The United States has been through some very difficult times, economically. Remember the days of job security? As of January 25, 2011, Nevada had the highest unemployment rate in the country at 14.5%. That’s very high, isn’t it? I imagine there are a lot of citizens of Nevada that can’t afford their mortgage or to pay the rent each month. Some are losing access to cable TV and having a hard time keeping their cell phone turned on. Many others are probably receiving food stamps, government backed health insurance. Others have lost their cars and owe the insurance company money. It’s a very hard thing for a family when nobody is working.

Haiti was once a very wealthy French Colony which depended greatly on the slave labor. The short of this history: The slaves rebelled against their French masters and won their “freedom,” becoming the first black republic in the world. Two-hundred, seven years later, Haiti is recovering from an earthquake that killed over 250,000 people. She is dealing with a cholera outbreak that has claimed the lives of over 4,000 people, so far. And Haiti is once again in a political upheaval. Most things have not improved over the years and many have degenerated altogether.

What does a job mean to a Haitian? It means that my children won’t starve to death. It means that my children can go to school and get an education, so they’ll know how to lead the country better than the past 100 generations have. It means that I can buy clean water for my family to drink and soap for them to wash their hands, greatly reducing the chances of contracting cholera. It means that my children won’t suffer from malnourishment and be susceptible to many other life-threatening illnesses. It means that I have a sense of self-worth, because my family is “well” cared for. It means that I am more respected in our society than about 75% of my neighbors. It means that I might be able to rebuild from the rubble, little by little.

At Mission of Hope International, we are educating over 800 children this year. Where will these children work tomorrow? Since we have some of the most amazing kids in our schools, certainly some of them will go to college, assuming they can find the means to pay for it. Others God will give witty inventions and ideas for great businesses. Others will need to find a job. There are currently not enough jobs to go around – at ALL!!! It is critical that we encourage economic development before these kids are thrust into the job market – or lack thereof.

This is why Mission of Hope International is eager to work with organizations like Sirona Cares, to support farmers and creating alternative forms of energy. Right now we were granted a project from the World Food Program that is employing 1000 people this month, 1000 next month and 1000 the following month. These jobs will be enough for many of these 3000 men and women to save up money to start their own businesses or to buy seeds for planting crops that they otherwise would not have been able to plant. We have employed hundreds of craftsmen and laborers over the past year, as we have been reconstructing the mission, erecting transitional shelters and building with other organizations. We also provide regular work month after month to over 60 people.

Yes, the earthquake caused major setbacks. We had hoped to start a trade school by the 2012/2013 school year, but right now we need to concentrate on rebuilding our elementary and high schools first. But, as always, we derive much hope from the Bible. This verse comes to mind, from Habakkuk 2:3, “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

Donations from friends and partners are making jobs available for many families in Haiti now. If you’d like to be a part of changing the economic landscape of Grand-Goave, please click here to make a donation of any amount, today. Thank you!