Hand in Hand with Haiti

The 2012 EMAS Haiti team arrived safely inPort-au-Prince on Wednesday, February 15, which was a day later than planned. Unfortunately, Air Canada had to cancel their original flight due to mechanical problems with the plane. It was disappointing and tiring to loose a day but Air Canada did everything they could to be helpful. All 24 pieces of checked luggage arrived safely and after customs had opened 6 of the pieces, the team was on their way.

In the afternoon heat, the team managed to sort 12 of the bags while they quickly set up the clinic at ES1 (original location) and then the other 12 bags were unpacked and organized back at the cottage. Clinics were held at both ES1, ES2 (where the new ministry centre is being built) and at Dr Robert’s Clinic. A dental clinic was also offered where some restorative work is now done in addition to the cleaning and pulling of teeth. The Sisters of Charity received a brief visit and much needed supplies, the school children are de-wormed, instruments/supplies are inventoried. Pierre is staying on a couple of extra days to see more patients and do some administrative work with the Haitian Elders.

The supplemental nutrition program continues to provide three hot meals weekly for the school children. The grade six graduates continue to score top marks in the Haitian National Exams. Both programs have continued during construction and new programs have started. Every afternoon, different groups of youth (choirs and a dance troupe) meet in the new building.

The construction on the new El Shaddai Ministry Centre began March 2012 so this was the first team to see the progress and everyone was impressed! The first building (a school) was completed in September 2012, now the second school building is moving along and the new toilet building and septic tank are completed and in use. Amazingly, this construction project is doing so much more than producing new buildings! It is also providing:

—Training in earthquake and hurricane resistant construction techniques
—Employment for men (all non drinkers) who are now able to work on their own homes and better provide for their families.
—Shelter for the neighbourhood during harsh weather
—A beautiful and safe place for 250 children to go to school and staff to work
—A place for a number of youth choir and dance groups to meet

But what the team saw (that we don’t see in the pictures) is that when you finally arrive at these buildings it’s after having driven threw many streets that are lined with damaged, propped up and flimsy structures. By the time you arrive at ES2 and see the beginning of the new Ministry Centre everyone is wowed! The community is learning to build better than before and have evidence that they can do it. The neighbours all know they are welcome and it’s seen as a sign of hope even for people who are not church members.

Back inCanada, Awareness and Fundraising, along with the administration of the construction project make Hand in Hand withHaitia year round ministry. Many individuals, churches and groups are providing the funding. Here are a few examples of what is going on.

—BroadwayFirstBaptistChurchhas a Clothesline project that happens ten times each year to support the supplemental nutrition program.
—Fairly Traded Painted Metal Art by Duvert, is sold to support the elementary school program.—A former team member has made a commitment to provide half of the monthly funding EMAS Canada sends for the El Shaddai programs.
—In October 2011, we had our first annual RUN Hand in Hand withHaitito support the construction work. We’re getting the letters ready to send out to potential sponsors for our next RUN Hand in Hand withHaiti, which will be Sunday October 21st.
—Pierre’s workplace had a Hearts forHaitifundraising activity connected with Valentine’s Day and the proceeds helped to purchase items for the 2012 Teaching Clinic that you read about at the beginning of this update.
—For the second year, AirCanadahas agreed to wave the EMAS Haiti team’s excess luggage fees ¡V this is almost a $2000 saving ¡V Thank you AirCanada!
—EMAS Canada received a grant from a foundation specifically to construct the toilet building and septic tank.
—We’ve had a number of opportunities to speak at churches and are now a regular part of a few churches’ missions budget.
—Also, as a member of the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation (MCIC), EMAS Canada received a grant for the construction project. The amount we are eligible to apply for depends on the total amount of donations we receive from Manitobans. So your generosity makes an even bigger difference!

The individual donations that many of you send along with these partnerships provide the funding base that allows EMAS Canada to support the ministries of the El Shaddai community. Thank you for your interest, prayers and financial support, together with the hard work of the El Shaddai community you are Helping Haiti Build Better than Before!

Krista
Hand in Hand withHaiti
a project of EMAS Canada

This year’s traveling team has been set and is preparing to leave Canada and be in Haiti from February 13 to 22. The team will see first-hand the progress on the construction of the Ministry Centre as well as running the annual clinic along side Haitian health care providers. Here is a list of the team members by first names:

Pierre (Winnipeg doctor & team leader)
Rachelle (Winnipeg nurse & deputy team leader)
Raphael (Saskatoon Doctor)
Linda (Dartmouth Doctor)
Micah (Montreal Dentist)
Jane (Winnipeg Occupational Therapist)
George (Dartmouth 3rd year BSc student)
John (Winnipeg grade 9 student)

There will be clinics in three locations this year. The clinic will begin at the original El Shaddai property in the building completed in May 2010. After 2 days the clinic will move to the new site where the construction of the Ministry Centre has begun. At this site the team will begin with deworming the 242 students enrolled in the Imago Dei Elementary School. Finally the team will move to Dr. Robert’s clinic where any clinic patients needing follow up will be seen.

This year we have two exceptional partners who have stepped up to help out in special ways. Health Partners International Canada has always been a part of the traveling teams. But this year especially so by connecting Hand in Hand with Haiti to a donation of 39 Physician Travel Packs. This supply will stock the Haitian pharmacy we work with for more than a year!

Air Canada has once again waived our excess luggage fees allowing us to bring even more needed supplies as a part of the teams luggage allowance.

Many Thanks!

The first school building is complete

Hand in Hand with Haiti has enjoyed a successful year of raising funds for the El Shaddai Ministry Centre. Currently we are on track to complete the fundraising plan in seven years. Construction began in 2011 and the first school building is now complete, the second school building and the septic field are well under way.  The students will soon be moving

out of the temporary structure, built in March 2010.   The simple tin roof structure has accommodated the elementary school and doubled as worship and meeting space, so that programs and services proceeded while the more permanent facilities are being built. Throughout we are committed to top standards of construction so that Haiti can build better than before–it is a chance for a fresh start.

A simple structure served as a school building after the earthquake

You may donate here (for the construction of the Ministry Centre) or here (for the 2012 school & nutrition programs).

Our 2011 fundraising goals were successfully met.  THANK YOU!

In an effort to help raise funds for all this amazing work being done in Haiti, we are organizing what we hope will be our first annual ‘RUN…Hand in Hand with Haiti.’ On Sunday, October 23rd, at 10:00 am, registrants will start their 10K timed run or 5K fun run/walk at Assiniboine Park in Winnipeg. Obviously, we need people  to register as runners or walkers, but we also need about 30 volunteers for this event, as well as sponsors and donations of various items.

Go to http://www.mraweb.ca/R_HaitiOct2011.htm  for a slide show and the 10K results!

You can also Help Haiti Build Better than Before by making a financial donation. We encourage you to give online by using one of the Giving Pages we’ve set up. This allows everyone to see how close we are to our financial goals.

Help Haiti Build Better Than Before 

This building has gone up the since January 2011. Many of you have contributed prayers and funds to fuel the Haitian team with strength, materials and techniques to build better than before. This building meets state of the art building codes for resistance to earthquakes and hurricanes.

In March of this year, construction began on the first of two school buildings that are part of the future El Shaddai Ministry Centre in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. We are not talking about helping to “rebuild” Haiti; rather, we are using the phrase Help Haiti Build Better than Before, which means the construction is being done entirely by Haitians who are learning earthquake and hurricane resistant techniques in the process.

At first, there was some grumbling among the construction workers, as it has taken more time to employ these techniques and was more expensive to use better materials and increase the quantity of just about  everything (i.e., re-bar and high-grade cement). But now that the first building is almost complete, everyone is appreciating the difference in the quality of the construction and their new skills. Using better construction methods and materials is not the only way to Help Haiti Build Better than Before.  This philosophy has been at the core of all the El Shaddai ministries right from the beginning.

The first outreach ministry, offered by the El Shaddai church in 1994, was a supplemental nutrition program for children. Building better bodies continues to be the backbone of the El Shaddai Church ministry. Currently, the community provides a meal three times weekly (Mon/Wed/Fri) for the children attending the elementary school. At the elementary school, students (half of whom are not members of the  church) are also receiving an excellent education, and the 22 staff members have steady employment, all of which helps to raise the overall health and well being of this Port-au-Prince neighbourhood.

In 2008, Sheila Peters managed to get a picture of Saint Hilaire and Pierre walking hand-in-hand. Haitian men will do this with a male friend that they trust. This became a kind of motto for us to describe how we work in Haiti. We work hand in hand with Haiti. It is an equal partnership. Bruce Hildebrand incorporated the photo into the front page of our brochure and has now designed a logo inspired by this photo. Hand in Hand with Haiti continues to be a project of EMAS Canada. (Saint Hilaire Faniel was founding pastor of the El Shaddai Baptist Church community, who was murdered in 2008, leaving the El Shaddai elders and others to continue the work he began.)

Now, we have more of an identity and a logo. Also, you may contact us by email at: krista@handinhandwithhaiti.org, or you can “like us” on Facebook .

In March of this year, construction began on the first of two school buildings that are part of the future El Shaddai Ministry Centre in Port-au-Prince Haiti. We are not talking about helping to ‘rebuild’ Haiti; rather we are using the phrase Help Haiti Build Better than Before. This means the construction is being done entirely by Haitians who are learning earthquake and hurricane resistant techniques in the process. At first, there was some grumbling among the construction workers because it has taken more time to employ these techniques and was more expensive to use better materials and increase the quantity of just about everything (i.e. rebar and cement). But now that the first building is almost complete everyone is appreciating the difference in the quality of the construction and their new skills.

Using better construction methods and materials is not the only way to Help Haiti Build Better than Before. This philosophy has been at the core of all the El Shaddai ministries right from the beginning. The first outreach ministry offered by the El Shaddai church in 1994 was a supplemental nutrition for children. Building better bodies continues to be the backbone of the El Shaddai Church ministry. Currently, the community provides a meal three times weekly (Mon/Wed/Fri) for the children attending the elementary school.

At the elementary school, students (half of whom are not members of the church) are also receiving an excellent education and the 22 staff members have steady employment; all of which helps to raise the overall health and wellbeing of this Port-au-Prince neighbourhood.

The annual EMAS-Haiti clinic sees many patients in a teaching atmosphere so the Haitian health care providers are better able to care for their community for the other 51 weeks of the year.

The construction workers also realize that they actually have been attending “construction school” while working on this job site.

Sign up for email updates: Contact krista@handinhandwithhaiti.org

First floor school building

The first evidence of the building as conceptualized by the drawings shows impressive progress in the time since the funding was released. Kudos to the construction team on the ground in Haiti.