May 1, 2021
Hello from Haiti!
Revitalizing a Church
For quite a long time now, we have been planning a project to put a new roof on the church in Dolval, a community with which we have been engaged since the very first day of Haiti Cheri's existence. This is an old church building, built in 1948 as an outreach by the Haitian Baptist Convention. The Convention long ago lost the financial means to help maintain these churches, and so the building in Dolval has fallen into disrepair simply due to its age. On a trip we took a couple of years ago, we recognized the need to revitalize this church. You could put your fist through the many holes in its metal roof. We needed to help the community get the job done, since they do not have the financial means to do it independently.
The Job Gets Bigger
Just when we thought we had a big job on our hands, it got bigger! After 73 years of service, the back wall of the building has cracked and is unstable. This became apparent after our initial assessment. The wall has to come down and it will be rebuilt. It will also be pushed out behind the building to enlarge the worship space. It makes sense to do this expansion now since the wall needs to be replaced anyway. The new roof can then go over a solid foundation with space for more people to come to church.
The Work Begins
Under the guidance of Dr. Oris Guillaume, Haiti Cheri's CEO and former pastor at the church, and Pastor Denis, the current pastor, the work is under way. As the photos show, the roof has been taken off the building. The community is doing all of the work themselves. A temporary worship space has been created, which is a simple shed covered with tin. The church will continue to meet there during the reconstruction. The foundation for the new back wall has been dug, and the supporting columns are taking shape.
You Can Help!
Our plan all along was to form a mission team to go to Dolval to help the community with the project and to document the progress. That plan was put on hold due to political unrest and instability in Haiti, then Covid, and after that, even more political unrest. The situation is simply too dangerous to take a team to Haiti now. Revolution Church in Georgia graciously funded the roof portion of the project almost two years ago. It no longer makes sense for us to hold those funds in reserve when the need is so great. The community can do the job, and so we decided to wait no longer. However, a financial need remains. While we have the funds to do the roof, the unexpected situation with the wall has created the additional need for several thousand dollars to bring the project to completion. If you feel so led, we would be very grateful for your financial assistance! You can click the link below for information on how to donate. Even though you may not be able to take a trip to Haiti at this time, your dollars can take a trip, and they will have lasting Kingdom impact!
