Jo actually lived at the MOHI missionary compound for several months, while they began construction of the Hands and Feet Project’s children’s village, here in Grand-Goave.  During that time, we fell in love with Drex and Jo.  It was so great to have Drex preach, with Lex translating this morning.  He dressed up an elder from his church as a Roman soldier and talked about the armour of God.  It was a very memorable and encouraging message.

As I’m sure you can tell, we have been having a blast with Mission USA.  We still have several days together with them.  More good reports to come!!!  Here’s a few more pics from this week: